Store Robot

On this wonderful Wednesday I have been learned about a robot called Tally that can keep track of everything on the grocery store shelves.   It is a tall sleek device that rolls up and down the isles and looks for gaps, and things out of place.  I found the comments interesting.  While some people see this as a good way to free people up for more important and/or interesting tasks, others see it as a way to wipe out minimum wage jobs, and replace people.  Some of the comments say that replacing people who demand $15 an hour for menial labor is just what you should expect, but I am not sure this is the motivation.

Many years ago, I read The Third Wave, by Alvin Toffler.  This book was way above my head, but I ploughed through.  What I got out of the book was this:

1. In a world where the horse an buggy were essentials, buggy whip manufactures were common.  As the car, replaced the horse and buggy, the buggy whip manufactures dwindled to one.  The very best buggy whip maker, and he can charge a lot for his skill and quality.
2. Technology, particularly information technology, would become increasingly important.  Heavy industry that pollutes and requires cheep labor would be moved to third world countries.
3. Healthcare, where technology and information perfectly compliment each other, would grow, and service industries would grow to meet the continued needs of the human population.

The world is changing, and change can be a struggle.  Expectations change, and we are constantly trying to catch up with change.  We can choose to just stop, and not play.  Modern life offers us much that we can live a nice life without:  tweets, social media, up to the minute weather updates, the latest blow by blow news reporting, and streaming media. We don’t need the constant contact with friends and family, with the ability to know exactly where to find them, what they are eating and what their pets are doing.  We don’t need to.  I just really like knowing I’m in contact incase.

This progression is inevitable, but we must remember the least capable within our society. If we do not have minimum wage jobs that can support those with varying degree of handicap, how are we going to help them to take care of themselves?  This information and technology age has the potential to leave many behind.

Tally is just another small step forward.  I am sure that Tally will streamline the ordering and restocking process that for now will still need to be done by people.  Now if Tally could walk my dogs, and pick up after them, that would be really great.