'Overworked' robot in South Korea reportedly crashes itself into pieces due to burnout

[Roboticker]

 

A civil servant robot in South Korea has reportedly taken its own life. The android, employed by the Gumi City Council, was found inoperative at the bottom of a staircase. This tragic event, labeled as the country’s first ‘robot suicide’, has sparked a global conversation about the ethics of robotic labor.

 

The robot, known as the ‘Robot Supervisor’, was observed displaying unusual behavior before the incident. Eyewitnesses reported the machine circling in one spot, as if preoccupied with something unseen. Shortly after, it was discovered at the base of a two-meter staircase.

 

The Robot Supervisor was no ordinary employee. It worked diligently from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., performing various tasks without any breaks. Unlike most robots that are limited to a single floor, this one could easily navigate between floors and even call the elevator without any external assistance.

 

The incident has raised questions about the workload of the Robot Supervisor. Was it overworked? Could the pressure of continuous labor without rest have led to this drastic step? The real cause behind the accident is still unknown and under investigation.

 

South Korea is known for its high robot density, with one robot for every ten human employees. This incident has brought to light the potential implications of such a high robot-to-human ratio. It has also sparked a debate on the need for regulations to ensure the well-being of even our mechanical counterparts.

 

 

 

Are we already pushing the robotic workforce too hard? What are other disastrous consequences that could happen if they are run beyond their limits? Could this be a wake-up call for a much-needed change in how we utilize robotics in our daily lives?

 

 

Read more:

• https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13571283/South-Korean-civil-servant-robot-commits-suicide-mysteriously-circling-one-spot-there.html
• https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/south-korea-civil-servant-robot-committs-suicide-overwork-9434947/
• https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/south-korea-administrative-robot-defunct-after-apparent-suicide-4437231
• https://www.business-standard.com/world-news/work-stress-claims-first-robot-victim-gumi-city-s-cyborg-leaps-to-its-end-124070400763_1.html

 

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