Robots
Definition:
When hearing the word “Robot” a very common definition comes across our minds, which is a device that has a human-looking shape and it receives orders then command them. Unfortunately, by this you are describing a type of device and not giving out the definition. Actually, robots are more common in our daily life than we know. For example, you may have interacted with a robot while using the vending machine or withdrawing cash from the ATM. In the English dictionary a robot is defined as "A machine capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically, especially one programmable by a computer." Now with this definition we may get confused with most common complex devices as robots, so as a major difference between a complex device and a robot is to say that a robot actually is: “A machine capable of responding to its environment to automatically carry out complex or repetitive tasks with little, if any, direction from a human being”. In 1959 George Devol introduced the first robot to the industrial area, he designed the Ultimate, it replaced a dangerous job for humans to do, which was to manipulate hot die-cast parts in automobile manufacturing. To highlight an example for robots in nowadays, we can say that a speeding camera is actually a robot.
Classification:
Robots are classified based on their circuits and the different applications they can do. Here we point out the three types:
• Simple level Robots: The circuit is not complex, and the purpose of establishing them is to extend human ability. For an example, Washing Machine.
• Middle level Robots: After programming these robots you can’t reprogram them, and the circuit is sensor based that can perform multiple functions.
• Complex level Robots: After programming these robots you can reprogram them, and the circuit is complex. For example, Laptop.
Application:
In order to build a robot multiple branches are needed, Mechanical Engineering to deal with the structure of the robot, Electrical Engineering to deal with the controlling and sensing, and Computer Engineering to deal with the observation and movement of the robots.
As every branch that helps to develop a robot grows, the application of robots grows as well.
Now, robots execute a number of different jobs in various fields and the tasks assigned to then is growing progressively. Therefore, the best way to classify robots is by their application, and here are some:
1. Industrial robots: robots of this section usually appear in manufacturing atmosphere, and normally they are support arms created for applications like welding and painting.
2. Domestic or household robots: these robots are used at home, and their application varies as their circuit’s complexity changes, they can perform different household tasks, for example you can find a robotic vacuum cleaners or robotic sewer.
3. Medical robots: here robots can help in surgeries and be surgical assistants to preform very complex operation and be a very useful arm for the surgical.
4. Military robots: robots can be useful in armed forces and military, they can help discarding bombs, and be used as drones to explore the area.
5. Surgical Assistants: These remote-controlled robots assist surgeons with performing operations, typically minimally invasive procedures. “The ability to manipulate a highly sophisticated robotic arm by operating controls, seated at a workstation out of the operating room, is the hallmark of surgical robots,” says Keefe. Additional applications for these surgical-assistant robots are continually being developed, as more advanced 3DHD technology gives surgeons the spatial references needed for highly complex surgery, including more enhanced natural stereo visualization, combined with augmented reality.
Here we notice by the various applications that a robot can perform that they are a very useful invention for humans.
Artificial intelligence
Definition:
Artificial intelligence is an area in computer science whereby machines, specifically computer systems, are developed to perform tasks that require human intelligence, such as perception, communication, reasoning, learning, etc. In short, they are developed to simulate human intelligence. Artificial means something man-made, and intelligence is the ability to think, analyze, and learn.
Application:
Artificial intelligence is used in a wide variety of applications. For example, it is used in healthcare, such as IBM Watson, which understands customer’s questions and is able to respond to them. Chatbots are also used to assist the patients and customers in many processes such as booking for appointments. Many companies are also trying to use AI to make diagnosis. For example, they can interpret medical images and highlight any possible diseases, and can be used to detect tumors. They can also store and sort medical records of patients.
Another application is in businesses, where automation is used for repetitive tasks, and algorithms are used for analysis (such as cost analysis), and in finance it can be used to organize operations and invest in stocks.
They are also used in manufacturing, and used to perform tasks that are considered dangerous for humans as well as repetitive tasks which humans may make mistakes in due to a break in concentration.
Additionally, artificial intelligence is used in transportation, such as cars. Many cars have self parking, cruise control, lane assist, and even self driving. Examples of these are Tesla’s autopilot and Google’s self driving car project.
An application of AI that we use in our everyday life is Siri, which understands natural language questions, and is able to search and perform requests. It uses speech recognition to perform these tasks.
Social sites, such as Facebook and Instagram, also use AI to analyze its consumer’s behaviors, such as their likes and interactions, to provide a tailored feed based on this analysis. It can also be used to remove offensive comments left on posts.
How Robots and AI will affect future jobs
The idea of a future with flying cars and robots taking all of our jobs, us humans, is a very consumed idea in recent book, series, and movies. All of these factors had us thinking, will robots and AI take all of our jobs in the future?
A research study was conducted asking 1896 experts about the influence of evolving technologies, and the results were that almost half of them predict a future with robots and AI taking almost all jobs, in addition they addressed their concern about the increase in unemployment. Research analysis were made to make a more solid statement, for example, Bruegel analysis concluded that “54% of EU jobs are at risk of computerization”. Moreover, Carl Frey and Michael Osborne (researchers at Oxford University), stated that 47% of U.S employees are facing a huge possibility of their job being mechanized over the next 20 years. “Job Lost, Job Gained” is a recent McKinsey report, it concluded that 30% of “work activities” face the possibility of automation as we approach 2030. On the other hand, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development showed lower percentage, they estimated 14% of jobs are at risk, yet they mentioned that “low qualified workers are likely to bear the brunt of the adjustment costs as the automatibility of their jobs is higher compared to highly qualified workers.”
While some dispute the dire predictions on grounds new positions will be created to offset the job losses, the fact that all these major studies report significant workforce disruptions should be taken seriously. If the employment impact falls at the 38 percent mean of these forecasts, Western democracies likely could resort to authoritarianism as happened in some countries during the Great Depression of the 1930s in order to keep their restive populations in check. If that happened, wealthy elites would require armed guards, security details, and gated communities to protect themselves, as is the case in poor countries today with high income inequality. The United States would look like Syria or Iraq, with armed bands of young men with few employment prospects other than war, violence, or theft.
Yet even if the job ramifications lie more at the low end of disruption, the political consequences still will be severe. Relatively small increases in unemployment or underemployment have an outsized political impact. We saw that a decade ago when 10 percent unemployment during the Great Recession spawned the Tea party and eventually helped to make Donald Trump president.
With some workforce disruption virtually guaranteed by trends already underway, it is safe to predict American politics will be chaotic and turbulent during the coming decades. As innovation accelerates and public anxiety intensifies, right-wing and left-wing populists will jockey for voter support. Government control could gyrate between very conservative and very liberal leaders as each side blames a different set of scapegoats for economic outcomes voters don’t like. The calm and predictable politics of the post-World War II era likely will become a distant memory as the American system moves toward Trumpism on steroids.
And as, you find a new project of AI, you see a job replacement.
UAE’s lead in robots and AL:
Becoming global leader in robotic is something that every country is trying to achieve. UAE’s government is supporting robotic and Al in multiple ways.
Since 1973 UAE’s dependency on oil decreased by 60% and they are developing new economies for the future, robotic is one of the industries. In 2013 his highness Shaikha Mohammad bin Rashid announced the need to convert our government to “Smart Government” in which people can get access to many service through the internet and apps. Afterwards in 2014 a summit was held about reshaping our government and polishing our presented ideas, so here robotic were given more attention. Among many competitions the UAE support, during this summit a the “UAE Drones for Good Award” was launched with a 1 million reward. Therefore, people drew more attention to robots and were able to see how important they are for the future. The UAE never hesitate to import foreign talents in order to help the growth of the country, and robots is not excluded from this. UAE’s government is now following a robotic strategy where for starter they asked all governments to reduce spending by 1% and invest it in “research and innovation”, this was a seed to for UAE-based robotic developments. In April 2016 “Dubai Future Agenda” was launched by Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid, the ruler of Dubai and the vice president of the UAE, and it costed 1billion dirhams. He moreover launched “Future Cities” this project’s attention was on transport and energy. Afterwards, in June, a partnership between The Dubai Multi-Commodities Centre (DMCC) and Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) happened to develop “drone trading platform.” and their goal was to make drone licensing easier. Then in July, UAE’s robotic goal became clearer where “Dubai Future accelerators’ were announced seeking to link international companies with government leaders focusing on robotic, AI, 3D printing and much more. UAE’s government’s aims to be robotic hub, where in the UAE likewise in Germany the government itself is working on the robotic projects not the private companies such as in Japan and U.S. This draws many conclusions, first it means that robotic is seeing a huge developments and attention, where the establishers of the countries are giving it huge consideration. Second, the UAE is approaching the future in the right way, because they are seeing the future more than just energy. Third, “nationalist” is not above development and growth in the UAE.
In short, it doesn’t matter for the UAE where an idea coms from or even a robotic company as long as it helps the country to grow.
Finally, the UAE doesn’t appear to have any specific focus when it comes to robotics. For example, in Japan, the focus of robotics is automation, service robots, and humanoid robots.
What makes the robotic field special in the UAE that it is wide open and there is no limitation within one sector to work on and develop, it is more like the government can invest across the board in all different robotic innovations in order to create a world-class robotic sector at home.
As for AI, Omar Sultan Al Olama, mister of state for AI, stated in the launch of AI summer camp, “Artificial intelligence is going to save the UAE billions of dirhams –and could help save lives- when it becomes fully integrated by the government.” The UAE government, Dubai Future Foundation, and World Economic Forum are all part of this launch and this definitely say something about UAE’s lead in AI, as all participants believe in its importance and see the future benefits of adopting it.
Examples:
1. The Dubai Mall cinema
Recently the Dubai mall renovated their cinema by releasing almost all of their employees and replacing them with programed robots to process whatever the customer need, from food & beverages, tickets, and inquiries. They still have few assistants to help understand the machine, but in no time, they will have to abandon them once the audience adapt to the situation.
2. Mashreq Bank
Customer service in banks are very common now, it produces more efficient results. Since 2016 Mashreq bank started using robots and AI, and it resulted with very impressing savings. They have robots at help desks that can set passwords and help create an account, and chatbots that can answer basic questions that don’t require personal care. Moreover, customers are very pleased so far with the experience, because they always look for speed.
3. Hamdan Bin Mohammad Smart University
Hamdan Bin Mohammad Smart University launched an Artificial Intelligence program. Moreover, they use high tech classrooms. The university always encourage adapting to the future to avoid unemployment.
4. Automocatic car wash
In many petrol stations, you can find automatic car wash where you simply walk-in and get your car cleaned.
5. Project Oyoon (eyes)
Project Oyoon is to improve security using AI as our future high-tech eyes that can track criminals and recognize faces, and by 2020 the immigration officers will be phased out by this new smart system.
6. Navya by fluid
Navya is not a UAE creation but it is implemented in recently. It’s a new mobility, autonomous and electric. The UAE is using it for shuttle in the airport and looking forward for more usage.
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