What is the Role of Technology in Infrastructure?
What is the Role of Technology in Infrastructure?
What is the Role of Technology in Infrastructure? Future infrastructure designs will be more proactive and anticipatory, requiring new algorithms and software. Robots will take on the most dangerous jobs and Data gathering will have to become more intelligent. This is all about enabling a more sustainable economy, and technology is the disruptive force that can make it happen. Read on to discover the new roles that technology can play in the world of infrastructure. But what exactly will change? Here are three major shifts we will see in infrastructure and how technology will drive it.
Future infrastructure designs will become anticipatory and proactive
In order to be resilient and adaptive, future infrastructure designs will need to anticipate both local conditions and global phenomena. For example, recovery efforts from hurricanes Katrina and Sandy focused on the effects of sea level rise on cities and the infrastructures needed to “protect” these cities. Conventional infrastructure repairs have relied on robust engineering approaches such as hard floodwalls and reinforced levees to protect against storm surges.
To be resilient, urban planners must move beyond quantitative predictive modeling to incorporate the concept of anticipatory resilience. Anticipatory resilience means identifying future outcomes, anticipating unintended consequences, and negotiating unintended consequences. In addition, anticipatory resilience requires systematic understanding of multiple trends and visions that may lead to different outcomes. With this information, cities can plan for long-term resilient outcomes.
Robots will take on most dangerous jobs
According to Gary Marcus and Ernest Davis in their book Rebooting AI, robots are perfect for hazardous and dirty jobs. These robots will take over tasks that are inherently dangerous or repetitive in nature, such as working in mines and underwater. The robots will also take on jobs where humans are not as comfortable, such as inspecting milk tanks or repairing sewage pipes. In this way, we can see the human-tech symbiosis at work.
In addition to infrastructure jobs, robots will likely take on more dangerous occupations, such as retail sales. The probability of robotic advancements in these jobs is very high, with just over 93%. Grounds maintenance workers will face slightly more risk from robots, with a ninety percent chance of automation. In construction trades, the likelihood is even higher: 736 deaths were reported last year in this industry alone.
In construction, robots will replace human workers in dangerous jobs. Humans are prone to dangerous situations, and a robot can prevent these accidents by measuring variables beyond human perception. These robots will also inspect unstable structures and can navigate planets, so they are ready to perform dangerous jobs without the risk of human injury. While manned inspections of bridges are highly dangerous, they are also expensive and time-consuming. A multirotor drone is capable of inspecting difficult-to-access areas and removing human workers from potentially dangerous situations.
One of the most common robotic applications is welding.
This task is perfect for robots, since many metals produce toxic fumes when melted, which can be dangerous. Additionally, the welders themselves are often susceptible to hearing loss, and the heat produced during welding is dangerous, causing severe burns and heat exhaustion. These robots will also help reduce the risk of occupational disease. The most common jobs where robots are currently used are those that require repetitive motions.
For example, robots are being used to clean up nuclear sites. The radiation levels at these sites are too high for human workers to handle. Using a telerobot can safely handle these chemicals and increase the accuracy and consistency of the finished product. Moreover, robots are already used in nuclear sites, where large amounts of radioactive materials are hazardous. The robots have already been used in this task for decades.
