Elisa de Leeuw

4/5 (9)

Technology is rapidly changing the world around us. However, many of us associate terms as advanced robotics, autonomous vehicles and the automation of knowledge work with the far future. However, I believe that there is a slight underestimation in how these developments have already taken up a role in our everyday lives. Just think about your local supermarket with the self-checkout counter, or your gym, they will possibly offer virtual classes. All these minor changes entered into our lives almost unnoticed, but may potentially have a huge impact on the way work is done and at society. Imagine, if there would be automated cars, will we even need taxi drivers in the future anymore? If jobs are replaced and automated, what effect will this have on the workforce?

You already heard and read a lot about the self-driving cars of these days. Although they are still not completely perfect, some people already make use of them. Gartner expects that these autonomous vehicles and advanced robotics will reach the plateau of productivity in 5 to 10 years. (Gartner 2015) Thus in the next decade we could possibly have advanced robotics and autonomous vehicles near-at-hand.

It is most likely that these innovations will disrupt or change our day to day processes. Oxford University researches estimate 47% of the US jobs will be automated in 20 years. (Wired, 2016) Martin Ford, the author of Rise of the Robots, argues in his book that robots will help us to lead a more productive live. (Wired, 2016) He supports his statements with the point that most of the work done by humans can be predicted. Thus that factor makes it receptive for robot interference. (Wired, 2016)

I believe that we have to rethink job creation. Furthermore, we need to assure that the workforce adapts to rapid advances in technology. I predict that work in ten years will be created more in and around technology. New technological advancements such as Internet of things will probably have reached the plateau of productivity at that stage and will have an unrestrained influence to our modern work processes both in terms of workplace, mobility and communication. To conclude I believe that our future work will entail flexibility strongly focused around technology.

Wired (2016) ‘Rise of the Machines: The Future has Lots of Robots, Few Jobs for Humans’ < http://www.wired.com/brandlab/2015/04/rise-machines-future-lots-robots-jobs-humans/>

Gartner (2015) ‘Gartner’s 2015 Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies Identifies the Computing Innovations That Organizations Should Monitor’ < http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/3114217>

5/5 (3)

Ever since one of the largest humanitarian wars started in 2011, 11 million people have fled their homes (Syrian Refugees EU, 2016). Since then, they faced distress and difficulty to reach safer places. But what is new is that the refugees are tech lovers, they know everything about the latest and greatest technology. Thus, they travel most of the time not only with cash but also with their phone. However, while most of them are very well accustomed with the language of tech, real language barriers still obstruct them.

Imagine that you would arrive after a long, frustrating and dangerous journey. You might have medical problems afterwards but how can you communicate with the doctors if they do not speak the same language? Imagine that you are queued up with a lot of people to do a medical check, but what after the long wait there if there is no translator who is able to speak your language?

The refugee crisis is not only very challenging for the refugees themselves, it also creates major challenges for governments of the countries in which the people arrive. Take Germany for example, how can they organize good medical treatment for over 60,000 refugees?

That is where tech companies can make the difference. Cisco, a tech company well known for connecting everything, collaborated together with the City of Hamburg, private sector partners and the university hospital Hamburg to build the first of its kind “Refugee First Response Center”. The Refugee First Reponse Center was build out of a shipping container. After which it was equipped with Wi-Fi and real-time translation service. The real-time translation service works as follows; it consists of video translators who are able to speak 50 languages only at the push of a button. Thus, this of course provided the assistance, which was needed during the medical consultations. Refugees were now able to connect with the doctor, which helped both to provide and receive the best aid possible.

This story shows just one example of how tech is helping for the greater good. However, the story does not end here. Everyday people, companies and technologies together create extraordinary things.

Interested? Watch more about it in the section below.

Sources:

Syrian Refugees EU (2016): http://syrianrefugees.eu

Refugee First Response Center (2016): http://refugeefirstresponsecenter.com

NOS (2015): http://nos.nl/op3/artikel/2085743-techfugees-hoe-de-techwereld-vluchtelingen-helpt.html

Computer Weekly (2015): http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/How-technology-is-helping-deliver-aid-to-Syrian-refugees-in-the-Middle-East

How will the future of work look like?

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How tech is helping refugees

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