Robots have been a part of the American workforce for a long time. With advancements in artificial intelligence practically occurring every day, the role of robots in the manufacturing landscape figures to become larger and more prominent.

It isn’t uncommon for any new technology to be greeted with a certain amount of scepticism and fear, even one as beneficial as automation. As the average employee in the industrial environment spends more time working alongside robotic counterparts, it’s only natural that he or she will have questions about them. How safe are they? Will they end up replacing me in the workforce? What are they capable or incapable of doing?

The answers may be more reassuring than many people anticipate. Although it’s true that robots play an increasingly large part in the modern economy, humans continue to be indispensable. Without our capacity for abstract thinking and problem solving, robotics is largely useless. Robots are also safer than some have been led to believe, given that they function only within set parameters and are equipped with extensive safety features.

Robots have been around for years, but they’ve done their jobs in the background so quietly that many still don’t fully understand their impact. For more facts about robots you may not know, see the accompanying infographic.

Facts about robotics asset created by   Acieta

Author bio: Julie Workman is Marketing Manager for Acieta, which specializes in industrial robotics automation that helps North American manufacturers be globally competitive.