Robotics and the City: 3 Global Examples

Mateja Kovacic writes to describe a "fourth industrial revolution"—i.e., the spread or robots throughout urban areas. "This fourth industrial revolution driven by robots is shaping urban spaces and urban life in response to opportunities and challenges in economic, social, political and healthcare domains," writes Kovacic. "Our cities are becoming too big for humans to manage."

According to Kovacic, cities are starting to look to robotic solutions to some of the most pressing issues in cities: "Whether through autonomous cars, automated pharmacists, service robots in local stores, or autonomous drones delivering Amazon parcels, cities are being automated at a steady pace."

As case studies, Kovacic examines three case studies from around the world:

1. Tokyo, where the Robot Revolution Realisation Council was established in 2014, with the stated goals of economic reinvigoration, cultural branding, and international demonstration. The 2020 Olympics will feature high-profile demonstrations of robotic technology.
2. Singapore, where the government is "experimenting with robots with a different objective: as physical extensions of existing systems to improve management and control of the city."
3. Dubai, where smart city technology and robotics pursue the goal of creating the happiest city on earth.