I can’t get over those cute little bots I saw pootling here and there at Expo 2020 last week busy pleasing the crowd by delivering food and beverage, dancing with fellow buddies, offering nuggets of information, telling jokes and guiding visitors. From that tiny yellow-coloured kiddo Opti to the one-metre-tall orange-hued big robo guy Terminus, they were all a treat for the eyes, especially for the young visitors. Thanks to the Terminus Group, official partner of Expo2020! Deployed to perform multiple roles, these 150+ various kinds of service-oriented advanced machine hosts greet and assist the Expo guests, security patrol, and entertain them by performing in special displays, plus help with food and beverage delivery and hospitality services. All the more reason why people from all walks of life are flocking to the world fair. The taste of the future and smart technologies is still thrilling me to bits. Maybe that’s what buoyed me up to choose today’s topic. Perhaps nothing symbolizes the futuristic city more than this collection of man-made wonders.
This is just a glimpse
The future has already paid a visit to the present! Now it’s our turn to welcome and not to let it go back. From a pen to a plane, almost everything around us is a man-made machine created to serve mankind. They are only getting better day by day to continue their job in the best possible way. No one can deny the fact that machines and robots are capable of doing much of the mundane and repetitive work – such as driving metro trains on the fixed routes, addressing the standard enquiries, gauding the premises, and so on. This opens new horizons for business managers and entrepreneurs while allowing them to be more imaginative, more entrepreneurial, and more visible. Robots, accomplished through AI and IoT technologies services are just a glimpse of what’s waiting for us behind the doors of the future. The time is not too far when we will spot smart hardware, such as robots, becoming part of every big little project. And I guess, you too won’t mind counting on robotic employees for all the everyday jobs that keep the business running! Envision this: an engineer fixing a plane while donning Google Glasses; a cardiologist examining a patient in theatre from 167 miles away; or a virtual bank employee advising on banking products via WhatsApp. It might seem unrealistic but digital technology takes you to the treasure trove of awesome business opportunities. The long-term lease signed by the Terminus Group with District 2020 is a dead giveaway that the legacy district of Expo is a city of the future, where it will play a vital role in the digital adoption of the city, particularly with the application of AIoT solutions across hardware and software. Yes, the future has IoT written all over it!
“Internet of Things” is the name of the game
Internet of Things (IoT) is all geared up to fill the world with “unbelievable”. IoT implies the network of physical objects — “things”— that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies to serve the common goal of connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the internet. IoT and robotics tech are emerging together. IoT focuses on supporting services for pervasive sensing, monitoring and tracking, while the robotic communities concentrate on production action, interaction and autonomous behaviour. A strong value would be added by combining the two and creating an Internet of Robotic Things. This is a new era of global competition. And we are going to work in an IoT-enabled world. This will not only help experts tackle many of the major problems of modern life such as rising population, hygiene, global warming, gender inequality (naming a few), but also will prep you up for Chinese innovation and digital globalization.
Growth means what for you?
When we say growth in business, it might mean different for every business. For some, it’s just making more profits while there are others who do not agree they are growing until they are more popular and recognised than before for being different. Four out of 10 small businesses continue what they have been doing to sustain themselves in the market. For others, growth means something different. It could be exploring unconventional geographies, broadening the number of employees, or delivering a wider range of products and services. Regardless of each individual organisation’s personal perspective towards growth, they are required to ensure that they are always zeroed in on the best possible ways to attain scalability.
Why robots?
Robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning are throwing their weight around in a new age of automation. Let’s face it – machines match or outshine human performance in myriad work activities, including ones needing cognitive skills. Technology and robotics are making strides and are expected to bring down the need for workers in the future. But business owners don’t have to be wary of this prediction. Thanks to technology that has made robotics less costly. What was once just a mere imagination is now a day-to-day reality for many small businesses, particularly those in the manufacturing, assembly, and even food-service industries. Introducing a few robots to the workplace can make a huge difference. Business owners, employees, and customers, embracing new technology is always a win-win for everyone. Below we will see how adding robotics to your organisation can be beneficial for you and your business.
To err is human! Not robot
Have you ever kept your car keys in the pocket of your jacket and rummaged through your closet, bag or whatever? Imagine the consequences when a person makes a simple slip-up like that at work. Even a small mistake at a single point on an assembly line or in a factory can make everyone else suffer working around. Rush, lack of focus, deadline pressure and multi-talking are the major culprits behind human errors. Every robot goes through rigorous checks before they are out to serve mankind harmlessly and efficiently. They are programmed to complete their assigned tasks with zero slips. By implementing robots, you can reduce the potential for fallacies and mishappenings. So let those smart boys work like a charm and you enjoy high returns while going through the motions.
Speed is everything in business. They won’t delay!
If you’re won’t expedite, your competitors surely will because customers can’t wait. Let me share my real-life incident. I consulted about my business formation in Dubai with five different business setup advisories in UAE. And I ended up working with the one that non-stop followed up with me. With the pace at which society progresses, companies have to do whatever it takes to make their products/services stay in the market. As establishments learn to move quickly, they obviously flesh out faster than ever to the point of near-exponential growth. No company can shore up with slow work culture in today’s cut-throat competition. To steer clear of the sluggish work culture and to knock it out of the park splurge on some robots.
Quality is above all! They are as much quality conscious as you are
Consumers can compromise on price but not quality. Remember the Maggi crisis in 2015? Millions of Nestle’s Maggi noodles fans (including me!) turned to ITC’s Yippee and other noodle brands. Customers are loyal to you until you cheat on them. Today, collaborative robots, or cobots, are enabling better quality, better processes, and helping to improve operations overall. By incorporating robotics into your business, you still can improve or maintain the same level of quality. Let them be at it hammer and tongs so you don’t have to bother about the quality of your products.
Safety comes first, your robot also knows it!
Did you know coal mine workers have a very short life expectancy? Miners have to tackle toxic gases, as well as the threat of being crushed, drowned, or injured from fires and explosions. Not only monotonous and dull jobs but robots are programmed to perform the dirty and dangerous tasks people hate to do. Some jobs are just too hazardous and dangerous to be performed by human workers. Factories and lines often have heavy machinery that operates hot and has sharp edges that can put the lives of workers at risk. That’s where the use of robots becomes of utmost importance. In an organization, every employee is the business owner’s responsibility till the time they are working for them. Remember, fixing a broken robot is possible but not a finger that got crushed in a hydraulic press. To ensure a safe and risk-free working environment for human workers, it’s crucial for companies to invest in robots for jobs that might jeopardize human’s life. In the long run, these robots can save you a fortune and heartache.
TLDR
Robots in factories, malls, or anywhere else is not a new idea. More and more collaborative robots are joining the workforces in various industries and working alongside their human coworkers. Automation of activities can provide the means for businesses to take their performance notches higher, by eradicating errors and enhancing quality and speed, and in some cases achieving outcomes that are not humans’ cup of tea. Plus, we can’t ignore how flawlessly and interestingly industrial robots can perform dangerous and filthy jobs. Investments in robotics are investments in the future of your small business. Technical, economic, and social factors will determine the pace and extent of automation. Automation also takes productivity through the roof while allowing siloed business departments to connect, improve operations, and free up human resources to innovate business-wide. You might reach the level of productivity by implementing robotics where only your imagination could. You are sure to take your business to the next level at a rate much faster than what you had initially expected.
Our advice
Stay on the ball! Entrepreneurship is all about moving forward and pushing innovation forward. If you are a businessperson looking out for innovative ways to stand out in the crowd of hundreds of thousands of other business owners in the industry then robotics is what the doctor ordered. For any sort of business formation or expansion assistance trust only the experts. Make the most of our free business consultancy to stay ahead of time when setting up your own start-up in Dubai, UAE!
