Robotics is increasingly attracting widespread attention, usually associated with Industry 4.0 and the possible consequences in the labor market: there is concern about the ‘machines’ that will replace people in their jobs, especially the simple, redundant and uncreative ones. An illustrative example that echoed last May is the case of the physically impaired worker who was fired and replaced by a robot in Melzo, Italy. Some time ago, we have reported here about the Japanese insurance company Fukoku Mutual Life Insurance Co., which had announced a plan to replace part of its staff with robot-employees.
Many are those who feel a negative impact of the advent of robotics on human beings: during the last edition of the World Economic Forum in Davos, the international summit dedicated to financial, economic and social issues, warnings of this kind were raised, launched even by a leading player in digital innovation such as Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, and by the head of Christianity, Pope Francis.
On the contrary, little has been said about the importance that the Robot can have when serving the person with reference, for example, to both elderly people, often in the throes of loneliness, and those with impairments. Robotics can also have an important value in the social field.
This is the topic that “#RobotFriend” contest is going to introduce: a contest open to everyone aiming at highlighting the value, in terms of socialization, of a humanoid robot launched by LORF (an innovative startup and Benefit company committed to the use of robotics and digital for social purposes).
What is it?
LORF has created an application called loveorfriends, designed as a tool to play and have fun with your Facebook friends: users decide Who, Where, and When while inviting friends to favourite clubs. The reason? A lunch, dinner or cocktail together; the key is to meet and do it in the real world. Setting aside, at least for a moment, the different social networks.
“#RobotFriend Contest extended the meetings to a humanoid robot, giving our users an almost unique experience”, said Andrea Buragina, co-founder of LorF.
Joining the contest is pretty easy: just visit www.loveofriends.com, fill in the application form and download Loveorfriends App, available both on Appstore and GooglePlay. The first 3 users who, by the date of September 15, 2018, will have sent the greatest number of invitations, will win the contest and will then be able to meet LorF Robot.
What is LorF Robot and what does it do? Does it cook exquisite dishes for its guests? Does it prefer to travel and take selfies? Does it dance, but perhaps it feels a little unhappy some times? All these questions will be answered by the winners of the contest “#RobotFriend” on September 25, 2018 at 18.00 in Milan in a location to be announced, along with the identity of the LorF Robot, only after the end of the Contest.
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