A study examined the job creation and job displacement potential of industrial robots in the United States and specifically, in Michigan, by 1990. To complete an analysis of the impact of robotics on the American labor force, researchers combined data from previous forecasts of future unit and dollar sales projections and from interviews with representatives of prominent corporate users of robots with data from existing economic research. Unlike many other analysts, the designers of this study feel that the near-term employment impacts of robots will not be overwhelming by any means but instead will be felt gradually and cumulatively through the years in an evolutionary rather than revolutionary process. While states whose economies are particularly dependent upon the auto industry will suffer greater worker displacement than will other states or regions, the designers of this study do not believe that this job displacement will lead to significant job loss among the currently employed. Rather, the impact of unemployment due to the spread of robotics will be felt most by the less experienced, less well-educated part of the labor force. While the spread of robotics will eliminate many semi- or unskilled jobs, it will create many new jobs requiring a significant technical background. Particularly needed will be robotics technicians and graduate engineers. (MN)