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Keeping up to date in the field of robotics is a full
time task. The number of companies, institutes and organizations that are
conducting research in this exciting field are numerous.
The advancement of robot technology is quite amazing. A few years ago
there was only experimental research with a few - mainly automobile -
factories using robots for assembly or process work such as welding and
spray painting (see also Introduction
to robotics).
Today, robots can be found in virtually every field, from medical to
transport, industrial to recreation. They are slowly becoming part of
the background furniture of modern society without most people realizing
it.
Whether this is a good thing or not is debatable (see
Robot Ethical Issues) but at many
levels and places it has become necessary or more cost effective.
Industrial robots, such as those in car manufacturing plants, have taken
over the jobs of human laborers where this has been repetitive,
monotonous or hazardous to humans.
They do the job at least as well, if not better than humans, never complain about
physical problems (as long as they are maintained) and do not need days
off. In fact, many industrial robots work 24 on 7 on 52 without
difficulty.
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