Robots make us lazy. Not because Roombas are vacuuming our houses, but because humans have a habit of slacking off when sharing tasks.
That’s according to recent research that had humans and robots working side by side – sort of – to inspect circuit boards. The results suggest that working within a team, robot or otherwise, can inspire and motivate, but it can also spark “social loafing” – when a team member knows their own contribution can’t be discerned among the wider effort, they let others pick up the slack.
You might be thinking of that one guy at work who never pitches in, but when it comes to robots, we might be that guy.
But then again, isn’t that how it’s supposed to work? What’s the point of robotics that don’t make life easier? Plenty of robots are designed to replace more expensive human workers, not least because they’re able to work longer hours on repetitive tasks without breaks. But robotics are also built for precision work, able to manage details deemed too fiddly for humans – or too difficult. Indeed, the very first industrial robots started work in American automotive manufacturing in 1961, with the Unimate picking parts out of diecasting machines. No-one would call those factory
