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by a_d 3155 days ago
Robotics, but more specifically Tele operated robots. Remotely driven vehicles and remotely controlled robots.

There is a chance that all factory work becomes like a video game.

Tele-ops robotics would lead to:

- large-scale redistribution of physical/blue-collar jobs (bigger than "software" over last 20 years)

- allow new business models that were never possible in manufacturing (e.g. robots for "rent" - subscription model, gamification, flex-work like Uber for tele-operated robots in manufacturing; low-volume sales)

- order of magnitude better physical health of workers (lower injuries, more fun)

- savings for manufacturers (not just on labor, but lower insurance etc.)

- a 20 to 30 year hedge against the invention of general AI that seems far away and what other roboticists are chasing.

There is a potential to release huge latent wealth by creating a new industry (potentially trillions in value could be released over the next 10 years - no single company would capture it, but it would create something at least as big as "software").

Tele-ops is already successful for surgeries and dangerous situations. But it should be it’s own “field”