Robots

The military is a lot closer to removing large numbers of humans from the battlefield than is generally known. The plan is to replace them with robots.

For example QuinitiQ, who manufacture the robotic household vacuum cleaner, Roomba, also manufacture a highly successful combat robot called Talon. Talon is a tracked vehicle that can race alongside a running man firing a machine gun, .50cal. rifle, grenade launcher or anti-tank rockets.

There are also "throwbots". A soldier can toss a small throwbot over a wall or through a window , and the bot will do surveillance, enabling the soldier to "see around corners."

Throwbots are now being used in Afghanistan.

In other areas too, robots are being introduced. For example in Australia, one of the opencast mines is in the process of replacing its 200 truck fleet with robot vehicles that can work independently or as part of a team with very little intervention.

It all points to there being more work for robots and fewer employment opportunities for humans, particularly those without significant skills or training.

Unskilled jobs such as serving fast food could become very difficult to find.

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