The document discusses the increasing role of robots in various fields such as factories, military, space exploration, surgery, and more. It outlines both the advantages and disadvantages of automation. The key advantages are that robots allow for faster production, lower labor costs, take on hazardous tasks, and improve consistency and quality. However, the costs of developing and maintaining robots can be high. The document also discusses ongoing debates around automation replacing human jobs, though notes that countries embracing new technologies have seen economic gains.

1. Running head: AUTOMATION IS MAKING A BREAKTHROUGH 1
Automation is Making a Breakthrough While Workers Fight Back
Elizabeth Pisarek
Greenville College

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Abstract
To begin, robots are a different story. According to Davies (2015), “the word robot originates
from a Czech word robota” (p. 11). Humans established robots to do their hard work for them. In
1961, factories first opened their doors to modern industrial robots. A robot called Unimate
started the trend of using robots to work in factories. The robot could work three shifts in 24
hours. It never went past overtime. The owners loved this robot because it had no setbacks
(Fujimoto, Tokhi, & Mochiyama, 2010, p. 102). More than a million robots work in factories
today. Robots are commonly used when performing a repetitive job that is too hazardous for
humans. Humans program robots to achieve a simple task. Robots can perform a task over and
over again and never get bored. Humans tend to carry out tasks that involve adaptation,
creativity, on-the-job learning, and decision-making. Today, robots play a major role in the
different aspects of space exploration, industry, food packaging, medical care, construction,
science, and surgical procedures.
Keywords: robots in factories, automation

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Introduction
Even though robots replace human jobs, companies should see how automation will
affect their companies in a positive way. Robots boost profits for companies, allow for lower
labor costs, and produce a better outcome along with great consistency. Today, military robots
appear on battlefields, drones fill the skies, driverless cars take to the roads, and “telepresence
robots” allow people to manifest themselves halfway around the world from their actual location
(Nourbakhsh, 2015, p. 1). Robots are more valuable than some people portray. It would not be
too surprising if audiences coming out of the new Terminator movie were left wondering if it is
science fiction or a documentary (Maney, 2015, para. 2). For centuries, robots have played a
major role in the world’s society.
Continuing, robots play a big part in military services. These military robots are very
important and technologically advanced. These robots save lives everyday by taking on
hazardous assignments without putting humans in jeopardy. They are able to scan apprehensive
packages and even deactivate bombs if needed. Military robots also help out in the field by
finding hidden explosives or watching the terrorist's movements.
Next, robots are used everyday to help automobile industries in assembling cars. Robots
work at a rate that would be impossible for any human to keep up with. These robots also help
make the cars safer by taking on tasks too risky or dangerous, which is beneficial to humans.
Robots take risks so humans do not have to. They help in welding, painting, installation, and
many other tasks.
Not to mention, robots take on an important role involving space exploration. This is
considered one of the most incredible fields involving robotics too. The robots allow astronauts a
chance to go out and explore the moon in spectacular ways. The two main ones today are the

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Remote Manipulator System and the Remotely Operated Vehicle. These robots capture pictures
and evidence along with visual footage.
In fact, robots have made a major impact in the medical field as well. Robots can can
now operate surgeries through surgeons. The surgeon’s movement on the computer console is
transferred to the robot to operate on the patient. Surgical robots have become so advanced that a
surgeon can operate on a patient in a different country. They physically do not have to be there!
Robots are better than regular open surgery today. They can make small or big incisions, more
exact incisions, and decrease blood loss as well. Sometimes robots help us to solve social
problems. For example, vaccines, medical databases and analytical tools help us to respond to
disease epidemics and generally improve public health (Sandler, 2015, p. 123).
Furthermore, underwater robots have expanded human knowledge on the way the ocean
floor is seen today. Underwater robots can last longer and dive deeper underwater than humans.
They also supply a closer look into marine life. These robots are decked out with top notch
equipment: wheels, high-quality cameras, and sensors.
In addition, duct cleaning robots are significant in cleaning air ducts for clean air. These
robots are able to fit into tight spaces that can be hazardous. They are more competent and
productive than regular, manual brushes. For industrial companies, it is safer to use robots over
humans to protect them from dust mites. Duct cleaning robots are used all over the world in
hospitals, government buildings, or even prisons to protect humans from a contaminated
atmosphere.
Moreover, robots are even out in the police force today. Police robots save human police
officer’s lives just by helping to fight crime. These robots are controlled by police officers. They

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are used for helping police officers find criminals and their location without risking the life of an
officer.
Additionally, agriculture had only been done by man for the majority of the time until
farming robots were introduced. Just like factory robots, agriculture robots are quicker, work
longer, and are more productive than human beings. These robots minimize exhausting labor and
burdensome work. Agriculture robots can navigate the farmland and harvest crops all by
themselves.
Finally, the reason why robots are manufactured is that robots are often cheaper to use
instead of human beings. People in many types of careers design and build robots. Electrical,
mechanical, and computer engineers design and build robots (Moss, 2013, p. 10). Sometimes
robots are the only way to achieve or complete a certain task. Robots make it easier to complete
some jobs. Robots can be used to investigate inside gas tanks and explore volcanoes. They can
even venture off to other places that are too hazardous for humans like going to explore in
polluted environments or extreme temperatures.
Automation is Making a Breakthrough
While Workers Fight Back
Is industrialization of robots acceptable or unacceptable? With robots, production is a lot
faster and more profit is made. Even though robots replace human jobs, they boost profits for
companies, allow for lower labor costs, and produce a better outcome along with great
consistency. The development of functions that can be performed with a robot has matched the
rise of robot technology (Poole, 1989, p. 225).
For thousands of years, human beings have been doing it all to make production happen.
Back in the day, nearly all products were fashioned based on the consumer's need for the item. If

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they needed a specific tool to carry out manufacturing, they would have to create that one tool to
compose their final project. As time went on, a lot more advanced techniques were established to
allow workers to accomplish a lot more production tasks. Robots are being pushed to perform
increasingly complex tasks, often using human tools in unstructured environments (Heyneman &
Cutkosky, 1994, p. 405). The manufacturing of products has had a major impact after the
Industrial Revolution.
Continuing, a couple of disadvantages of industrialization are technology limits,
economic limits, unpredictable development costs, and initial costs are comparably high. First,
robots in industries have technology limits. Robots today are not able to automate all desired
responsibilities. There are some duties that cannot conveniently be programmed, like production
of different fundamental sizes or in tasks that involve ingenuity. Some things are just better left
to human.
Second, there are multiple economic limits. For some tasks, it would be more expensive
to automate than to accomplish it by a human. Industrialization usually works well in processes
that are repetitive and persistent.
Thirdly, Robots for production have unpredictable startup costs. The advancement cost of
the automation process is hard to foresee exactly beforehand. The risk of taking on the cost of
automation could have a major impact on the company’s profit or the company will find out that
there is no economic profit and the transformation was a waste of time. With progressional
growth from the distinctive groups of production lines, there are more reliable estimates that can
be established on any past projects that have been made. There is a huge investment that needs to
be made when starting the new automation of a robot. Labor and setting up the hardware is also
another costly thing to add to the list. The cost can be prohibitive for custom production lines

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where product handling and tooling must be developed (“Advantages and disadvantages of
automation,” 2014, para. 6).
Lastly, humans who are talented in the maintenance department also have to check up
and maintain the automations process to make sure it runs smoothly. Without a maintenance
department, the industrialization of robots might result in wasted production time or even the
production of poor quality parts. Companies are always taking a risk when using robots.
Even though there are a few disadvantages to having automation in factories, there are a
lot more advantages. Industrial robots allow companies to progress past other companies without
automation. Automation takes away difficult labor for workers, takes on extreme environments,
gets the job done better, produces faster, lowers labor costs, completes tasks more consistently,
and shows to be an economic advancement. Robots never get tired and never have to call in sick
to work. They do not need sleep or food at all to get the job done. They would not have to take
any days off either. Another plus about robots are they do not complain. There are multiple
benefits on why robots are or should be used in production.
First, robots are able to replace humans operating machines in tasks that associate
difficult or exhausting labor. Companies who use robots for repetitive functions are decreasing
the minor risks of injuries that could happen to the workers at the shop. Even the workers who
supervise the automation do not have to be on the main floor with them. They could watch them
online.
Second, industrialization of robots are able to take on the extreme environment changes,
such as places with radioactivity, severe temperatures, and harmful atmospheres. Everybody
must know that the robots can perform dangerous applications in hazardous settings, They

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minimize material waste, they can save time and effort, and their movements are always exact
(H. S., 2015, para. 7). Robots take the risk so humans do not have to.
Thirdly, robots are able to accomplish tasks that are beyond human capabilities.
Sometimes robots can be even more accurate than humans. For example, robots operating with
heavy loads, manipulating very small objects or having to produce products at a slow or fast rate
are often more precise.
Fourthly, automation often favors companies in faster production and lower labor costs. It
is based off of the production rate of manual operators. Automation runs 24/7. Robots have no
breaks in between working shifts. They increase the the speed for rapid production with no
interruptions. With the increased speed and reliability of robots, there is a boost in output and
decrease in cycle time of production. Even with the high startup price of robots, the expense of
having one individual run all those different types of machines is a lot more pricey than having
automation.
Furthermore, Industrial robots manufacture a more consistent and systematic product.
Robots are adequately easy to foretell and accurate with high quality once they have been
properly set up. A great example is when robots are used for surgery to make precise and exact
incisions to the patient. They can easily consolidate quality analysis and will reduce the number
of unnecessary products being made, and it allows for analytical control during processing.
Robots are well-known for being able to complete the same task over and over again without
getting bored. They can accomplish just about anything like drilling, welding, painting, and
handling dangerous materials.
Finally, robots show to be an economic advancement. They could turn into a deduction of
production errors, hazards, and costs. Industrialization of robots can provide motivation for

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enhancement in economies of businesses. For example, the gross national income and standard
of living in Germany and Japan improved drastically in the 20th century, due in large part to
embracing automation for the production of weapons, automobiles, textiles and other goods for
export (“Advantages and disadvantages of automation,” 2014, para. 12).
Conclusion
As a final point, the Japanese took a leap of faith in God when incorporating the earliest
robots into their community. In our world today, robots fit in as ordinary as any other object
would. In theory, Pope Francis, along with Catholic astronomers, have discussed how the
Catholic Church would easily accept aliens from different planets into their religious community.
John Messerly, affiliate scholar for the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, believes
they can be compassionate or oppressive, because he says, religion is just power, and can be used
for good or evil (Zolfagharifard, 2015, para. 3).
To conclude, the advantages definitely exceed the disadvantages in automation. Countries
from all over have slowly started to embrace automation and bask in the high life of living by
switching. Even though there is a concern with automation taking over people's jobs in factories,
there is no question that the production rate goes up when automation is taking place in work
companies. Industrial robots are not some kind of standalone work cell; they are typically
integrated into a series of operations that require human expertise (Stevens, 2016, para. 9). Robot
make our world a more productive and better place to live. Robots have become an everyday use
for most people and factories. Robots are needed and will always be needed.

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References
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Davies, W. (2015). Silly robots. Chronicle of Higher Education, 62(10), 11-13.
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