Are robots going to take over the world and take the place of humans? Well it seems so… Robots are intended to do specific tasks. Recently over the years robots have been replacing human tasks and forcing large amounts of people out of work. These robots can travel places that humans cannot, places that are too hot, too far away, and too small. However, a field that can be improved in the robotics area is safety.
Everyday people are being killed at work because of poor and unsafe working conditions. According to the ILO (International Labour Organization) each day, an average of five-thousand people die as a result of work-related accidents. To prevent this, robots need to be improved to be able to work in various situations where the working conditions are poor and unsafe. Some of the unsafe working conditions include
jobs that are underground like mining, jobs in construction zones, astronauts working in outer space. Underwater jobs like naval submarines, oceanographers, marine biologists, and military personnel are other examples of work that can be potentially dangerous.
People are risking their lives everyday at work. Road construction is a prime example of a hazardous work site where workers are often hit and killed by drivers who are speeding or drunk. Construction workers who work on building homes or larger structures risk having the frames collapse on them, or falling from heights when they are working. Frequently, we hear about pieces of brick or debris falling from buildings striking pedestrians, injuring them even causing death. Another example of hazardous work location is working underground; the structures underground that are holding up the mines collapse on the miners. Miners can be suffocated when the toxic fumes from the heavy intake of coal fills the mines.
The military is where most people are being killed when at work. People in the military are risking their lives hoping that their actions will make our world a better place. Every day we hear the counts of how many soldiers were shot or blown up in roadside bombings. Second to last, underwater is a very unsafe place to work. The high water pressure being exerted upon submarines which often they cannot endure thus causes the sub to sink. In addition, people can drown underwater when there is a malfunction in their air tank or they are underneath too long. Lastly, astronauts risk their lives. When going to space and coming back from space the air pressure that is being forced on the rocket at high speeds makes the rocket act like a ticking bomb. Furthermore, if any pieces were loose on the rocket the rocket would start to come apart. So you can see that every day people are risking their lives when at work.
Improving modifications on robots or creating specialized robots to perform these occupations in place of humans would prevent the loss of lives. If we were able to replace humans in these potentially dangerous positions with highly technological robots then, it might even be possible to gather more accurate data where applicable. Additionally, we are able to create robots that are more efficient then humans.
The jobs that would be lost because of robot takeover could be replaced with positions in the development, care and maintenance of these wonderful robots.
