Robots Branch Out Across Workforce

（单词翻译）

Robots Branch Out Across Workforce¹

Industrial robots started replacing humans long ago in tedious and dangerous jobs, such as welding thousands of identical parts for vehicles. Today, more sophisticated robots are capable of precisely² lifting and moving huge loads, such as railway engines, or sorting merchandise for rapid shipment from massive warehouses³.

Skeptics say robots’ future as autonomous⁴ drivers might be a bit murky⁵, but they can handle parallel parking like a pro⁶. A robot valet named Geta can easily maneuver⁷ a car into a tight space that many drivers would bypass as too risky⁸.

Marco Wu, head of Yeefung Automation Technology, the Chinese firm that developed Geta, says the robot can safely park a car in about two minutes.

"The robot can go everywhere without tracks, which is free and versatile⁹ and will reform parking in the future," he said.

Geta looks like a platform on wheels. Directed by a laser guidance system, it slides under a car, lifts it up and rolls it into an available parking space before lowering it and rolling away. Wu says that, besides saving maneuvering¹⁰ time, Geta needs up to 40 percent less space when it positions a car, which could be crucial — especially in big cities.

Another more human-like robot recently began working as receptionist at a hospital in Ostend, Belgium. Pepper, built by Zora Bots, can speak 19 languages and analyze¹¹ voice tones and facial expressions. Its job is to greet patients, provide basic information and show them to appropriate rooms. With a full battery, the robot can work for up to 20 hours.

Standing¹² just over a meter high, Pepper is not considered intimidating¹³ to children, and it rolls along at a slow pace that allows even elderly patients to keep up. Developers say Pepper's main job is to make people feel better in a hospital setting.