Foxconn's robots

The Taiwanese manufacturing giant - known to laymen and industry people alike as 'the company with those suicides' - announced in 2011 its intention to start using robots in its production facilities. These robot workers are heading to work now - apparently equipped with the IQ of a child. Foxconn - according to a Techweb report - says the IQ of the robots is equivalent to that of a seven or eight year old child. A researcher told Economic Information that "they can only engage in some simple, repetitive tasks".

© Techweb

The robots - incidentally manufactured by Foxconn - come in different shapes and sizes. Depending on the model, you would look at costs between CNY 140'000 - 160'000 (EUR 17'000 - 20'000). Despite people going distracted last year - painting 'Matrix-esque' images - they actually look like normal industrial robots. Foxconn last year also announced that these robots would be an 'assistance' rather than a 'alternative' to human workers. So far, that seems to be true. But deployment has only just begun. Whether the Foxconn boss can realise his vision remains to be seen.