CenturyLinkVoice: Will Robots At Work Replace Us Or Help Us?

With continuing advances in technology, robots are likely to become more common in many types of workplaces, from manufacturing and food service providers to hospitality and healthcare. Whereas they were once limited to functions such as welding and painting in industrial environments, robots are now moving heavy items from place to place, packaging and shipping orders from warehouses, performing some types of surgeries, even greeting visitors at hotels. Shipping exemplifies where robotics has made significant progress, according to David Bourne, principal systems scientist in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. Bourne notes the massive use of robots to fetch products for workers who then package and ship those products. "This points to the new wave of robotic applications where people and robots work together on tasks according to their skills," he said.