Translated from the original text, published April 27th, 2003, in Spanish, by La Opinión, (Los Angeles) CYBRACERO: TELEPRESENCE OF FARM WORKERS They're working on a prototype of a robot to replace immigrants in the agricultural industry; the project causes skepticism. Miguel Gonzalez Reporter for La Opinión April 27th, 2003 Ever since computers began to make the physical presence of workers less necessary, many ideas have been put forward, all trying to answer one of the most popular questions asked by businessmen: How to save money and take advantage of new technology? A few years ago Roger H. Buck, computer scientist and president of Remote Labor Systems, had the invented a concept which he would name "Cybracero." "Cybracero is a program that uses robotic technology to replace the bracero, who has to travel from other countries to work in the fields of this country. Through Cybracero, robots take care of the agricultural tasks like planting seeds, and harvesting, by being remote-controlled by workers who stay in their country of origin," explained a spokesman for Remote Labor Systems, in an interview with La Opinión. According to its creator, the concept is of benefit to the owners of the farms, and to the farm workers, because it saves them money, and physical work, at the same time providing efficiency and good earnings. "The workers stay in their countries of origin, and don't have to leave their families, but they can still work the robots electronically," explained the New York-based businessman. How did the idea of the Cybracero arise, and what is its goal? Every day it's more difficult to find American workers who want to work in the fields. This type of work is simple, but at the same time requires a certain level of experience and precision to be completed efficiently. The Cybracero program makes it possible for only the labor of Mexican workers to cross the border interactively while physically the worker can stay in his or her hometown. How is it possible to do this and what type of work will the immigrant worker be doing? Using high-speed internet connections with Wi-Fi technology, the American harvest will be cultivated and monitored by machines which will be operated from Mexico. These Mexican workers will be able to control, remotely, the harvest and production. Currently, Remote Labor Systems is looking for investors to help strengthen their research team, so as to develop a fully functional prototype. According to the spokesman, the robot will measure three feet in height, and cost between two and three thousand dollars each. "There will also be the option (for a thousand dollars more) to buy accessories and tools which will make the machine more productive," he explained. The spokesman explained that the physical appearance of the robot is that of a human skeleton, equipped with cameras and several functions to make fieldwork easier. "These products could arrive to market within five to ten years," he explained. Remote Labor Systems has encountered many people who have doubts about their products, and about the concept of the Cybracero. "The same thing is said about the robots we used to win the war in Iraq. We understand that not everyone will understand, because we are at least a decade ahead in our concept," the spokesman elaborated. "We know that this country has always had an insatiable appetite for workers. We are developing a prototype that could change history if we succeed." TELEPRESENCE On the company's website, http://www.cybracero.com, there are various theories which justify the use of this type of machinery. There's even a video which shows, without many details, how this concept would work. The program is based on the idea that the worker will experience a type of telepresence, because even though the worker won't be physically present, he could do his work without any problem. "Our kind of business recognizes that telepresence is the future. For many Americans this could mean that things will be cheaper and easier. For the rest of the world, it would facilitate another type of immigration, meaning work in the United States, without having to physically come to this country." In the opinion of the RLS spokesman, programs like the North American Free Trade Alliance, (NAFTA) have failed to reach their promised goals, because many Latin American workers still are forced to immigrate to the United States to earn a living. "In these times of insecurity because of terrorist attacks it's impossible to open our borders to immigrant workers. I think the solution is telepresence of immigrants via our system." MANY QUESTION MARKS He explains that this program is just a concept, and while some people have expressed interest in knowing more about the mechanics, and the details, others have serious doubts about the plan, which appears to still have many uncertainties. "I think this would be a good method, if it existed, but I really doubt that a machine can replace a human worker in this type of industry," commented Mark Grossman, spokesperson for the United Farm Workers (UFW). Grossman pointed out that this would not be the first time that people have talked about using machines to replace people in the fields. "In northern California, the wine industry has used machines to pick grapes, but these people (the farm owners) have realized that there are limitations to what a machine can do when compared to a worker with a lot of experience," said Grossman. The representative of the UFW confessed that he didn't know anything about the Cybracero project, and that he was curious to learn more about how a robot could plant and cultivate a product of high quality. For Jack Kyser, chief economist of the Corporation of Economic Development of the County of Los Angeles, the program sounded interesting and dubious at the same time. "There could be problems implementing this type of program. There are many questions: What type of fuel will the robots use? Will it contaminate the fruits and vegetables? How much would it cost to train the workers so they sit and work in front of a computer?" As an economist, Kyser wanted to underline that if this program took effect, and pushed many immigrants from the country, programs that benefit from taxes, like social security, would be affected. "Many immigrants contribute with their work to these programs and never receive any compensation. This would be lost and cause other problems in the economy," he stated. La Opinión also contacted the offices of the consulate of Mexico, and the United States Department of Labor to find out if they knew about the Cybracero concept. Both offices expressed that they knew nothing about this futuristic program. Both Kyser and Grossman had the same question: Why is it necessary to hire Mexican workers if all they have to do is operate a robot by remote control? According to RLS, one of the incentives to have workers in Mexico is the low cost of the workers, something which in the long run could save the owners of the business thousands of dollars. "This without even counting the insurance costs which have to be paid here, compared to at a plant in Mexico. That's the beauty of our program. Everyone benefits thanks to the efficiency of a robot," the spokesman explained. Translated from the original text, published April 27th, 2003, in Spanish by La Opinion (Los Angeles).