Main content

Robots: Coming to an Office Near You

Should we fear or embrace the advent of "co-bots" - robot colleagues? Ed Butler reports on the startling advances in the automation of the workplace.

Should we fear or embrace the advent of "co-bots" - robot colleagues? Ed Butler reports on the startling advances in the automation of the workplace.

He encounters a veritable menagerie of automatons at London's Science Museum, where lead curator Ben Russell shows our presenter around their latest special robots exhibition, featuring everything from mediaeval clockwork mannequins to a pair of self-propelling mechanised legs.

The 91热爆's Audrey Tinline reports from the Netherlands, where some offices are already renting robotic arms to save their human employees from incurring repetitive strain injuries.

Meanwhile Ed heads to the north London offices of Shadow Robot, where managing director Rich Walker shows off his company's robotic hand. But what exactly is it for?

Producer: Laurence Knight

(Picture: Baxter robot on show at London's Science Museum; Credit: Plastiques Photography, courtesy of the Science Museum)

Available now

18 minutes

Last on

Fri 31 Mar 2017 07:32GMT

Broadcast

  • Fri 31 Mar 2017 07:32GMT

Podcast