Control Engineering

Paul Grayson

THE UNKNOWN
January 21, 2008

Map by Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau

USA BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
Traverse City, MI has a skilled work force willing to work for half the wages paid in Detroit even though as a resort area, expenses are higher.  The local saying is "a view of the bay is half the pay" and it is something people are used to.  They are also used to heating with wood to try to save money, buying everything at discount stores to try to make the half-wage go farther.  The people in the area are a rugged self-sufficient lot, the difficulty of living here requires it.  Dressing in lumberjack like layers is common because the climate and economy here demands it.  The thick pinewood forest produces a bit more oxygen in the air here than you will find in Detroit.  The cool crisp air is addictive and keeps people here.  An employer who locates here would find a skilled and willing workforce at bargain prices.  Here is a challenge - think up something that these people could do to earn a good living and it could make you rich. 

SKILLED WORKERS AVAILABLE
Yesterday on TV Ben Stein reminded us all that when unemployment is 10%, employment is 90%.  People who have jobs spend money.  For the people involved it can be an all or nothing thing - either you have a job or you don't.  Then for those that do have a job the question is what kind of a job is it?  Is it a minimum wage McJob as the younger set say - just a job for the sake of having a job or is it a job that makes the best use of your skills?  Michigan’s published figures (the worst state) for September 2007 are 378,000 people looking for work or  8%  of the Michigan work force.  Nationally 7,207,000 people looking for work or 5% of the nations workforce.  One other thing to consider is that Michigan’s unemployment figures only count the people getting unemployment benefits.  For those whose benefits have run out and are still looking for a job, like my neighbor, are not counted so there is a larger labor pool available that can start immediately than what the figures indicate.

AUTOMATION OPPORTUNITIES
Specialized machines or mechanical men?  My guess is that mechanical men will win out in this category because of their versatility.  Specialized machines are less expensive to start with but will become obsolete even more rapidly in the future as the rate of change increases.  I have seen a lot of specialized machines at the scrap metal yards.
Manufacturing robots or service robots?  For whatever reason, the USA appears to be going out of the manufacturing business.  I spoke with one of the hotels here and they have trouble finding housekeepers, of any nationality, and off the record said that they would like to have 500 mechanical housekeepers when they become available.   Imagine 500, and that would be to just one customer.  Traverse City is loaded with hotels, perhaps a mechanical housekeeper or a mechanical butler for each suite?  How many hotels are there across the USA?  Housekeeper robots would also be suitable for work in light manufacturing.
Professional / Precision mowing?  A map of Michigan that shows the golf courses in the state is nearly solid with green dots.  How many golf courses that is is hard to say, but each is mowed every day, that is what quality golfing requires. 
Precision Farming?  Improvements in farming have been pushed about as far as they can by conventional means, any farther progress in farming is going to have to be through automation of the farming processes.  Got any ideas on how to make your fortune?
Automatic Cars, Busses, and Trucks?  They will be required as a public health measure.  With traffic accidents a leading cause of death and injury, it is a public health problem bigger than Cancer (and more easily prevented).  

GOING TO THE MOON
Going to the moon this time is a robot mission, a time when automation and control engineers can take center stage and shine.  When talking to the people at both Google and the X-Prize foundation they are excited about the down to earth spin offs that will benefit us in our everyday life.  They point to the fact that when the edges of the technology envelope are pushed, the resulting expansion of knowledge benefits all of us.  Tang and other less obvious but important benefits are mentioned.  The moon is close enough that remote control of the lunar rovers is practical.  What will the rovers find on the moon?  Since we don't know what they might find, that is why they should go and look around for us.  There is a great deal that can be learned along the way, perhaps that is the best reason for doing it.

2007 DARPA URBAN CHALLENGE


Photo by AIM Team members Linda and Tom Graham

GO ROBOTS !

Paul F. Grayson - Chief Engineer
AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL MAGIC, LLC
Racing to build technology that saves soldier's lives.
390 4-Mile Rd. S.
Traverse City, MI 49686-8411
(231) 946-0187, (231) 883-4463 Cell
pgrayson@aimagic.org
http://aimagic.org
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/robotcluboftraversecitymi/
http://www.controleng.com/index.asp?layout=blog&blog_id=1180000318

Posted by Paul Grayson on January 21, 2008 | Comments (1)