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º£½ÇÊÓƵ business needs to embrace automation if it wants to remain competitive on the global stage, a global robotics expert is warning.

Dr Susanne Bieller, general secretary of the International Federation of Robotics, believes Britain needs a “more positive and realistic” attitude towards robots .

She said: “If you are active on a global scale and want to remain competitive, there is no alternative to automation for most businesses - the question rather is where to start and which processes to automate first.

“The issue we are facing here in Europe, and I think the º£½ÇÊÓƵ is not an exception, is the public perception of robotics and, related to that, a certain scepticism against the deployment of robots.

“There is a huge difference among the public opinion across Europe. It certainly has an impact how trade unions are supporting the automation process, and also how the media are influencing the debate.”

Dr Bieller points out the debate around robotics does not exist in countries such as Japan and China , which automate processes to compensate for a lack of qualified labour.

 

She added: “I would love to see a more positive and realistic attitude toward robots. Neither fears nor exaggerated expectation do really help in the further expansion of robotics and automation.”

Dr Bieller was speaking ahead of an open event taking place in Bristol tomorrow (November 20) on robotics.