by I have only been alive for 20 years, and since 2000 I have witnessed technological advancements few would have ever been able to predict. Even in the last 10 years, our society has innovated exponentially, and our entire world is beginning to change to reflect these progressions. The biggest reflection factor of the change in my life would be the personal cellular phone. When I was a kid few people had cell phones at all, and now by the time I am an adult, almost everyone I see possesses one. This transition occurred quickly and has impacted all aspects of society. What innovation will impact the world next in the way that phones have? Has this already been created, or are we still waiting? Robots, I believe, are this next innovation. We have already seen the implementation of skill-based robots around the world, but going into the future will we have to worry about robots taking our jobs too?
The automation of jobs is a real threat in 2020. Robot research has become increasingly funded by companies in recent years, and the progression we can see already is truly stunning. Amazon is one company that has been surprisingly innovating its robotics. In 2012, Amazon spent $775 million to purchase a young robotics company. Amazon hoped to implement these robots into their warehouses to expedite shipping times, but over time Amazon used the new branch of their company to develop and test their own robots. Amazon’s original goal was to have robots follow QR codes on the ground to bring packages to designated zip code sorting lines, where the packages then get loaded into a truck by a traditional human worker.
Over time these strategies hav
e been implemented, and Amazon has continued to redesign these robots and other aspects to make this entire process run more efficiently. Amazon now has more than 200,000 robots working inside its warehouses and is continuing to redefine shipping performance for the entire industry. The implementation of robots in warehouses by Amazon has erected a new race for cheaper, more effective warehouse robots. Companies now all over the world are trying to maximize shipping efficiency by manipulating and using warehouse robots, as it can be a very impactful addition for a company. A spokesperson for Amazon said that the robots at warehouses have enabled inventory to rise by 40%. If Amazon can hold more goods, ship them faster, and minimize human error, why wouldn’t these strategies be in warehouses everywhere by the end of the decade?
There is no doubt that the presence of robots allows for more efficient organization and shipping, however, it is not without any costs. The hectic warehouse filled with robots understandably leads to more injuries at work, something that has already been statistically notable in warehouses with robots across the country. Despite the safety precautions, the production increase is just too impressive with solidified robots like Amazon has shown. They, and other companies, hope to continue developing and implementing robots into their warehouses across the globe. From a personal standpoint, I think it is dangerous to drift fully away from human intervention in the workplace. At Amazon, it has proven effective to still have human workers to oversee the robotic process. This is because malfunctions do occur, even with robots, and humans still have the problem solving abilities that skill based robots lack. Although full automation is not yet a reality in warehouses, it is in our near future. At some point in my lifetime, the majority of warehouses will be full of robots, I am just not sure if that will be in 5 years or 20.
Works Cited:
https://www.wired.com/story/amazon-warehouse-robots/
Photo : https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/robots-amazon-delivery-artificial-intelligence-technology-a9264036.html