Debates on automation often point to jobs that require interpersonal skills as the last safe haven for humans: The robots will take over factory floors and Artificial Intelligence will dominate programming and management; we will retreat into hospitality and health care to assist our fellow humans.
Techmetics, a Singapore-based robotics company, has a different idea. It has developed robots targeted exactly at the hospitality and health care industry. Techmetics’ approach offers interesting insights into the Future of Work.
First, even industries focused on interpersonal relationships require tasks that are menial, repetitive and physically taxing. Pushing a heavy trolley loaded with clean towels down interminable hotel corridors, for example. Or carrying medical equipment, medicines or blood samples from one hospital room to another.
These tasks can be required urgently and at short notice. A surgeon needs an additional piece of medical equipment, and she needs it now—a nurse has to run and get it. A hotel guest comes out of the shower and needs additional towels—an employee will have to drop whatever he is doing, and deliver them. These sudden requests interrupt the regular flow of work, reducing productivity.
Second, we don’t always like interacting with other humans. You might not hold the dark misanthropic view of French philosopher Sartre, who wrote “hell is other people”, but fresh out of the shower with a towel around your waist you might still prefer opening the door to a robot rather than to a hotel employee—a robot will also save you from the awkward culture-specific minefield of tipping.
Techmetics 