The World After Coronavirus: The Future of Robots | Robin Murphy

Summary

Dr. Robin Murphy, a robotics expert, discusses the significant rise in robotics usage during the COVID-19 pandemic, from healthcare to public safety and even social interaction. She explains how mature technologies, like disinfection and delivery robots, have been repurposed to meet pandemic challenges. While addressing concerns about job displacement, Dr. Murphy emphasizes that robots mainly assist humans rather than replace them, enhancing efficiency in various sectors. Looking ahead, she predicts that marine robots will become a key focus, particularly for inspecting underwater infrastructure, revolutionizing industries in the next decade.

Takeaways

• 😀 Robots have become ubiquitous in the post-COVID world, used for healthcare, public safety, disinfecting public spaces, and even personal tasks like socializing or walking dogs.
• 😀 Many of the robots being used during the pandemic were already developed and tested before, highlighting the importance of using mature technologies in emergencies.
• 😀 The adoption of robots in healthcare and public safety was accelerated by COVID-19, showing how robots can assist and support rather than replace human workers.
• 😀 Robotics in disaster recovery has proven to be effective, as robots have been used in high-risk situations like 9/11 and COVID-19 without causing additional problems.
• 😀 Robots help workers do more by taking on physically demanding or dangerous tasks, allowing humans to focus on intellectual, compassionate, or complex roles.
• 😀 Despite the rapid deployment of robots, there is no significant evidence that robots are displacing jobs, but rather augmenting human work by providing greater capacity and safety.
• 😀 The most significant surprises in robotics over the next few years will likely be the increasing use of drones and marine robots for both everyday tasks and critical infrastructure maintenance.
• 😀 Drones are becoming more common and less intimidating, moving from military and industrial uses to civilian applications, and they are expected to become even more pervasive.
• 😀 The future of marine robotics is particularly exciting, with low-cost underwater robots being developed to monitor and maintain underwater infrastructure, such as bridges, which has long been a challenge for engineers.
• 😀 In the next 5-10 years, we can expect significant advancements in marine robotics, making them a critical tool for infrastructure monitoring and maintenance, especially as a large portion of the global population lives near water.

Q & A

How has COVID-19 influenced the use of robots in various sectors?

COVID-19 has significantly expanded the use of robots in various sectors. They have been used for healthcare tasks like telepresence, disinfection, and tele-nursing. Additionally, robots have been employed for public safety, quarantine enforcement, laboratory automation, and delivery of essential supplies, even in personal settings like socializing or walking dogs during lockdowns.

What is the common misconception about disaster robotics that Dr. Murphy addresses?

Dr. Murphy addresses the misconception that robots used in disasters are hastily assembled and improvised, like in a fictional scenario. In reality, the robots used in disaster relief are mature technologies that have been developed and tested beforehand, often adapted from existing technologies, not rushed into use.

What role do robots play in healthcare, particularly during the pandemic?

Robots have been pivotal in healthcare during the pandemic by performing tasks like disinfecting hospital rooms, automating laboratory processes, and delivering supplies. They have allowed healthcare workers to focus on more intellectual and compassionate tasks by taking over dangerous or repetitive work, like handling contaminated waste.

How has the adoption of robots in public safety changed due to COVID-19?

COVID-19 has led to faster adoption of robots in public safety. Many robots that were already in use for tasks like disinfection or surveillance gained more visibility and demand, especially as industries realized they could help with pandemic-related tasks and reduce human exposure to risks.

What is the difference between job displacement and job replacement in the context of robotics?

Dr. Murphy explains that while robots may cause job displacement, they typically do not replace entire job categories. Instead, robots are often used to assist human workers by taking over routine or hazardous tasks, thereby allowing workers to focus on more complex or critical aspects of their roles.

What examples does Dr. Murphy provide of robots being used in non-traditional ways during the pandemic?

Dr. Murphy gives examples like a person in Cyprus using a robot to walk their dog during lockdown and regular people using robots for socializing or even asking someone out on a date. These examples show how robots have been integrated into everyday life beyond industrial or healthcare applications.

What innovations have emerged from the increased use of robots during COVID-19?

One major innovation is the adaptation of existing robots for new purposes, such as converting agricultural drones used for spraying chemicals into robots for disinfecting surfaces. The pandemic has led to more visible use of existing technologies rather than the creation of entirely new robotic systems.

What impact does Dr. Murphy foresee for marine robots in the coming years?

Dr. Murphy predicts a significant rise in the use of marine robots over the next 5 to 10 years. These robots, both underwater and surface vessels, will play a critical role in maintaining and inspecting underwater infrastructure like bridges, as most of the world’s population lives near water, and underwater maintenance is a complex challenge.

What is the potential societal impact of the increasing use of robots in everyday life?

The increasing use of robots is likely to have a significant societal impact by altering how people view technology. Robots will become more integrated into daily life, shifting from novelty or fear to common, useful tools. This change could also reshape industries and influence public opinion about automation and its potential benefits.

How does Dr. Murphy envision the future of drones in the next few years?

Dr. Murphy expects drones to become more pervasive and integrated into various sectors, moving beyond the typical fear and skepticism surrounding them. As drones become more affordable and accessible, they are likely to be used in an increasing number of applications, contributing to industries ranging from delivery to surveillance.