With Robots gaining popularity for industrial usage, rumors suggest that a robot civil servant has committed a suicide.a robot civil servant working for the Gumi City Council in South Korea has sparked a national debate after what many are calling the country’s first “robot suicide.”
Reportedly the incident took place last Thursday around 4 pm, leaving the community both puzzled and mourning.
Robots committing suicide
The robot, named the ‘Robot Supervisor,’ was discovered in a heap at the bottom of a stairwell between the first and second floors of the council building. As reported by the people present during the scenario, they saw the robot behaving strangely. “The robot was circling in one spot as if something was there, before its untimely descent,” the witnesses explained.
It looks like the City council officials were quick to respond. The City council officials further highlighted that the pieces of the shattered robot have been collected for analysis.
However, the reason behind the fall of the robot remains unclear. It looks like the incident has raised questions about the robot’s workload and its implications.
The ‘Robotic’ era ahead
Employed since August 2023, this diligent mechanical helper was reported to be a jack-of-all-trades. It is expected that from delivering documents and promoting the city to providing information to residents, the robot was a fixture in the city hall. According to the International Federation of Robotics, the robot was also a part of a pioneering effort in South Korea to replace one industrial robot for every ten employees.
In addition to this the robot was complete with its own civil service officer card. The robot worked from 9 am to 6 pm, tirelessly moving between floors using elevators, which is believed to be a rare capability among its kind.
The robot was made by Bear Robotics, which is a California-based startup. In response to this incident, the Gumi City Council has decided not to replace their fallen mechanical colleague. The tragic event seems to have led to a pause in their robot adoption plans, reflecting a moment of reconsideration in a nation famous for its enthusiasm for automation.But the question ‘was it a suicide or a mechanical glitch? Still remains. Maybe yes or maybe no!Only time can answer.
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