The Future of Work? It Might Still Be You, Just Miles Away

Welcome to today's Marty Minutes.

With so much recent buzz surrounding fully autonomous robots, it seems logical to assume that these robots will automate many of our jobs in the next decade, potentially leading to widespread unemployment. But what if that’s not the case? Instead, the more likely immediate future seems to be remotely-controlled robots.

Imagine waking up, still in your PJs, and starting your job as a cashier in a supermarket, interacting with customers… halfway across the world.

This may soon become a reality with the latest developments from a team of roboticists at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) - Open-TeleVision, a technology that enables real-time operation of robots from anywhere in the world.

But how?

Open-TeleVision uses depth-sensing cameras to stream live 3D video from the robot to your device. This lets you control the robot naturally by moving your head and using gestures, making it feel like you're really there. It currently works with VR Headsets and any device that has a web browser.

During testing, the robot responded close to real-time, despite being 3000 miles away from the controlling device.

Why do I believe this is our future?

Just this week, the West Japan Railway Company introduced a 40 foot tall humanoid robot for railroad maintenance. It is operated remotely by a human using similar technology. This isn't a first either, other companies have also explored similar applications of this technology.

These integrations promote a sustainable future where humans and robots collaborate. While some jobs may still be lost to innovation, human interaction and skills will remain essential, just as mathematicians continued to be valuable after calculators were introduced.

What do you think?

For more on today's topic and image sources, click here.

That’s it for today folks! Thank you for reading and remember, the future is yours.

Marty.

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