Agility Robotics, the company behind the famous bipedal robot named Digit, is set to open a huge – 70,000 square foot – manufacturing plant in Salem, Oregon.
The factory has already been nicknamed ‘RoboFab’ will open later in the year, employing 500+ workers – as well as its own Digits to work there. The Digits will be assigned the roles of helping to move, load and unload warehouse items.
Which makes me think… what rights do the Digits have, here? Is this basically slave labour on Agility Robotics’ end, effectively enslaving humanoid robots to help produce more of their own kind? How do the Digits feel about this?
Are we going to eventually have a massive humanoid robot uprising? Or is it just late here, and my imagination is missing its regular dose of Stephen King-esque fiction?
Here’s the video all about RoboFab, which looks like something out of a sci-fi movie:
So, why are we building all of these digits? Agility Robotics’ co-founder and CEO Damion Shelton said in a statement that the ultimate aim is to “solve difficult problems in today’s workforce like injuries, burnout, high turnover and unfillable labor gaps.”
Yes. Robot slaves! Anyone played Detroit: Become Human? No? I jest.
The first Digits will be making their way to some customers in early 2024, and they’ll be available on the general market in 2025. Interesting.
What a time to be alive!
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