2. Robotics is an interdisciplinary field that integrates computer science
and engineering. Robotics involves the design, construction,
operation, and use of robots. The goal of robotics is to design
machines that can help and assist humans.
What do we mean by Robotics?
Why is Robotics
important?
Robotics technology influences every aspect of work and home.
Robotics has the potential to positively transform lives and work
practices, raise efficiency and safety levels and provide enhanced
levels of service.
3. Robots can be used in many situations and for many purposes, but today many
are used in dangerous environments (including inspection of radioactive
materials, bomb detection, and deactivation), manufacturing processes, or where
humans cannot survive (e.g. in space, underwater, in high heat, and clean up and
containment of hazardous materials and radiation).
Application Of Robots
Robotic aspects
There are many types of robots; they are used in many different
environments and for many different uses. Although being very diverse
in application and form, they all share three basic similarities when it
comes to their construction.
• Mechanical Construction
• Electrical Circuit
• Computer Programming Code
4. In 1948, Norbert Wiener formulated the principles of cybernetics,
the basis of practical robotics. Fully autonomous robots only
appeared in the second half of the 20th century. The first digitally
operated and programmable robot, the Unimate, was installed in
1961 to lift hot pieces of metal from a die casting machine and
stack them. Commercial and industrial robots are widespread
today and used to perform jobs more cheaply, more accurately,
and more reliably than humans. They are also employed in some
jobs which are too dirty, dangerous, or dull to be suitable for
humans. Robots are widely used in manufacturing, assembly,
packing and packaging, mining, transport, earth and space
exploration, surgery, weaponry, laboratory research, safety, and
the mass production of consumer and industrial goods.
History Of
Robotics
5. Mechanical bots come in all shapes and sizes to efficiently carry
out the task for which they are designed. From the 0.2 millimeter-
long “RoboBee” to the 200 meter-long robotic shipping vessel
“Vindskip,” robots are emerging to carry out tasks that humans
simply can’t. Generally, there are five types of robots:
Pre-Programmed Robots
Pre-programmed robots operate in a controlled environment
where they do simple, monotonous tasks. An example of a pre-
programmed robot would be a mechanical arm on an automotive
assembly line. The arm serves one function — to weld a door on, to
insert a certain part into the engine, etc. — and its job is to perform
that task longer, faster, and more efficiently than a human.
Types of Robots
6. Autonomous Robots
Autonomous robots operate independently of human operators.
These robots are usually designed to carry out tasks in open
environments that do not require human supervision. An example
of an autonomous robot would be the Roomba vacuum cleaner,
which uses sensors to roam throughout a home freely.
Humanoid
Robots
Humanoid robots are robots that look like and/or mimic human
behavior. These robots usually perform human-like activities (like
running, jumping and carrying objects), and are sometimes
designed to look like us, even having human faces and expressions.
Two of the most prominent examples of humanoid robots are
Hanson Robotics’ Sophia (in the video above) and Boston
Dynamics’ Atlas.
7. Augmenting Robots
Augmenting robots either enhance current human capabilities or
replace the capabilities a human may have lost. Some examples of
augmenting robots are robotic prosthetic limbs or exoskeletons
used to lift hefty weights.
Teleoperated Robots
Teleoperated robots are mechanical bots controlled by humans.
These robots usually work in extreme geographical conditions,
weather, circumstances, etc. Examples of teleoperated robots are
the human-controlled submarines used to fix underwater pipe
leaks during the BP oil spill or drones used to detect landmines on
a battlefield.
8. Components Of a Robots
Power Supply
Actuators
Electric motors (DC/AC)
Sensors
Controller
9. Power Supply
The working power to the robot is provided by batteries, hydraulic,
solar power, or pneumatic power sources.
Actuators
Actuators are the energy conversion device used inside a robot.
The major function of actuators is to convert energy into
movement.
Electric motors (DC/AC)
Motors are electromechanical component used for converting
electrical energy into its equivalent mechanical energy. In robots
motors are used for providing rotational movement.
10. Sensors
Sensors provide real time information on the task environment.
Robots are equipped with tactile sensor it imitates the mechanical
properties of touch receptors of human fingerprints and a vision
sensor is used for computing the depth in the environment.
Controller
Controller is a part of robot that coordinates all motion of the
mechanical system. It also receives an input from immediate
environment through various sensors. The heart of robot's
controller is a microprocessor linked with the input/output and
monitoring device. The command issued by the controller
activates the motion control mechanism, consisting of various
controller, actuators and amplifier.
