[Closed] When technology misses the point.

This is one of the delivery robots we have around Milton Keynes

I snapped a picture of it as it passed & then another as it passed some homeless guys coz the juxtaposition seemed odd.

The robot said hello to the homeless guys as it passed.

No one else does that.

Surely that’s one of its advantages?

Not if you are setting it up at a customer s house. If you are in a dedicated production environment it is a awful machine. It looks like they are trying to replace site carpenter work. Setting up a dedicated area or room in someone's house is frequently not possible and would slow down or reduce many of the supposing speed advantages. It's just a crap machine tbh.

TheBrick - I think you’ve missed the point of academic research this isn’t a prototype of an actual production system intended to be used in the “wild” it is research - it is about understanding problems and potential solutions.  In this case the problem isn’t really even a carpentry one it’s about understanding how you might automate processes performed by multiple machines and do assembly at relatively low cost.

I understand the point, I have worked in accadimia, I just think that they are aiming at the wrong problem herre. I am also trying to explain to people who think this is a brilliant solution for carpenters why it isn't and why it is so far off being useful in the wild. Partly due to real industrial safety requirements and party due to real life task requirements, so there is no worries for these jobs.

I don't think anyone is saying it's a good solution for carpenters - even the application shown is not site carpentry.

What the discussion is over is that automation means making a timber product that's not lovingly hand crafted. I'm saying that that's not an issue in the applications so far used as examples (oak frame buildings / boats to use 2 I remember without hunting back)

I've also pointed out that it's not new technology and can't see how the hell it's on the BBC web site when I've got much more advanced machines that have been cutting timber for over 10 years at our factory!

I wonder if this machine is more flexible than yours though?

It may be, but I strongly doubt it. My larger machine has 40+ pre set tool stations and 5 axis machining. Can work on 2 different pieces of timber at once and will work on circa 300mm upto 4000mm pieces.

as far as I can tell, the one in the clip works in 3 dimensions and has 1 tool. Lots of them will be able to do different jobs of course, but that’s more than 1 machine!

Found this today...

https://www.bp.com/en_gb/united-kingdom/products-services/bpme.html

It's an BP App that allows you to pay for fuel at BP stations. So ****ing stupid on so many fronts

Phones cause petrol stations to explode - everyone knows that

Exploding Samsung phones cause petrol stations to explode even more

Having 99 different apps linked to payment methods is an increased security risk

Having a payment method that depends on batteries and internet access is dumb

People are stupid and will sit in their cars multi-tasking between paying for fuel and doing social media bollocks whilst people sit patiently behind

Unlike all other payment methods it only works with BP

And yet people will now go to BP to buy fuel just so they don't have to communicate with another human. BP sells more fuel. BP wins.

Seems like a brilliant application of technology to me - as long as you're BP.

I don’t think anyone is saying it’s a good solution for carpenters – even the application shown is not site carpentry.

What the discussion is over is that automation means making a timber product that’s not lovingly hand crafted. I’m saying that that’s not an issue in the applications so far used as examples (oak frame buildings / boats to use 2 I remember without hunting back)

Yep ... that sums it up ....

IMVHO there is nothing wrong with purely functional furniture.... but then I'm just looking at the functionally.

e.g. My office chair/desk etc.

I have no interest in it being handcrafted or looking like it is.

However .. for my kitchen table etc. either its functional or its hand crafted .... I'm not interested in faux hand-crafted.

Phones cause petrol stations to explode – everyone knows that

Really?  Is there a single case anywhere in the world where a phone has caused a petrol station to explode?

Indeed .. remember carburettors and open spark plugs?  A device specially designed to fuse petrol to explode... any case of any causing a garage to explode EVER ???

Exploding Samsung phones cause petrol stations to explode even more

I've seen people smoking whilst filling a petrol tank... (Not in the UK) ... still no explosions

Having 99 different apps linked to payment methods is an increased security risk

Fair point

Having a payment method that depends on batteries and internet access is dumb

It already does... unless you pay for fuel by cash... even then i wonder if they can even open the till without network access.

People are stupid and will sit in their cars multi-tasking between paying for fuel and doing social media bollocks whilst people sit patiently behind

Unlike all other payment methods it only works with BP

BP presumably prefer this is their forecourt than Shell....

I'm thinking a bigger home goal is if it allows us to decide where we fill up based on cost.

My fuel buying is controlled by petrol prices.com

I go to a BP nearly weekly.... I get a coffee and hot choc (for Jnr) on the way to the trails.... but I don't remember having bought fuel there.

It’s an BP App that allows you to pay for fuel at BP stations. So **** stupid on so many fronts

Integrates with my preferred existing payment mechanism (Appplepay), much more secure (especially given how prevalent card scams are at petrol stations!) & much quicker as there'll be no queues!

Definitely the future.

Really?  Is there a single case anywhere in the world where a phone has caused a petrol station to explode?

Having 99 different apps linked to payment methods is an increased security risk

Fair point

Breathe easy Mythbusters fans. From the BPMe FAQ

Am I allowed to use a mobile phone at a petrol station?
You can use your phone when you’re inside your stationary vehicle or when you’re in the BP store.

So it looks like you're still a menace to society anywhere near a petrol pump.

(PS I don't actually believe that explosion shit but BP and other fuel retailers have been peddling it for years so I'm just perpetuating their view in order to maintain the fact that this app is a pile of cack). I'm not a total luddite though - I would suggest that the car parking apps are a complete genius solving two genuine problems of 1 - no change/dicky 20p's, 2 - wanting to overstay

Phones cause petrol stations to explode – everyone knows that

Spent a few months in the same hotel as a bunch of Comms guy ~15 - 20 years ago when I was working in Morocco and they were installing the mobile network. The don't use your phone thing whilst filling up was that certain old Nokia's had been found to reset or stop certain petrol pumps displays from working properly. Easier to say you would die in a massive flaming fireball than to advertise 'free fuel when you fill up here'

I don’t think it is actually, at least the way ApplePay works. No idea about other payment options though.

I think the point that I agree with is that the more payment types you have the more chance you don't even notice a transaction ...

I'm not that keen on contact-less but I know if I lost my wallet... and i can check the transactions look good.

Meanwhile ... I got Amazon Pay, PayPal and a bunch of other ways to pay... not to mention other cards etc. so trying to reconcile and make sure I haven't paid for anything I shouldn't have just gets more complex.