Robots have always fascinated pop culture. R2-D2. Prime, Optimus. WALL-E. These exaggerated, humanoid robot concepts often appear to be a caricature of the real thing...or are they more forward-thinking than we realize? Robots are gaining cognitive and mechanical abilities that do not rule out the possibility of an R2-D2-like machine in the future.
2. Robots have always fascinated pop culture. R2-D2.
Prime, Optimus. WALL-E. These exaggerated,
humanoid robot concepts often appear to be a
caricature of the real thing...or are they more forward-
thinking than we realize? Robots are gaining
cognitive and mechanical abilities that do not rule out
the possibility of an R2-D2-like machine in the future.
3. The scope of what is considered robotics expands as
technology advances. In 2005, automobile assembly
plants housed 90% of all robots. These robots are mostly
made up of mechanical arms that are tasked with
welding or screwing on specific car parts. Today, the
definition of robotics has evolved and expanded to
include the development, creation, and use of bots that
explore Earth's harshest conditions, robots that assist
law enforcement, and even robots that help in almost
every aspect of healthcare.
4. While the world of robotics is expanding, some
characteristics of a robot remain consistent:
All robots are made of some mechanical structure. A robot's mechanical
aspect aids it in completing tasks in the environment for which it was
designed. For example, the Mars 2020 Rover's wheels are individually
motorized and made of titanium tubing, allowing it to grip the red
planet's harsh terrain firmly.
Electrical components are required for robots to control and power the
machinery. Essentially, an electric current (such as a battery) is needed
to power the vast majority of robots.
5. Robots all have some level of computer
programming. A robot would be nothing
more than a piece of simple machinery if it
did not have a set of instructions telling it
what to do. Inserting a program into a robot
lets it know when and how to perform a task.
6. As artificial intelligence and
software continue to advance,
we're bound to see the promise
of the robotics industry sooner
rather than later. As these
technologies advance, robots
will become more innovative,
flexible, and energy-efficient.
They'll also remain a key focus
in smart factories, where they'll
tackle more complex challenges
and help secure global supply
chains.
Despite its youth, the
robotics industry holds out
an admirable promise of
progress that science fiction
could only dream of. Robots
will be found performing
tasks that humans could
never dream of doing alone,
from the deepest depths of
our oceans to thousands of
miles in outer space.
7. Ohad Guzi is a robotics
engineer. He is in
charge of developing
and designing robots
and robotic systems.
Ohad may also be in the
order of forming the
machines and
processes that will be
used to assemble the
robots.