Robotic Shopping

Discussion in Misc & Others started by LilAnn • Jun 20, 2015.

  1. LilAnn

    LilAnnActive Member

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    Des Moines is performing an interesting experiment. Basically, you go to the store, pick everything you want with a touch screen, and everything you asked for is sent out on a conveyer belt. It sounds like a great idea! But if it catches on, how many people will become unemployed? It seems the big businesses want to replace the employees they throw bread crumbs with robots who don't ask for any bread crumbs at all. It seems like the more people who are unemployed the more they want to push for "employee free zones". Donyounthinknthenprices will be higher or lower if this catches on.
     
  2. Denis Hard

    Denis HardWell-Known Member

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    Sounds like something that would complicate things a lot.

    Since someone normally gets lots of different items from different parts of the store and everyone else who is shopping is dong the same once all these items get on the conveyor belt, who'll be sorting them out? While on face value it does sound like something that would be convenient it will take a really long time to perfect the system.
     
  3. LilAnn

    LilAnnActive Member

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    There's definitely going to be a lot of bugs to work out. You can't have something like this without issues. I just think its really distasteful to continually come up with new and better way to up the unemployment number.
     
  4. Denis Hard

    Denis HardWell-Known Member

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    Back in the early 90s there were predictions that tech would make life a lot easier for people. Robots would do all the work humans used to do and all people would ever do is go to head out to the beach with their laptop and do a little work which the robots can't do. It has been proven though that automating stuff isn't going to favor everyone. Only their employers would benefit because they'd make more profits. But then if everyone else doesn't make money [or earn enough] who'll be buying the products/items which are made? Eventually, everyone loses.
     
  5. Lushlala

    LushlalaWell-Known Member

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    It's a crying shame really because like you say, a lot of people will lose their jobs. But as with self serve points, machines will fail from time to time, and you need people to sort them out and get them going again. There's also the small matter of people liking the personal touch and interaction. I don't know how this will impact the prices, though.
     
  6. LilAnn

    LilAnnActive Member

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    I could very well be wrong, but it seems like it would take longer. Right now I can go to Krogers or save a lot, in and out in 30 minutes flat. But how many lines will they have, and how long to get all the groceries together? Not to mention people's indecisiveness. Doing it your self while other people are doing it themselves seems more convienant.