South Korean factory worker fatally injured by robot misidentification
Tragedy struck in South Korea as a robot misidentified a factory worker for a box of vegetables, causing fatal injuries. The incident, which took place on November 7, involved a 40 year old man who was inspecting the sensors of a machine at an agricultural distribution centre in South Korea’s Gyeongsang Province.
The robot seemingly confused the man for a vegetable box, its task being to lift these boxes onto conveyor belts. It subsequently lifted the victim into the air, pressing him against the conveyor belt, which led to fatal injuries to his face and chest.
The man was urgently rushed to hospital following the incident, but doctors pronounced him dead due to severe injuries. Currently, Gyeongsang police are investigating the event, examining safety procedures at the distribution centre and whether any negligence was involved.
Furthermore, the operator of the agricultural warehouse, Tong Gosong, announced plans to collaborate with officials and demanded the creation of a precise and safe system to control robots.
Officials from the Export Agricultural Center Tong Gosong, the factory owner, called for safety system improvements after the heart-wrenching accident. Local media reported that there was a schedule to test the robot on November 6, but it was postponed for two days due to necessary sensor-related issues that needed to be rectified, reported Sanook.
This is not the first accident involving robots. In March this year, a 50 year old man working in a South Korean auto parts factory also suffered severe injuries. There was also a case of a robot participating in a chess competition in Russia last year. The bot grabbed and broke a seven-year-old boy’s finger after he moved faster than the bot had anticipated.
In related news, Ai-Da, a highly skilled artist and robot, exhibited her creations at the Venice Biennale and discussed the future of creative industries at the House of Lords. She can talk, answer complex queries, paint, and create art, which is now on display at the London Design Biennale. Read more about this story HERE.
