Burger-flipping robot (1 Viewer)

[NCCommish]

I saw the future of work in a San Francisco garage two years ago. Or rather, I was in proximity to the future of work, but happened to be looking the other direction.

At the time, I was visiting a space startup building satellites behind a carport. But just behind them—a robot was cooking up burgers. The inventors of the burger device? Momentum Machines, and they’re serious about fast food productivity.

“Our device isn’t meant to make employees more efficient,” cofounder Alexandros Vardakostas has said. “It’s meant to completely obviate them.”

The Momentum burger-bot isn’t remotely humanoid. You can forget visions of Futurama’s Bender. It’s more of a burger assembly line. Ingredients are stored in automated containers along the line. Instead of pre-prepared veggies, cheese, and ground beef—the bot chars, slices, dices, and assembles it all fresh.

Why would talented engineers schooled at Berkeley, Stanford, UCSB, and USC with experience at Tesla and NASA bother with burger-bots? Robots are increasingly capable of jobs once thought the sole domain of humans—and that’s a huge opportunity.

Burger robots may improve consistency and sanitation, and they can knock out a rush like nobody’s business. Momentum’s robot can make a burger in 10 seconds (360/hr). Fast yes, but also superior quality. Because the restaurant is free to spend its savings on better ingredients, it can make gourmet burgers at fast food prices.

Or at least, that’s the idea.

Momentum Machines says your average fast food joint spends $135,000 a year on burger line cooks. Employees work in a chaotic kitchen environment that necessitates no-slip shoes in addition to the standard hairnets and aprons. By replacing human cooks, the machine reduces liability, management duties, and, at just 24 square feet, the overall food preparation footprint. Resources once dedicated to preparation can instead fund better service.

Of course, businesses are free to spend their savings however they like.

For some, that may mean more quality ingredients or services. For others, it might be competing with other restaurants by maintaining the same level of service and ingredients but offering even lower food prices.

But Momentum Machines’ burger-bot isn’t provocative for its anticipated effects on fast food quality. The bot, and other robots like it, may soon replace low-skilled workers in droves. If one machine developed in a garage in San Francisco can do away with an entire kitchen of fast food staff—what other jobs are about to disappear?

Earlier this year, McDonalds employees protested outside the fast food chain’s corporate headquarters in Chicago, demanding higher wages. A robotic kitchen might bring improved pay for the front of the house, and a pay cut to zero for the back. Some fraction of the 3.6 million US fast food jobs might be automated by such technology.

While the burger-bot hasn’t taken anyone’s job yet, Momentum Machines is clearly sensitive to the worry. The firm says they want to help support those who may lose work as a direct effect of restaurants adopting the robot.

“We want to help the people who may transition to a new job as a result of our technology the best way we know how: education.”

As new technology destroys one kind of job, it creates opportunities for others. We’ll need fewer line cooks, they say, but more engineers and technicians. The problem isn’t that jobs are lost on net, it’s the resulting skills gap. Transitioning into new work can be difficult to navigate, especially for low-wage workers.

Momentum Machines wants to help ease the move by partnering with vocational schools to offer discounted technical training for anyone displaced by their robot. Their goal is indicative of the overall tenor of an increasingly heated debate about how AI and robot employment may reduce human employment in the near future.

In a recent Pew Survey, some 1,900 technology experts agreed that robots will be a pervasive part of daily life by 2025. Automation will infiltrate industries like health care, transport and logistics, customer service, and home maintenance.

However, those polled were split on whether the impending wave of automation would be good or bad for workers: 52% believe AI and robotics will be a net positive for employment, and 48% believe the opposite.

The typical line of reasoning from the positive camp is that we’ve consistently been shedding “traditional” jobs and replacing them with brand new modes of work for the last few hundred years. In the early decades of the 20th century, most people were farmers or factory workers. Now, thanks to huge technological productivity gains, agricultural and factory workers are about 2% of the workforce respectively.

Has this resulted in massive unemployment? Quite the opposite. A profusion of new jobs that didn’t exist back then and were unimaginable to even the far-sighted have taken their place. Further, the quality of life for most people has improved drastically. This is what history indicates should happen again with advanced AI and robots.

The negative camp is less sure our technological creations will prove to be a good thing overall. They say something’s different this time.

Two MIT economists associated with the topic of technological unemployment, Eric Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee, have written two books on the subject. They think robots more advanced than Momentum Machines’ burger cook will soon arrive, and while they will be a force for good in the long run, they’ll displace human workers and cause strife well before we get there.

The problem isn’t that new jobs won’t be created, but that the looming transition period will be more difficult to navigate because the speed, depth, and breadth of the change will be unrivaled.

Might companies like Momentum Machines offering to foot some of the bill to retrain workers be the solution? Maybe. Others think we’ll need more drastic policies, like a guaranteed minimum income. But perhaps we’re already better equipped to adapt to leaps in automation and productivity today and in the near future than we realize.

Today’s work force is as flexible as it’s ever been. We can more easily search job opportunities online; we’re less geographically limited; we have quick access to masses of information; we can earn technical degrees and certificates online; and many people already cycle through multiple roles in multiple industries during their careers.

That’s not to say automation won’t present challenges for some people. It always has. And the topic will almost undoubtedly get more politically divisive from here. But the burger-bots are coming, and we think the net result over time will be as positive in the coming decades as it has been time and again over the last two centuries.

Article

I am going to have to disagree with the conclusion. They seem to forget self healing machines. Already have them. This is the difference between these and say the printing press. Once they are ubiquitous there are very few workers needed to tend to the new robotic workforce. The jobs that are left to humans will be far fewer. And require far more expertise/education than the average person is going to be up for. Not everyone can be a rocket scientist.

 

[Insein]

Cotton gin all over again.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Waiter, there is a bolt in my burger.

 

[NCCommish]

Waiter, there is a bolt in my burger.

Keep it down sir or everyone will want one.

 

[Rayderr]

Earlier this year, McDonalds employees protested outside the fast food chain’s corporate headquarters in Chicago, demanding higher wages. A robotic kitchen might bring improved pay for the front of the house, and a pay cut to zero for the back. Some fraction of the 3.6 million US fast food jobs might be automated by such technology.

Replace the order takers with automated touch screens and then we really got something (and a place I would go to very frequently.)

 

[NutterButter]

What happens when, due to automation, there aren't enough jobs to go around? We might already be at that point, but what happens when its on a mass scale?

 

[DrJ]

The less I have to interact with fast food order taker and maker types, the better. Go robots

 

[Rick James]

The less I have to interact with fast food order taker and maker types, the better. Go robots

Seriously. The worst thing about going to Mickie D's is dealing with the people inside-- employees and patrons, both. Removing half the problem would be a great start.

 

[Chaka]

What happens when, due to automation, there aren't enough jobs to go around? We might already be at that point, but what happens when its on a mass scale?

Either full blown wealth redistribution or start turning the displaced workers into burgers.

 

[Chaka]

Does the robot come with automatic spit projectors (kept at exactly 98.6 degrees until the burger is ordered for the freshest spittle experience)?

 

[NCCommish]

What happens when, due to automation, there aren't enough jobs to go around? We might already be at that point, but what happens when its on a mass scale?

Either full blown wealth redistribution or start turning the displaced workers into burgers.

Time for the BIG. And far sooner than anyone thinks.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

What happens when, due to automation, there aren't enough jobs to go around? We might already be at that point, but what happens when its on a mass scale?

Either full blown wealth redistribution or start turning the displaced workers into burgers.

https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/7803964928/h20E10B16/

 

[TheIronSheik]

What happens when, due to automation, there aren't enough jobs to go around? We might already be at that point, but what happens when its on a mass scale?

Either full blown wealth redistribution or start turning the displaced workers into burgers.

Mmmmmm..... displaced worker burgers.

 

[msommer]

What happens when, due to automation, there aren't enough jobs to go around? We might already be at that point, but what happens when its on a mass scale?

Either full blown wealth redistribution or start turning the displaced workers into burgers.

Mmmmmm..... displaced worker burgers.

Soylent Green!

 

[NutterButter]

What happens when, due to automation, there aren't enough jobs to go around? We might already be at that point, but what happens when its on a mass scale?

Either full blown wealth redistribution or start turning the displaced workers into burgers.

Mmmmmm..... displaced worker burgers.

Soylent Green!

We talking death panels? I thought that was a non starter

 

[dickey moe]

Thanks minimum wage laws!

 

[FreeBaGeL]

Thanks minimum wage laws!

Yeah they designed and built this thing from the ground up in like 3 weeks.

 

[msommer]

What happens when, due to automation, there aren't enough jobs to go around? We might already be at that point, but what happens when its on a mass scale?

Either full blown wealth redistribution or start turning the displaced workers into burgers.

Mmmmmm..... displaced worker burgers.

Soylent Green!

We talking death panels? I thought that was a non starter

Welcome to the revolution

 

[NCCommish]

Thanks minimum wage laws!

You mean the minimum wage raises that have resulted in more jobs in the places that have done them?

 

[FreeBaGeL]

Thanks minimum wage laws!

You mean the minimum wage raises that have resulted in more jobs in the places that have done them?

Yea, I love this.

The two cities in the US with the highest rate of job growth are the two cities with the highest minimum wage, so that must mean that raising minimum wage....eliminates jobs???

 

[James Daulton]

What happens when, due to automation, there aren't enough jobs to go around? We might already be at that point, but what happens when its on a mass scale?

Either full blown wealth redistribution or start turning the displaced workers into burgers.

Time for the BIG. And far sooner than anyone thinks.

What means BIG?

(other than Oats belly and house that is)

 

[NCCommish]

What happens when, due to automation, there aren't enough jobs to go around? We might already be at that point, but what happens when its on a mass scale?

Either full blown wealth redistribution or start turning the displaced workers into burgers.

Time for the BIG. And far sooner than anyone thinks.

What means BIG?

(other than Oats belly and house that is)

Basic Income Guarantee.

 

[cstu]

Earlier this year, McDonalds employees protested outside the fast food chain’s corporate headquarters in Chicago, demanding higher wages. A robotic kitchen might bring improved pay for the front of the house, and a pay cut to zero for the back. Some fraction of the 3.6 million US fast food jobs might be automated by such technology.

Replace the order takers with automated touch screens and then we really got something (and a place I would go to very frequently.)

Still going to need a person to put food in bags, get drinks, etc.

Love the idea of a robotic kitchen without nasty teenagers working it.

 

[RCon]

Earlier this year, McDonalds employees protested outside the fast food chain’s corporate headquarters in Chicago, demanding higher wages. A robotic kitchen might bring improved pay for the front of the house, and a pay cut to zero for the back. Some fraction of the 3.6 million US fast food jobs might be automated by such technology.

Replace the order takers with automated touch screens and then we really got something (and a place I would go to very frequently.)

Still going to need a person to put food in bags, get drinks, etc.

Love the idea of a robotic kitchen without nasty teenagers working it.

Pretty sure robots can do those things too. In fact, at a McDonald's near me, drinks at the drive-thru are already filled automatically (cup pops down from chute onto conveyor belt, goes under ice machine for ice, goes under soda machine for fill, gets carried around to window).

 

[msommer]

I, for one, welcome our burger-flipping robot overlords!

All you're burgers are belong to us!

 

[Brony]

I love that we've decided that machines can calculate the meal cost, process the credit card, spit out the right amount of soda, determine how long fries should cook, and stir the ice cream. But flipping the burger? - now that requires human expertise.

 

[Rayderr]

Earlier this year, McDonalds employees protested outside the fast food chain’s corporate headquarters in Chicago, demanding higher wages. A robotic kitchen might bring improved pay for the front of the house, and a pay cut to zero for the back. Some fraction of the 3.6 million US fast food jobs might be automated by such technology.

Replace the order takers with automated touch screens and then we really got something (and a place I would go to very frequently.)

Still going to need a person to put food in bags, get drinks, etc.

Love the idea of a robotic kitchen without nasty teenagers working it.

I'm sure there will always be one or 2 people around to just restock supplies and such, but really, everything you described can and is being done by robots somewhere. Robots already wrap all the food you get in the grocery store. I would be very easy to have it just wrap n paper then slide it down a chute to your tray. Want it in a bag, grab a bag and put it in there yourself. Drinks? Drop down an empty cup and go over to a drink dispenser like you currently do at most restaurants.

 

[NCCommish]

I love that we've decided that machines can calculate the meal cost, process the credit card, spit out the right amount of soda, determine how long fries should cook, and stir the ice cream. But flipping the burger? - now that requires human expertise.

It's not a matter of can they. Of course they can. But what happens when they do? Not everyone can be an engineer. Oh and the machines will eventually take all but a few of those jobs as well. Going to need a lot less doctors as well. Machines never show up to surgery drunk. They never show up to fly the plane drunk. At some point there will be very little left for man to do. We better have interstellar travel by then or it is going to be not good.

 

[msommer]

I love that we've decided that machines can calculate the meal cost, process the credit card, spit out the right amount of soda, determine how long fries should cook, and stir the ice cream. But flipping the burger? - now that requires human expertise.

It's not a matter of can they. Of course they can. But what happens when they do? Not everyone can be an engineer. Oh and the machines will eventually take all but a few of those jobs as well. Going to need a lot less doctors as well. Machines never show up to surgery drunk. They never show up to fly the plane drunk. At some point there will be very little left for man to do. We better have interstellar travel by then or it is going to be not good.

Even if we have interstellar travel, we'll bring the robots with us since the majority of the human race won't actually have any skills...

 

[Chaka]

I love that we've decided that machines can calculate the meal cost, process the credit card, spit out the right amount of soda, determine how long fries should cook, and stir the ice cream. But flipping the burger? - now that requires human expertise.

It's not a matter of can they. Of course they can. But what happens when they do? Not everyone can be an engineer. Oh and the machines will eventually take all but a few of those jobs as well. Going to need a lot less doctors as well. Machines never show up to surgery drunk. They never show up to fly the plane drunk. At some point there will be very little left for man to do. We better have interstellar travel by then or it is going to be not good.

Where's the fun in that?

 

[NCCommish]

I love that we've decided that machines can calculate the meal cost, process the credit card, spit out the right amount of soda, determine how long fries should cook, and stir the ice cream. But flipping the burger? - now that requires human expertise.

It's not a matter of can they. Of course they can. But what happens when they do? Not everyone can be an engineer. Oh and the machines will eventually take all but a few of those jobs as well. Going to need a lot less doctors as well. Machines never show up to surgery drunk. They never show up to fly the plane drunk. At some point there will be very little left for man to do. We better have interstellar travel by then or it is going to be not good.

Where's the fun in that?

Robots are dull.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Burger robots may improve consistency and sanitation, and they can knock out a rush like nobody’s business. Momentum’s robot can make a burger in 10 seconds (360/hr). Fast yes, but also superior quality. Because the restaurant is free to spend its savings on better ingredients, it can make gourmet burgers at fast food prices.

Call me crazy, but I doubt that a burger than can be made in ten seconds is a "superior quality" "gourmet burger."

 

[dgreen]

Burger robots may improve consistency and sanitation, and they can knock out a rush like nobody’s business. Momentum’s robot can make a burger in 10 seconds (360/hr). Fast yes, but also superior quality. Because the restaurant is free to spend its savings on better ingredients, it can make gourmet burgers at fast food prices.

Call me crazy, but I doubt that a burger than can be made in ten seconds is a "superior quality" "gourmet burger."

I'm guessing that's assembly time and not cooking time.

 

[NCCommish]

Burger robots may improve consistency and sanitation, and they can knock out a rush like nobody’s business. Momentum’s robot can make a burger in 10 seconds (360/hr). Fast yes, but also superior quality. Because the restaurant is free to spend its savings on better ingredients, it can make gourmet burgers at fast food prices.

Call me crazy, but I doubt that a burger than can be made in ten seconds is a "superior quality" "gourmet burger."

I'm guessing that's assembly time and not cooking time.

Yeah that was my thinking. It assembles it and places it on a conveyor cooker or something.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Burger robots may improve consistency and sanitation, and they can knock out a rush like nobody’s business. Momentum’s robot can make a burger in 10 seconds (360/hr). Fast yes, but also superior quality. Because the restaurant is free to spend its savings on better ingredients, it can make gourmet burgers at fast food prices.

Call me crazy, but I doubt that a burger than can be made in ten seconds is a "superior quality" "gourmet burger."

I'm guessing that's assembly time and not cooking time.

So, not making a burger in ten seconds then?

Kinda makes me think whoever wrote the article was going for the wow factor instead of truthiness.

 

[NCCommish]

Burger robots may improve consistency and sanitation, and they can knock out a rush like nobody’s business. Momentum’s robot can make a burger in 10 seconds (360/hr). Fast yes, but also superior quality. Because the restaurant is free to spend its savings on better ingredients, it can make gourmet burgers at fast food prices.

Call me crazy, but I doubt that a burger than can be made in ten seconds is a "superior quality" "gourmet burger."

I'm guessing that's assembly time and not cooking time.

So, not making a burger in ten seconds then?

Kinda makes me think whoever wrote the article was going for the wow factor instead of truthiness.

You can't cook much of anything in 10 seconds can you? But you can certainly speed up the assembly process both pre and post cook. So the burger comes out of the conveyor cooker and ten seconds later is ready for the customer. And it never takes a day off. It never leaves a joint in the Happy Meal, it never YouTubes itself screwing with the food, etc.

 

[dgreen]

Burger robots may improve consistency and sanitation, and they can knock out a rush like nobody’s business. Momentum’s robot can make a burger in 10 seconds (360/hr). Fast yes, but also superior quality. Because the restaurant is free to spend its savings on better ingredients, it can make gourmet burgers at fast food prices.

Call me crazy, but I doubt that a burger than can be made in ten seconds is a "superior quality" "gourmet burger."

I'm guessing that's assembly time and not cooking time.

So, not making a burger in ten seconds then?

Kinda makes me think whoever wrote the article was going for the wow factor instead of truthiness.

I'm pretty sure I can breed a cow, slaughter it, and cook the meat in maybe 20 seconds in Minecraft.

 

[Chaka]

Burger robots may improve consistency and sanitation, and they can knock out a rush like nobody’s business. Momentum’s robot can make a burger in 10 seconds (360/hr). Fast yes, but also superior quality. Because the restaurant is free to spend its savings on better ingredients, it can make gourmet burgers at fast food prices.

Call me crazy, but I doubt that a burger than can be made in ten seconds is a "superior quality" "gourmet burger."

I'm guessing that's assembly time and not cooking time.

So, not making a burger in ten seconds then?

Kinda makes me think whoever wrote the article was going for the wow factor instead of truthiness.

You can't cook much of anything in 10 seconds can you? But you can certainly speed up the assembly process both pre and post cook. So the burger comes out of the conveyor cooker and ten seconds later is ready for the customer. And it never takes a day off. It never leaves a joint in the Happy Meal, it never YouTubes itself screwing with the food, etc.

Another reason why robots suck.

Booooooo robots boooooooooo!

 

[TobiasFunke]

Burger robots may improve consistency and sanitation, and they can knock out a rush like nobody’s business. Momentum’s robot can make a burger in 10 seconds (360/hr). Fast yes, but also superior quality. Because the restaurant is free to spend its savings on better ingredients, it can make gourmet burgers at fast food prices.

Call me crazy, but I doubt that a burger than can be made in ten seconds is a "superior quality" "gourmet burger."

I'm guessing that's assembly time and not cooking time.

So, not making a burger in ten seconds then?

Kinda makes me think whoever wrote the article was going for the wow factor instead of truthiness.

You can't cook much of anything in 10 seconds can you? But you can certainly speed up the assembly process both pre and post cook. So the burger comes out of the conveyor cooker and ten seconds later is ready for the customer. And it never takes a day off. It never leaves a joint in the Happy Meal, it never YouTubes itself screwing with the food, etc.

I don't doubt that a machine-fueled assembly system could speed the process. I'm just pointing out that whoever wrote that was more interested in wowing the reader than presenting the truth. It says the machine can knock out a rush and that they can make a burger in 10 seconds. They can't. They can probably eliminate a few seconds off the assembly time, that's it- it's not like it's an intricate process that takes a human five minutes.

And I'm not worried about how it will affect employment, either. Been hearing that concern for years. For example technology has automated most of the work that used to be done by secretaries in white collar offices, and all that happened as a result is we replaced some of the secretaries with IT people and xerox repair people and whatnot.

 

[NCCommish]

Burger robots may improve consistency and sanitation, and they can knock out a rush like nobody’s business. Momentum’s robot can make a burger in 10 seconds (360/hr). Fast yes, but also superior quality. Because the restaurant is free to spend its savings on better ingredients, it can make gourmet burgers at fast food prices.

Call me crazy, but I doubt that a burger than can be made in ten seconds is a "superior quality" "gourmet burger."

I'm guessing that's assembly time and not cooking time.

So, not making a burger in ten seconds then?

Kinda makes me think whoever wrote the article was going for the wow factor instead of truthiness.

You can't cook much of anything in 10 seconds can you? But you can certainly speed up the assembly process both pre and post cook. So the burger comes out of the conveyor cooker and ten seconds later is ready for the customer. And it never takes a day off. It never leaves a joint in the Happy Meal, it never YouTubes itself screwing with the food, etc.

I don't doubt that a machine-fueled assembly system could speed the process. I'm just pointing out that whoever wrote that was more interested in wowing the reader than presenting the truth. It says the machine can knock out a rush and that they can make a burger in 10 seconds. They can't. They can probably eliminate a few seconds off the assembly time, that's it- it's not like it's an intricate process that takes a human five minutes.

And I'm not worried about how it will affect employment, either. Been hearing that concern for years. For example technology has automated most of the work that used to be done by secretaries in white collar offices, and all that happened as a result is we replaced some of the secretaries with IT people and xerox repair people and whatnot.

Actually to use the automation in the legal industry as an example that isn't true. It used to be 3 to 1 support staff to lawyers. Now it's 3 to 1 lawyers to support staff. We didn't replace all those jobs with the guy that does the IT work.

 

[Rayderr]

Burger robots may improve consistency and sanitation, and they can knock out a rush like nobody’s business. Momentum’s robot can make a burger in 10 seconds (360/hr). Fast yes, but also superior quality. Because the restaurant is free to spend its savings on better ingredients, it can make gourmet burgers at fast food prices.

Call me crazy, but I doubt that a burger than can be made in ten seconds is a "superior quality" "gourmet burger."

I'm guessing that's assembly time and not cooking time.

Yeah that was my thinking. It assembles it and places it on a conveyor cooker or something.

Elevation Burger actually has this (or had. I've heard they've ditched them.) At one end of the counter, a person puts the patties in a cast iron compartment, and it's cooked by the time it gets down to the other end of the counter where a person put it on the bun. It was actually surprisingly fast.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Burger robots may improve consistency and sanitation, and they can knock out a rush like nobody’s business. Momentum’s robot can make a burger in 10 seconds (360/hr). Fast yes, but also superior quality. Because the restaurant is free to spend its savings on better ingredients, it can make gourmet burgers at fast food prices.

Call me crazy, but I doubt that a burger than can be made in ten seconds is a "superior quality" "gourmet burger."

I'm guessing that's assembly time and not cooking time.

So, not making a burger in ten seconds then?

Kinda makes me think whoever wrote the article was going for the wow factor instead of truthiness.

You can't cook much of anything in 10 seconds can you? But you can certainly speed up the assembly process both pre and post cook. So the burger comes out of the conveyor cooker and ten seconds later is ready for the customer. And it never takes a day off. It never leaves a joint in the Happy Meal, it never YouTubes itself screwing with the food, etc.

I don't doubt that a machine-fueled assembly system could speed the process. I'm just pointing out that whoever wrote that was more interested in wowing the reader than presenting the truth. It says the machine can knock out a rush and that they can make a burger in 10 seconds. They can't. They can probably eliminate a few seconds off the assembly time, that's it- it's not like it's an intricate process that takes a human five minutes.

And I'm not worried about how it will affect employment, either. Been hearing that concern for years. For example technology has automated most of the work that used to be done by secretaries in white collar offices, and all that happened as a result is we replaced some of the secretaries with IT people and xerox repair people and whatnot.

Actually to use the automation in the legal industry as an example that isn't true. It used to be 3 to 1 support staff to lawyers. Now it's 3 to 1 lawyers to support staff. We didn't replace all those jobs with the guy that does the IT work.

Well it's not just the IT workers, it's also the employees at the company responsible for the equipment, the on-call support, the westlaw/lexis reps, etc.

Interesting stat, though. Where did you see it? I was a lawyer at law firms for a bit, weird for me to imagine either number being accurate at any time, not that I doubt it. Just curious to read more.

 

[NCCommish]

Burger robots may improve consistency and sanitation, and they can knock out a rush like nobody’s business. Momentum’s robot can make a burger in 10 seconds (360/hr). Fast yes, but also superior quality. Because the restaurant is free to spend its savings on better ingredients, it can make gourmet burgers at fast food prices.

Call me crazy, but I doubt that a burger than can be made in ten seconds is a "superior quality" "gourmet burger."

I'm guessing that's assembly time and not cooking time.

So, not making a burger in ten seconds then?

Kinda makes me think whoever wrote the article was going for the wow factor instead of truthiness.

You can't cook much of anything in 10 seconds can you? But you can certainly speed up the assembly process both pre and post cook. So the burger comes out of the conveyor cooker and ten seconds later is ready for the customer. And it never takes a day off. It never leaves a joint in the Happy Meal, it never YouTubes itself screwing with the food, etc.

I don't doubt that a machine-fueled assembly system could speed the process. I'm just pointing out that whoever wrote that was more interested in wowing the reader than presenting the truth. It says the machine can knock out a rush and that they can make a burger in 10 seconds. They can't. They can probably eliminate a few seconds off the assembly time, that's it- it's not like it's an intricate process that takes a human five minutes.

And I'm not worried about how it will affect employment, either. Been hearing that concern for years. For example technology has automated most of the work that used to be done by secretaries in white collar offices, and all that happened as a result is we replaced some of the secretaries with IT people and xerox repair people and whatnot.

Actually to use the automation in the legal industry as an example that isn't true. It used to be 3 to 1 support staff to lawyers. Now it's 3 to 1 lawyers to support staff. We didn't replace all those jobs with the guy that does the IT work.

Well it's not just the IT workers, it's also the employees at the company responsible for the equipment, the on-call support, the westlaw/lexis reps, etc.

Interesting stat, though. Where did you see it? I was a lawyer at law firms for a bit, weird for me to imagine either number being accurate at any time, not that I doubt it. Just curious to read more.

It was a stat I picked up years ago when I was mainly doing IT work in law firms. I think it was at a symposium I attended. Sorry I don't have a cite.

 

[Black Box]

You can't cook much of anything in 10 seconds can you? But you can certainly speed up the assembly process both pre and post cook. So the burger comes out of the conveyor cooker and ten seconds later is ready for the customer. And it never takes a day off. It never leaves a joint in the Happy Meal, it never YouTubes itself screwing with the food, etc.

Not yet, anyway.

 

[NCCommish]

You can't cook much of anything in 10 seconds can you? But you can certainly speed up the assembly process both pre and post cook. So the burger comes out of the conveyor cooker and ten seconds later is ready for the customer. And it never takes a day off. It never leaves a joint in the Happy Meal, it never YouTubes itself screwing with the food, etc.

Not yet, anyway.

Good point.

 

[Brony]

I love that we've decided that machines can calculate the meal cost, process the credit card, spit out the right amount of soda, determine how long fries should cook, and stir the ice cream. But flipping the burger? - now that requires human expertise.

It's not a matter of can they. Of course they can. But what happens when they do? Not everyone can be an engineer. Oh and the machines will eventually take all but a few of those jobs as well. Going to need a lot less doctors as well. Machines never show up to surgery drunk. They never show up to fly the plane drunk. At some point there will be very little left for man to do. We better have interstellar travel by then or it is going to be not good.

I appreciate what you are saying. I also know that this fear has been raised for the past 200 years, but we're still working like suckers despite the Jetsons' predictions. I get that technology reduces the number of unskilled jobs, but it's really, really difficult to slow down or stop technological advances. I don't have a solution, but doing menial labor just cause it saves a job seems like a very nearsighted idea.