Will Robots Take Over The Construction Industry?
How often have we heard politicians promising to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States? Perhaps I'm over thinking it, but unless you are manufacturing some really expensive items it is going to be challenging to offer American workers minimum wage and put together such and keychains. Come to think about it, there are a few very expensive items like all of Apple's products which have low material price and sell for hundreds or thousands of dollars. Those elements could be fantastic pay a decent wage to workers and to fabricate in the usa. But, wait, when they can pay a few hundred dollars per month to do it overseas, why make here? And so the difficulty continues.
As sales director for factory work installations and Union store fixture I understand more than ever how significant labor unions are to our work force. With many Americans working harder than ever we see many corporations cutting shifts -hours so they are ineligible for health benefits. We are becoming a nation of part time workers, which isn't going to endure us to raise families and live the American dream.
As a result of Labor Unions such as the International Brotherhood of Carpenters, which we're members of, there are a number of safeguards.
We often sit around and talk about the future of our children along with the brand new generation in regards to what sorts of occupations will probably be available to them.
Computers and robots have replaced many manufacturing jobs. 100 workers that are human can be replaced by a bottling plant for a beverage firm with a number of stations that are robotic and just 2 human workers . More individuals jobless by technology. Many young school grads have studied robotics in the expectations to create a career in that field. There are companies which are really designing robots building robots that are capable of!
Now let us get onto construction! Well, I felt the exact same manner until I discovered a startling new theory: Robotic construction workers and studied the robotics business!
Engineers then left them alone, and supplied the robots with construction blueprints. The TERMES built the structures by detecting and reacting to the other robots with no additional instruction from people -- around them.
Exactly the same building plan could be implemented by a dozen TERMES or a hundred of them because they work independently. The prototype TERMES use bricks that are specially assembled to assemble towers, castles, and pyramids. The researchers say they may also manage simple jobs like laying sandbags down before floodings.
Envision building sites where human workers are replaced by robotics. Carpenters and construction workers can be displaced by the robots and the sites requiring only minimal oversight.
The truth is that they've successfully created the beginning phases of this technology's growth while it is still in prototype. While those of us middle aged carpenters may not need to contend with R2D2 taking over our jobs, future generations may very well have to address this new technology which will threaten their support.
My guidance to those up and comers in the industry....become a shop steward to help you see over the robot workers!
There is an interesting video put out by Harvard that shows these Termes in action: http://youtu.be/LFwk303p0zY
About the author: Martin Chase is National Sales Director at Store Force, Inc., leading Union store fixture installers providing clients with fixture and mill work installations around the country. Martin can be reached at 631-672-3150 or by email at: unioninstallers@gmail.com
