Could a robot do your job?

They are coming along way making these realistic humanoid robots in Japan.  They've already made Saya - a robotic teacher and a robotic secretary.

My coworker's sister was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and had to have surgery.  She said she was held upside down by a robot and the robot did the surgery.. she said the percentage of error by the robot was way less than that of 10 skilled surgeons.  Her opinion, not mine.

This got me thinking.  IF robots could do the jobs of doctors, dentists, assistant, bank tellers, teachers, waitresses, etc, etc... what would we do?  Just become more fat and lazy?

It's a pretty scary thought to me but it's also fascinating that they have created this.  One man said that in just 20-30 more years they should be able to perfect the fluid motions of a humanoid so that you wouldn't even be able to tell who was real and who war a robot.

Creepy? What do you think?

If robots could do my job... well, we'd be screwed. I write computer programs... that could get scary fast of they could program themselves to do... anything.

As far as robots doing other jobs, I guess it'd be nice to eliminate human error in jobs where precision is important (ie surgeons, etc), but we already have alot of people without jobs. I also see that taking a terrible toll on the earth, concidering we'd have an army of 'people' available that could work 24/7 and do physically demanding tasks with much more ease than humans...

ummm..could a robot play on the internet all day while looking like she is working?...it's possible..

Original Post by kae03:

ummm..could a robot play on the internet all day while looking like she is working?...it's possible..

 LMAO!!  It does take skill doesn't it? 

There is no way that a robot could work at McDonald's.  The robot would roll itself right into the ocean and drown itself.

Last night, I had some man freaking out at me over the price of his meal.  It came to $9.something, and YES, some value meals if you replace the drink with a chocolate shake, are going to cost about $9-10.  This man freaked out.  He literally screamed at me through the drive-thru speaker.  He was rather violently screaming too and my supervisor ran over because he heard it through the speaker and he took care of it because this guy was seriously scaring me.  I was honestly a little scared that I'd get stabbed when I took the money at the window.

Original Post by foffles:

If robots could do my job... well, we'd be screwed. I write computer programs... that could get scary fast of they could program themselves to do... anything.

As far as robots doing other jobs, I guess it'd be nice to eliminate human error in jobs where precision is important (ie surgeons, etc), but we already have alot of people without jobs. I also see that taking a terrible toll on the earth, concidering we'd have an army of 'people' available that could work 24/7 and do physically demanding tasks with much more ease than humans...

 Ooohhh, that would be scary if they could write their own programs!

It could eliminate human error and also people having to tip for so many services.. but, what would WE do?  All the folks out of work?  That reminds me of Wall-E - -anyone see that Disney movie?  We'll all be fat, sitting in recliners with virtual helmets on *thinking* we are living our lives.

Original Post by katesorad:

There is no way that a robot could work at McDonald's.  The robot would roll itself right into the ocean and drown itself.

Last night, I had some man freaking out at me over the price of his meal.  It came to $9.something, and YES, some value meals if you replace the drink with a chocolate shake, are going to cost about $9-10.  This man freaked out.  He literally screamed at me through the drive-thru speaker.  He was rather violently screaming too and my supervisor ran over because he heard it through the speaker and he took care of it because this guy was seriously scaring me.  I was honestly a little scared that I'd get stabbed when I took the money at the window.

 I think a robot could for sure... if they can be secretaries and schedule meetings and book travel, do expenses, etc.. then they can take money and give customers food!  People could scream all they want - robots wouldn't care. 

In the past, jobs have evened out with technology.  Factories present a need for factory workers, robotic machines require people to program, manufacture, and repair.

And I think it will be a long time before computers are able to handle dealing with the emotional-social side of humanity.

I'm a graphic designer. I think maybe they could program a robot with knowledge of colors that go together, visual composition, and I think it could fill templates or something, or generate generic corporate logos. But I don't think it could bring the creativity that makes design really great. I think we will always need humans for the creative fields.

Seeing as how I am, in reality, nothing more than a glorified data entry person, then yes, a robot could definitely do my job!  (But don't say that too loudly!  I need the money!)

Original Post by kimothyschma:

I'm a graphic designer. I think maybe they could program a robot with knowledge of colors that go together, visual composition, and I think it could fill templates or something, or generate generic corporate logos. But I don't think it could bring the creativity that makes design really great. I think we will always need humans for the creative fields.

 Yeah - creative jobs would still be around..

Ouch, I just pictured a robot OBG-YN...  No way in hell I'd allow that!  ha

Would we get paid for the robot? And robot me would have to be like super hot and attract all the male robots and have robot babies.

Life would be very boring for humans.

Original Post by jenniferthepennifer:

Ouch, I just pictured a robot OBG-YN...  No way in hell I'd allow that!  ha

 Ugh... as long as it didn't have cold fingers...

Original Post by foffles:

Original Post by jenniferthepennifer:

Ouch, I just pictured a robot OBG-YN...  No way in hell I'd allow that!  ha

 Ugh... as long as it didn't have cold fingers...

 LOL Ewwwww! That would be so wrong....

Original Post by foffles:

Original Post by jenniferthepennifer:

Ouch, I just pictured a robot OBG-YN...  No way in hell I'd allow that!  ha

 Ugh... as long as it didn't have cold fingers...

 What if it went too far and punctured something... or worse, what if it... LINGERED! 

Edit to say I think puncturing would be worse than lingering.. not sure why I said it like that.. had a Hermoine moment.

Original Post by jenniferthepennifer:

Original Post by foffles:

Original Post by jenniferthepennifer:

Ouch, I just pictured a robot OBG-YN...  No way in hell I'd allow that!  ha

 Ugh... as long as it didn't have cold fingers...

 What if it went too far and punctured something... or worse, what if it... LINGERED! 

 At least it probably wouldn't make lame jokes

My job probably could be done, at least in part by a robot.  So I had this discussion with my boss recently.  Her reply was that a robot could NOT do my job because a robot was not human.  A robot can't ascertain what a human mind wants.  It can only take from limited selection.  But humans are not limited selection beings. 

A human can understand needs - not just fill the most basic elements of that need.

I was referring to the ob-gyn thread from a couple of weeks ago - not implying that jenniferthepennifer's joke was lame - I thought it was funny.

Just wanted to clarify, there.

Original Post by madamq:

  Her reply was that a robot could NOT do my job because a robot was not human.  A robot can't ascertain what a human mind wants. 

 Robots could probably tell what people are feeling a LOT better than humans. Reading changes in temp or subtle movements in skin or even brain patterns and levels of chemicals in teh blood....

Robots can already tell if someone is lieing a lot better than humans can. Emotions are just a step ahead.

Original Post by loriklorik:

Original Post by madamq:

  Her reply was that a robot could NOT do my job because a robot was not human.  A robot can't ascertain what a human mind wants. 

 Robots could probably tell what people are feeling a LOT better than humans. Reading changes in temp or subtle movements in skin or even brain patterns and levels of chemicals in teh blood....

Robots can already tell if someone is lieing a lot better than humans can. Emotions are just a step ahead.

I'm gonna have to disagree here for several reasons.

1. Lie detectors are INCREDIBLY unreliable and certain trained people can tell if someone is lying quite well.

2. Differing emotions have the same physical reactions.  For instance, both fear and joy might make your heart race.  How can a robot know which one is present?

Original Post by puh8suwrux:

I was referring to the ob-gyn thread from a couple of weeks ago - not implying that jenniferthepennifer's joke was lame - I thought it was funny.

Just wanted to clarify, there.

ha!  I didn't take it that way at all.  :)