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Preview: March of the Machines

January 11, 2013 6:00 AM

Steve Kroft reports on technological advances, especially robotics, that are revolutionizing the workplace, but not necessarily creating jobs. Watch Kroft's report on Sunday, Jan. 13 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Robots on the rise in the workplace
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by gypsyswede January 13, 2013 11:35 PM EST
I AM SO GLAD THIS HAS COME UP. I answered this problem years ago. It too me 4 years to get it in a weird book form but I wanted to at least copywrite my idea. It was a very difficult task at the time. Copywrite 2004. Even just back then no one would believe I could see this coming. And it will be steamrolling in faster than runaway locomotive before you know it.

The answer is on the supply curve, the whole complete curve. As you probably know I can't draw here. I will give you the book. "ON THE OTHER HAND: The Economic, Financial, and Administrative Considerations of Achieving and Maintaining a Totally Automated Global Society," B. F. Anderson, Jr. Trafford Publishing, ISBN 1-4120-3598-8.

I have some additional ideas on the left side of the curve and a model of the business cycle that superimposes over this quadriant that I have not yet published.
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by gypsyswede January 13, 2013 11:30 PM EST
I can't wait until everything is run by robots. nobody has to work.
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by robert02032 January 13, 2013 8:58 PM EST
Science Fiction writer Frederik Pohl painted an interesting picture of exactly this future in his story "The Midas Plague" in 1954. Robots had become incredibly efficient at producing all consumables and there was little left for humans to do except consume. Interesting speculation for 1954 considering the picture shown by 60 minutes.
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by jawesome84 January 13, 2013 8:40 PM EST
In a previous career of mine where parts were manufactured and supplied to one of the "Big 3" automobile manufacturers, the use of robotics has not proven superior to the use of humans for physical labor. In this particular environment, where there were once over 5,000 plant employees, there are now between 400 and 500. This has reduced the staff to ten percent.

Also, on-the-job training is not provided to employees to sufficiently operate such machines. This would mean that a degree in a technical field is required to operate and program these devices. Not everyone is fortunate enough to attend college to obtain such a degree, and, even if they were, not everyone could afford to attend school while pursuing such a career. The use of robotics drastically decreases the potential for employment.

In addition, robotics fail much more often than people think. When a robot fails, again, someone with a degree must be called upon to repair it. Not to sound too cold, but when a human is damaged it can be very easily replaced.

Finally, if the use of robotics increases costs and decreases employment, who will purchase the products that are manufactured by robotics? Who could afford to? If the remaining amount of people who are employed, or wealthy enough to afford these products are capable of maintaining the economy then the rest of us will have to huddle over our fires in the alleys, I suppose!
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by nanawhip January 13, 2013 8:36 PM EST
My husband worked in the printing industry, he ws an offset stripper when he started, there were 8-10 people doing the job, when he retired in the late 80's they wer retraining the dept to do it on computers. Occasionlly whe we are back in RI visiting he goes over to "see the guys". The last time we were homer (4 years ago). We called up the two people he still keeps in touch with. the offset stripper trade is now totally done by computers.
My husband HATES computers has never learned to use one. want's nothing to do with them bcause he knows it wiped out his job, he could see what was going to happen long before many others could.
He is 80 now weather he will see his two friends when we o back this year, who knows.
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by Robert2897 January 13, 2013 12:28 AM EST
Automation and the resulting loss of jobs is going to be a huge issue over the next decades.

Here's a great column from the Washington Post on this issue:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/matt-miller-the-robots-are-coming/2013/01/09/caac3e0a-5a57-11e2-88d0-c4cf65c3ad15_story_1.html

Anyone concerned about this should read the book referenced in the article above, "The Lights in the Tunnel: Automation, Accelerating Technology and the Economy of the Future"

http://www.amazon.com/Lights-Tunnel-Automation-Accelerating-Technology/dp/1448659817
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by NWCC12 January 12, 2013 4:56 PM EST
Automation can help create employment that displaces the warehouse workers to the robot factory, but the real issue is what makes the economy work for an aging / gentrifying demographic like that in the USA. That is a question of increasing reliance on youth from South of the border or automation.

The migrants that do work we Americans don't want to do can send money home and survive on what they are paid for only so long, but this depresses the labor rates for domestic natives and drives up the expense on the enterprising and the inheriting wealthy that have not automated their operations. The choice is simple, fix the immigration or automate and teach humans to run fleets of drones, robots and automatons.
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by Muddiemike January 12, 2013 1:36 PM EST
What cool way to do a job!
Efficiency at its best and to me its sort of like a dance being pulled off without anyone missing a beat or step.
I wonder through how they make money with a system like this? The costs involved to set it all up and then maintenance on the robotics and building plus the computer system needed. I'm surprised they even had any real people working!
I'd love to learn more about the whole project.
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