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Looks very impressive, but the robot they built looks expensive to me. I would hazard a guess that it wouldn't be much more cost effective than hiring a human t

Looks very impressive, but the robot they built looks expensive to me. I would hazard a guess that it wouldn't be much more cost effective than hiring a human to do this job.

Tade0 3y ago
I suspect that as societies all over the world age further, you'll be hard pressed to find anyone willing to do this job. I had a plumber replace some pipes in my apartment the other day and he said that he agreed to take this job despite being retired, because there's simply no one available to do it. His effective hourly rate was around 50% more than I make.
- mongol 3y ago
  Your particular pipe job? Or the job as a plumber?
  - Tade0 3y ago
    My particular pipe job. He was done in a little less than an hour and all that including cutting through the plasterboard housing the thing.
- toomuchtodo 3y ago
  I absolutely believe this. I’ve had wait times quoted in weeks for plumbing work in the US Midwest, with electrical work lead time quoted in months. The trades worker participation rate decline is real.
  - Tade0 3y ago
    My friend poured the concrete base for his heat pump by himself because apparently that's not part of the service when installing one and finding a guy to do it was nigh impossible. At the moment I dread doing any house maintenance - especially the sort for which you need certification.
    - toomuchtodo 3y ago
      As a property owner, my recommendation (time permitting), is to become a scholar of the building sciences. Assume that any work short of major renovations or structural could be your problem.
      - Tade0 3y ago
        The mentioned friend says that he holds multiple PhDs now that he's done with the main part(phrasing intentional). The sauna didn't go exactly as planned though. Straight lines are hard.
- nemo44x 3y ago
  In most instances you have to remember you’re paying not only their salary but their employment taxes, benefits, tools depreciation, transportation depreciation, advertising, and admin. Plus the time it takes to travel, etc. One guy I know told me he has to charge $250 base to show up (then hourly once work starts) otherwise he can’t make money. But yes, there is a huge shortage and it’s growing. Where I live tradesmen who work for a small shop pull 6 figures, get a matching 401k, and free healthcare. They get poached left and right and if you’re trying to run a business you can’t have that so you pay. Honestly it sounds pretty much like the tech industry right now. Side note: politicians and ivy educated journalists want many things electrified by 2035. Even if every electrician worked 60 hour weeks and took no vacation we still couldn’t hit those goals. Not even close.
- kcplate 3y ago
  My two year old grandson is going to be fed on a steady diet of information about the virtues of becoming a plumber as his career over the next 16 years. To me, plumbing is just low tech enough to stay automation and AI free for the long haul. Also I don’t ever foresee a time where people will not want clean water brought in to their homes and have their shit removed. Plumbers are going to own the world in 20 years.
caymanjim 3y ago
It's a prototype. The first few iterations of everything are expensive. Then mass production steps in.

Looks very impressive, but the robot they built looks expensive to me. I would hazard a guess that it wouldn't be much more cost effective than hiring a human to do this job.

Tade0 3y ago

I suspect that as societies all over the world age further, you'll be hard pressed to find anyone willing to do this job. I had a plumber replace some pipes in my apartment the other day and he said that he agreed to take this job despite being retired, because there's simply no one available to do it. His effective hourly rate was around 50% more than I make.

mongol 3y ago
Your particular pipe job? Or the job as a plumber?
- Tade0 3y ago
  My particular pipe job. He was done in a little less than an hour and all that including cutting through the plasterboard housing the thing.
toomuchtodo 3y ago
I absolutely believe this. I’ve had wait times quoted in weeks for plumbing work in the US Midwest, with electrical work lead time quoted in months. The trades worker participation rate decline is real.
- Tade0 3y ago
  My friend poured the concrete base for his heat pump by himself because apparently that's not part of the service when installing one and finding a guy to do it was nigh impossible. At the moment I dread doing any house maintenance - especially the sort for which you need certification.
  - toomuchtodo 3y ago
    As a property owner, my recommendation (time permitting), is to become a scholar of the building sciences. Assume that any work short of major renovations or structural could be your problem.
    - Tade0 3y ago
      The mentioned friend says that he holds multiple PhDs now that he's done with the main part(phrasing intentional). The sauna didn't go exactly as planned though. Straight lines are hard.
nemo44x 3y ago
In most instances you have to remember you’re paying not only their salary but their employment taxes, benefits, tools depreciation, transportation depreciation, advertising, and admin. Plus the time it takes to travel, etc. One guy I know told me he has to charge $250 base to show up (then hourly once work starts) otherwise he can’t make money. But yes, there is a huge shortage and it’s growing. Where I live tradesmen who work for a small shop pull 6 figures, get a matching 401k, and free healthcare. They get poached left and right and if you’re trying to run a business you can’t have that so you pay. Honestly it sounds pretty much like the tech industry right now. Side note: politicians and ivy educated journalists want many things electrified by 2035. Even if every electrician worked 60 hour weeks and took no vacation we still couldn’t hit those goals. Not even close.
kcplate 3y ago
My two year old grandson is going to be fed on a steady diet of information about the virtues of becoming a plumber as his career over the next 16 years. To me, plumbing is just low tech enough to stay automation and AI free for the long haul. Also I don’t ever foresee a time where people will not want clean water brought in to their homes and have their shit removed. Plumbers are going to own the world in 20 years.

caymanjim 3y ago

It's a prototype. The first few iterations of everything are expensive. Then mass production steps in.