This book is a look at the rapidly changing face of robotics and how it will revolutionize employment and jobs over the next thirty years. The author lays out the arguments in favor of and against the mechanization of our society, as well as the amazing advantages and untold risks, as we march into this ever-present future.
A robot is a simple enough idea. It is a machine that can do something by itself, in the simplest terms. You have almost certainly seen them in movies or read about them. Many people think of a metallic, human-looking, machine when they think of a robot. The reality these days is a little less dramatic than that. In appearance, modern robots are often complex limbs or moving tools. They can complete tasks largely without the need for human assistance, but they are a long way from the types of robots people have been imagining for centuries; that's right--the idea of the 'robot' is very old indeed. The things that robots might be able to do are a key driving force beyond their development.