Automation seems to be a very complicated process. But really it is just a way of having machines do work without human operators controlling the machines every moment they are running. In other words, an automated system is a system that works by itself. Every automated system has two parts— a machine (or many machines) that does the work, and another machine that controls the first one.
The simplest automated system is the light bulb in your refrigerator. The light bulb does the work— lighting up the refrigerator. The little button that pops out when you open the door is the control. It is connected to the light and it "tells" the light what to do.
Another automated system is a mechanical dishwasher. Inside the cabinet is a machine that washes the dishes, rinses them, and dries them. Also inside the cabinet is a device that "tells" the machine what to do and when to do it. What good would it do if the machine dried the dishes before it washed them?
Some kinds of work cannot yet be done by machines. Jobs in which new problems happen frequently, or in which the same actions are not often repeated. are not good candidates for automation. No one has yet built a machine that replaces a doctor. But other jobs, such as filing and work on a factory assembly line, can be easily automated.
Automated systems often help people, because machines do work that is boring or even dangerous for people. Automation permits fewer men to manufacture more goods, which often means that prices can be lowered. Automation can make work easier and quicker.
But automation can cause big problems, too. When an automatic system is installed in a factory, many men lose their jobs. But workers can often get special training to learn new jobs.
The modern world is in an important period of change, from machines that need human operators to automated machines. Making a far-reaching change such as this can be painful. People who think that they may lose their jobs try to fight the change. But automation is taking place. And when the change is more complete, many new jobs will be available. Automation is helping, and will help for a long time to come, to provide a comfortable way of life for many, many people.
