So what do we do when when nobody has a job?

[Felch]

Detroit is a libertarian paradise.

[Lorizael]

Libertarians have low standards.

[Dr Strangelove]

Well that's sorta the whole point, or am I thinking of libertines?

[Dinner]

The whole "automation will take your job" death as been going on for at least the last two centuries but it does seem that technological progress is spending up making the cost to automate cheaper and cheaper.

[Dr Strangelove]

"Computing power" doubles about every 18 months. It stands to reason that at some point it will approach that of the human brain. I'm not sure that servo mechanisms for robotic devices is making the same degree of progress. There's nothing that approaches the fine dexterity or the diverse utility of the human hand. Furthermore power supply is a problem if you want your robot to be free of a plug connecting it to an electrical power supply.

Here's a question - is the human hand the ultimate design for a manipulator or could you design something better?

[N35t0r]

You should see some of the welding robots around. Totally amazing.

Also, the main problem with fine control of multi-appendaged manipulators is processing ower AFAIK.

[N35t0r]

The human hand is pretty decent as a GP manipulator. For most jobs, a purpose-designed manipulator is better.

[Dr Strangelove]

The human hand is pretty decent as a GP manipulator. For most jobs, a purpose-designed manipulator is better.

What if you wanted a general purpose robot? What if you wanted a robotic butler, general construction worker, doctor, surgeon, nurse, etc.?

[N35t0r]

What if you wanted a general purpose robot?

How much are you willing to spend? Also, general purpose for what? If you give it 'hands', then at least it'll be easier to program it to perform tasks, if only due to familiarity.

What if you wanted a robotic butler, general construction worker, doctor, surgeon, nurse, etc.?

You'd need to study the jobs in detail first... For example, the construction worker could have a 'hand' with only two grabbers, and a nail/rivet gun; and on the other hand the fingers could be tipped with tools like screwdriver, pliers.

I think there already are robotic surgeons, no? As for the nurse, I'd say that you'd first automate several of the functions to the beds/rooms, allowing for less work per patient for the nurse.

For doctors, you already have the internet

[pchang]

We already don't need warehouse workers. Pretty soon, we won't need drivers. We won't need small electronics manufacturers at about the same time (oh, but the fine motor skills......not!).

[kentonio]

This whole discussion seems to overlook the obvious. Automation isn't necessarily more cost effective than paying low skilled people like **** to do crap jobs.

[Dr Strangelove]

Yes, that's fine for manufacturing cheap goods to import, but do we want to import hordes of Chinese, Indians, Indonesians, Filipinos, and Vietnamese to build houses, care for granny, stock stores, drive trucks and etc., etc. etc. in our country? No! Then there are those pesky minimum wage laws that limit how little we can pay the peons. Well, maybe we should wait to see how this Congress handles the really tough issues, like defending our home industries against overly-entitled 47%er's. You go Boner! Strike a bow against Skynet! Ensure that we'll always have an adequate supply of "competitively priced" labor to keep our nation out of the insidious clutches of soulless AI by ending the minimum wage, collective bargaining, SSI, Medicare, Medicaid, TANIF, Food Stamps, and labor rights within this upcoming legislative term!

[pchang]

This whole discussion seems to overlook the obvious. Automation isn't necessarily more cost effective than paying low skilled people like **** to do crap jobs.

This is why China industrialized in the first place. But, not people want higher quality goods. Britain's textile manufacturing is getting a boost because of this. Foxconn is planning to automate its electronics manufacturing because of this.....etc.

As for Boehner, Dr. Strangelove is attributing to a grand plan what can be more easily explained as pandering to whatever group will keep him in power a little bit longer.

[Dr Strangelove]

Robotic police, lawyers, judges and government officials would be honest, diligent, competent, free of prejudice and incorruptible. Imagine a world where they're in charge and they hold us to the same standards.

[pchang]

Software is not self-aware. Therefore, honesty is an impossibility. Diligence, I will grant. Competent? Not until v2.0. Being prejudice free would require prejudice free programmers. Incorruptible would require being hack proof.