Humanoid Robots Are Going To Be Here Sooner Than We Expect?
A report suggests humanoid robots are expected to begin replacing human workers by the end of the decade.
Humanoid robots are officially coming, and it looks like they’ll be taking our jobs. According to a write up in Axios regarding the rise of these dexterous murder machines, these Terminator-shaped automatons have been successfully produced by a series of tech companies, with insiders in Silicon Valley estimating that the bots will be staffing warehouses and tending to the elderly within the decade. Amazon has expressed interest in replacing its workers with automated robots, with other companies sure to follow suit soon thereafter.
These humanoid robots are being produced by a startup called Figure, which the company says will soon have the dexterity to climb stairs, utilize tools, lift boxes, and open doors as well as a human being. We have seen periodic progress on robots of this variety from companies such as Boston Dynamics, who periodically unveil their tech in humorous promotional videos across YouTube, but with more companies catching up, allowing the mass production of these robotic laborers, many citizens fear for a future of tyranny at the hands of a T-1000.
The team behind Figure is composed of 40 engineers with backgrounds in Boston Dynamics and Tesla, operating out of a warehouse of about 30,000 square feet. The first prototype of the humanoid robot was reportedly completed in December of 2022, with plans to produce a veritable army of the creatures once they fine tune the intricate details. The current prototype weighs roughly 130 pounds and stands at 5 feet and 6 inches.
The humanoid robots in question have an estimated battery life of five hours, which may not bode well for their current timeline to replace human workers in factories and warehouses, who often work shifts of 8 to 16 hours at a time. Of course, the robots also don’t take breaks to eat or use the bathroom, and don’t spend 40 minutes of the hour glancing at their Apple Watch waiting for the day to end. The man who assembled the team of robotocists, Brett Adcock, has also stated the advanced difficulty in creating humanoid robots, citing the human figure as difficult to replicate mostly due to balancing issues.
Of course, despite the fear and uncertainty this may pose for warehouse workers, the machines are designed to assist humans, not replace them. The humanoid robots are being produced as an effort to take over the physically taxing responsibilities that many laborers don’t want, allowing human employees to focus more on jobs that are less damaging to their bodies. Due to a growing labor shortage and crisis, it may not be a negative thing to implement the help of automated ai creations in certain occupations.
In truth, it would take decades of technological advancements in order for machines of any kind to replace human beings in any meaningful way. Then again, that may be just what the bots want you to think. After all, this site is called Giant Freakin Robot, so the call of the humanoid robots may be coming from inside the house!
