U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for July 21

WASHINGTON, July 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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SATURDAY, JULY 21: FIRST ROBOT HOMICIDE

Profile America — Saturday, July 21st.  Science fiction turned into bizarre truth on this date 28 years ago, in the first known instance in the U.S. of a robot killing a human being.  The accident occurred at a Jackson, Michigan plant when an automated piece of machinery turned and crushed a 34-year-old worker against a safety bar.  He died five days later. The accident proved that in reality, there is no such thing as "law zero," as featured in Isaac Asimov's landmark novel, "I, Robot," which forbids robots from injuring human beings.  Sometimes called "flexible manufacturing equipment," robots are parts of the more than $350 billion worth of manufacturing machinery sold each year in the U.S.  You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2012, p. 370
               2007 Economic Census, NAICS 333

Profile America is produced by the Center for New Media and Promotions of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button). 

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

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