• underisk@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    I cannot conceive of a task where a humanoid robot would be better suited than just a robot built for the task without trying to mimic a human form.

    • ichbinjasokreativ@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Minimal investment. A purpose-built robotic production line is incredibly expensive and can onl- do what it was designed for. Theoretically, using these robots requires no alterations to the existing facilities, allowing mercedes to trial them with very low risk and comparably low losses if things don’t work out.

      • barsoap@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Most of the production line is already roboticised. Less with Mercedes than say VW because Mercedes sells more leather seats and walnut interiors but by and large it’s mostly robots.

        Apptronik says that Mercedes is exploring use cases like having Apollo inspect and deliver components to human production line workers.

        …I fail to see how that isn’t better solved with logistics robots on rails or wheels. I suspect it’s Apptronik coming to Mercedes and saying “hey wanna try this we pay” and Mercedes says “why not” and Apptronik goes “wee, cheap publicity”.

      • underisk@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        wouldnt it make more sense to do a trial that tests their supposed advantages over purpose built robots rather than one which decidedly does not

      • underisk@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        Yeah but the article says the only thing these ones are gonna do is deliver parts which is probably overkill for the likely expense for the kind of sophistication necessary to imitate even a fraction of a human worker’s versatility. To say nothing about the difficulty involved in adapting them to various tasks without reprogramming or training.

  • Ragdoll X@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Mercedes also better support UBI so that these workers who will lose their jobs to automation don’t starve to death.

  • KevonLooney@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Looks like these are for their factory in Hungary. They are having trouble finding workers because all the ones who can are migrating West.

    If they paid more, they could probably still hire people. Obviously those who left want to work. It’s hard to believe that these robots are cheaper than workers in Hungary. I think they’re just following other car manufacturers who are doing the same thing.

  • pavnilschanda@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    This really sucks for many disabled people who rely on ‘low skill, repetitive’ jobs to survive. I hope Mercedes addresses this (I doubt, given how capitalists hate disabled people).

    • Meansalladknifehands@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      I think disabled people should get money from the state, they’ve already been delt a bad hand in life, they shouldn’t have to do repetitive tasks for survival. I don’t know how it is in Germany but where I live disabled people get benefits so they don’t have to work to survive.