# How many robots at your place of employment? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 17, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362 "2010-01-17T22:46:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/1 "2010-01-17T22:46:03Z")
…not counting toy robots. By my count, there are two at my job. Oddly enough, they do the job—lifting and loading bales of newsprint—my great-great-grandfather did when he first came to America. Though they probably used smaller rolls, back then. Anyone else want to share? Bonus points if the robots are in any way involved in rending human flesh. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/2 "2010-01-17T23:10:38Z")
I work in a large hospital, and I know there are at least a few in the OR. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/3 "2010-01-17T23:21:41Z")
Bunches and bunches depending how you define a robot. I am new to a pharmaceutical facility and was a little taken aback during my first day when I found out that I would be supporting them all by myself among many other things. Another famous company I worked in had a mail delivery robot that knew how to take the elevator and do deliveries. That was an ugly version of R2D2 but still pretty cool. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/4 "2010-01-18T00:40:16Z")
Most everyone I work with seems real enough, but I have my suspicions about the senior accountant. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/5 "2010-01-18T02:41:09Z")
Tons of them on automated assembly lines. Stackers, presses, laser welders, polymer injectors, etc. etc. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/6 "2010-01-18T08:02:45Z")
Computer programs that doi the work of robots, so to speak. I can shoot two image, click a button and have them combined and the copyright line added automatically. It also compresses and re-sizes while its doing all that. Since it replaces me doing all that manually through a photoshop like program I consider it my personal robot. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/7 "2010-01-20T14:30:58Z")
I’m the only one at my office to fail the turing test. So all the others must be human. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/8 "2010-01-20T15:50:17Z")
A phone switch is a robot. It makes connections that operators used to make. If your office has phone extensions, or a more than a half dozen phones, you very likely have a phone switch (i.e. a robotic phone operator). Put me down for one of those. An automatic elevator is a robot, too. Also put me down for one of those. My soda/drink vending machines are robots as well now that I think of it. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/9 "2010-01-20T15:52:26Z")
Bank auditors are robots with skin draped on them. Otherwise, we’re all humans here - there’s really no mechanical activity other than mailing customer statements that can be automated. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/10 "2010-01-22T19:28:46Z")
Oh, about a 160 or so, at least in my area. Not sure how many there are in the entire complex, though. Mostly resistance spot welders, material handlers, and a few GMAW and sealer/adhesive applications. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/11 "2010-01-22T19:31:24Z")
I work out of a home office, so… just the Roomba I guess. ---
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/12 "2010-01-22T19:35:46Z")
Do I count? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/13 "2010-01-22T19:41:21Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > I work out of a home office, so… just the Roomba I guess. That is what I was going to say. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/14 "2010-01-23T04:36:56Z")
> [@dhkendall](#): > > Do I count? Probably not:D ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/15 "2010-01-23T08:14:00Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > I work out of a home office, so… just the Roomba I guess. Beat me to it. We also have a Scooba but it doesn’t clean the office, per se. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/16 "2010-01-23T14:49:57Z")
We have two robots, they mount and unmount the backup tapes in the silo. There is Marvin, as well, but he’s more of an android than a robot. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/17 "2010-01-23T14:53:27Z")
They’re all robots. You’re all robots. I’m the last remaining Human. And you’re studying me. ---
**Author:** ![wakingdream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9f8e36/32.png) [@wakingdream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wakingdream)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/18 "2010-01-26T04:17:48Z")
I’m an electrical engineer working for a (fairly well known in the field) robotics company, so there are lots of them. Some of them are humanoid, some are not. All of them are pretty cool, and while none rend human flesh, there are several that are certainly strong enough that they could do so. Of course a few are for the military, but so far not as weapons… ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-robots-at-your-place-of-employment/525362/19 "2010-01-26T10:25:13Z")
About 200 in my area; most of the tools have four or five.