Robot versus Workers

Robot versus Workers

Robots have became a common sight in Japanese factories. It is estimated that as many as sixty percent of Japanese manufacturing firms now have industrial robots or other computer equipment. According to the Japan Industrial Robot Association, at least 100,000 robot have been placed on production lines in Japan. There are more robots in Japan than in the rest of the world.

The robots in Japanese factories are mostly of one type-faceless, bodiless, one-arm robots. Most do the work of the shoulder, elbow, wrist and finger of a human.

Although the simple industrial robot was invented and first developed in the United States, American factories have been slow to use them.

However, American scientists have been busy developing more human-like robots which can work in homes and offices.

What are the effects of using so many faceless, bodiless, one-arm robots in Japanese factories? It is clear that there are many advantages. Robots have taken over many of the hot, dirty, dangerous, tiring and boring jobs on the production line, especially in car factories. Secondly, robots are small, strong and easy to use and look after and are quite cheap. They also work faster and better than humans. They make fewer mistakes and quality of their work is better. It is easy to see, therefore, the advantages of using industrial robot.

But what about the disadvantages? The main one is unemployment. It is estimated that at least 50,000 workers in Japan have been replaced by robots. Most of these workers are old and middle-aged men and young women. Although some workers have moved into other jobs in the factory such as sales or computer programming, many workers now spend their in unimportant position on the production line, like pushing buttons on robots.

Even thought the unemployment problem will grow, it is clear that robots will continue to be used, not only in large car factories but also in the smaller factories and workshops all over Japan. As Professor Ichiro Kato of Waseda University says, “Now robots are working out of sight, in factories, but by the year 2000s they will be everywhere, in shops, in homes, working in full view. In the near future we can expect the robot population of Japan to be something like ten million about one robot for every ten human beings.”