Lately there  has  been an increase in the use of computers in

          manufacturing in the  world.   Some  have  called  it  the  third

          industrial revolution.  This industrial revolution deals with the

          discovering of  new  technologies  in  computer  automation.  One

          major component is the development of robotics.  What exactly are

          robots?  Robots are machines that can be programmed many times to

          perform  manipulative  and sensory functions to  move  materials,

          tools, or special devices without the aid  of a human.  There are

          many reasons robots are becoming more prevelant in industry;  one

          being the lower costs of robots in comparison  with manual labor.

          Also, robots are becoming more efficient  than  humans  at  doing

          certain manufactiring  jobs.  These robots have also caused waves

          on the  social aspect of manufacturing.  Industries are replacing

          humans with robots which cause a high unemployment rate.  To what

          extent will  this  affect  unemployment?  If it is severe, is the

          profit worth the loss of human jobs?


             The world's first factory robot was installed in  the  General

                                                        1K          Motors plant in Trenton, New Jersey in  1961.    This first robot

          lifted pieces of hot  metal  from  a  die-casting  machine.   All

          through the 60's and most of the  70's, robots could only perform




K          ----------

          1. Marsh, Peter: "America's  Factories  Race  to Automation", New
                                                                        ___
          Scientist, June 25, 1981, p.845.
          _________



                                        - 1 -













                                                         2K          heavy duty tasks such as lifting and welding.    Since then there

          have been many advances  in  technology  which  will  be  further

          explored later in the paper.  Many of these  robots have relieved

          humans of the worst aspects of factory work.  They have performed

                                                                          3K          jobs that are  dangerous,  and  other  less  desirable  jobs.

          Robitization now is a combination  of  two  recent  developments;

          automation and computer systems.  Since the late 70's, the number

          of  companies  interested in robots has  increased.   Along  with

          General Motors(the first to produce a robot),  there  are  others

          such as General Electric,  Westinghouse,  Ford,  and Unimation in

          Danbury, Connecticut.  According to a survey by the British Robot

                                                                          4K          Association there were 8,000  robots  in  existance  in  1981.

          However a different study claimed the number  to be 20,000 in the

                                                                          5K          world.  Four thousand of which belonged to the  United States.

          The latter of  the  two  estimates  is  most  likely correct.  In

          August of 1983 there were over 25,000 robots  in  the  world.  Of

          these 25,000, 50%  were  being  applied  by  the  Japanese.   The


          ----------

          2. Ibid

          3. Guest, Robert: "The Human Effects of Robots",  Vital  Speeches
                                                            _____  ________
          of the Day, June 1, 1983, p.510.
          __ ___ ___

          4. Scarborough, Harry: "Working  with  Robots  is  a  Bore",  New
                                                                        ___
          Scientist May 28, 1981, p554
          _________

          5. Marsh, Peter:  "America's  Factories Race to Automation".  New
                                                                        ___