COG IN THE MACHINE

Human ‘Robot Wranglers’ Are Now Keeping Androids Safe on the Job

While robots are increasingly used in manufacturing, full automation seems a ways away, as long as the bots need a little human help to get the job done.

As the use of robots in manufacturing becomes more ubiquitous, a new cohort of workers is emerging: “robot wranglers.” These professionals are tasked with shepherding the robots populating warehouses across the country, and making sure they stay out of trouble, according to The Wall Street Jouranl. Scott Samples is the “wrangler” at a Roper appliance manufacturing plant in Georgia, and his job is to keep his robots taxiing parts and products around the facility on their designated pathways. It’s not always easy. “We’ve found them on a receiving dock, just lost like a child in the park,” he said. Sean Cusack, a robot engineer in Oakland, California, said that working with robots isn’t as intense as many imagine. “People envision robots as these completely intelligent, Terminator-level things,” he said, clarifying that in reality, “They’re pretty silly.”