美国工业机器人初创期的技术创新

工业机器人于20世纪50年代末诞生在美国。通过梳理美国工业机器人初创期（1959—1975）的技术创新,发现从实验室研究阶段中的技术突破,到推向市场阶段中的技术优化,美国一直占据机器人技术的制高点,但针对技术的产业化,政府与企业没有采取积极的政策措施,导致工业机器人在市场应用中处于劣势。以史为鉴,我国工业机器人的超高速发展需要经验和教训。     

Which firms benefit from robot adoption? Evidence from China

This paper investigates which firms benefit from robot adoption in a developing open economy such as China. First, we construct a unique comprehensive dataset to identify robot adoption in Chinese industrial firms. Second, we adopt difference-in-differences to provide empirical analysis after conducting the common trends tests. Third, we find that adopting robots significantly increases a series of firm performance indicators in robot adoption firms. Compared with adopting firms in the labor-intensive sector, firms in the capital-intensive sector significantly benefit from robot adoption in a series of firm performance indicators, e.g., employment, capital stock, output, total factor productivity, capital returns, and exports. Finally, we check the robustness, investigate the dynamic effects, and find persistent positive effects. Our findings shed some light on the impacts of robot adoption in developing and transition countries.     

Optimal capacity and operation design of a robot logistics system for the hotel industry

This study introduces an optimal capacity and operation design of a robot logistics system that can reduce human workload in the hotel industry. In hotels, there are several duties that can be replaced by robots such as accompanying guests to the certain areas, delivering specific items to the guest rooms, and transporting some items that guests want to be removed from the guest rooms. To apply the robot logistics system in the hotel industry, the capacity and operation design should be prepared adequately. For that, a mathematical model-based optimization technique is used to decide the number of robots with the concept of minimizing total investment cost and to derive the optimal job assigning with the purpose of maximizing total covered jobs. In addition, a numerical example is performed to validate the proposed mathematical model and the sensitivity tests are examined to reflect the random features.     

Food for thought: Robots,jobs and skills in food and drink processing in Norway and the UK

There is intense debate surrounding digitalisation and its implications for work. However, empirical research within established workplaces, especially international comparative studies, remains limited. This article uses cross-country research to further analysis of the relative importance of different institutions, actors and power relations in shaping digitalisation and worker outcomes. Through a multi-level approach, it compares the use of industrial robots in the food and drink processing sector in Norway and the UK. Drawing on qualitative research, it explores the pace of digitalisation, the process of implementation and job and skills outcomes. The study finds strong national differences in the pace of digitalisation, and the role of unions in the process of implementation. In Norway, union power at workplace and national level, embedded in institutional arrangements, underpins more advanced use of technology and improved outcomes for workers.     

康复机器人研究进展

目前,康复机器人已经成为机器人领域的研究热点。详细介绍了康复机械手、医院机器人系统、智能轮椅、假肢及康复治疗机器人的国内外研究现状,并探讨了今后的发展方向。     

Examining the effects of robotic service on brand experience: the moderating role of hotel segment

This research investigates the effects of robotic service on guest evaluations of hotel brand experience, and examines the moderating effects of hotel segment via a 2 (service delivery video: human or robot) x 3 (hotel segment: budget, midscale, or luxury) between-subjects experimental design. The findings suggest higher levels of sensory and intellectual experience from robotic service but lower levels of affective experience. For behavioral experience, robotic service influenced a higher rating for midscale and budget hotels, but not for a luxury hotel. Overall, robotic service may not necessarily enhance brand experience as influenced by the moderating role of hotel segment.     

How do industrial robots applications affect the quality upgrade of Chinese export trade?

This study examines the effect of industrial robots applications on the quality upgrade of China's manufacturing export products at the enterprise level. It analyzes import and export data obtained from the China Customs and Chinese Industrial Enterprises databases from 2000 to 2013. The results show that the industrial robots applications significantly promotes the quality upgrade of Chinese manufacturing export products. Moreover, the impact of industrial robots applications on the export product quality is dynamic; it initially increases and then decreases. Heterogeneity test results indicate greater quality improvement effects if robots feature applications in high-tech industries. We also show that importing more robots and for extended periods promotes the effects of industrial robots applications on the export product quality upgrades of Chinese enterprises. Mechanism tests reveal that industrial robots applications can upgrade the quality of export products by improving the labor productivity and human capital level of enterprises. Finally, spillover analyses show that industrial robots applications intensity significantly affects export quality upgrades through spillover effects.     

Have Industrial Robots Improved Pollution Reduction? A Theoretical Approach and Empirical Analysis

To investigate whether industrial robots have improved the ecological environment, this study integrated the adoption of robot technology and pollution abatement into Melitz's heterogeneous firm model. This showed that using robots in production can lower firms' pollution intensity by increasing their abatement investments, and this reduction effect is greater for higher polluting firms and those subject to weaker local environmental regulations. These theoretical expectations were then confirmed through a series of empirical investigations based on Bartik instrument regressions, with multiple robustness checks as well as heterogeneity and mechanism analyses. This paper adds to the literature on the relationships between automation technologies and green transformation. It shows that in the pursuit of economic growth and environmental protection, it is necessary for policymakers to shift from pollution control to technical support for traditional manufacturing firms.     

Perpetual growth,the labor share,and robots

ABSTRACT

The recent literature on the economic effects of machine learning, robotization and artificial intelligence suggests that there may be an upcoming wave of substitution of human labor by machines. We argue that these new technologies may lead to so-called perpetual growth, i.e. growth of per capita income with a non-progressing state of technology. We specify an exact parameter threshold beyond which perpetual growth emerges, and argue that ongoing technological change may bring the threshold in reach. We also show that in a state of perpetual growth, factor-eliminating technological progress reduces the role of labor in the production process and that this leads to a rising wage rate but ever-declining share of wage income. We present simulation experiments on several policy options to combat this inequality, including a universal basic income as well as an option in which workers become owners of ‘robots’.     

工业机器人应用对我国经济增长动能转换的影响研究

依据2006—2019年中国285个地级及以上城市面板数据,运用双向固定效应模型,考量工业机器人应用对经济增长动能转换的影响及其内在机制。结果显示：工业机器人应用对经济增长动能转换促进作用显著,且在非资源型城市、东部地区、普通城市、处于工业化后期及后工业化阶段的城市中促进作用更显著;产业结构调整是工业机器人应用促进经济增长动能转换的重要影响机制。鉴于此,应强化空间引导和分区施策,拓展机器人应用广度和深度,以充分利用技术红利培育壮大发展经济新动能。