Understanding Robots

I have always been interested in Robots and the way they are programmed to carry out specialized jobs, which are otherwise, dangerous and impossible for human capabilities.  Let us find out what they are.

Robots

In English that which automates some behavior is a robot, it includes autonomy and resourcefulness. A Robot needs to be designed with a task in mind. There are Hardworking Robots, Insensible Steel Giants, Servants and Toys, Transporters etc.
 Robots can be broadly categorized on: 

•    Goals or tasks they are designed for
•    Industry in which they are used
•    Autonomy

A Robot needs to be designed with a task in mind

Mobile Robots: Used mostly where it is difficult for the humans to operate. They can be further divided into Rolling and Walking Robots depending on the surface on which they are used.

Stationary Robots: For repetitive, dull and onerous tasks, where humans can easily get tired these robots are used. After the task is over they can be reprogrammed to take up another task.

Autonomous Robots: These robots learn to walk and avoid obstacle, they also improve on the performance and behavior where repetitive tasks are performed. They are usually self supporting and self contained.

Remote Control Robots: For difficult, complicated and dangerous operations these type can be used. For example, to diffuse bombs, for firefighting or for military warfare etc. 

Virtual Robots: They are not physical but are software programs or building blocks inside a computer. For example, while searching the World Wide Web, these web crawlers collect the information from various sites and send them to search engines.

BEAM Robots: It stands for Biology, Electronics, Aesthetics, and Mechanical. These are cheaper and run on solar energy.

The robots used to lift heavy objects, spot welding, handling machine tools, for cutting, shaping and fabricating the machine parts and assemble machinery etc are Industrial robots. They are found in automobile and manufacturing industry. The Space technology at NASA has mainly two types of robots, the Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and the Remote Manipulator System (RMS).  

`Robotics

Robotics is a study that takes into consideration electronics, engineering, software development, artificial intelligence, mechanical engineering and other subjects depending on the need. The design, sensor fabrication, manufacturing techniques and advanced algorithms bring about a wonderful end product. It is a pinnacle of technical development in creating amazing machines. Those who work on robotic engineering thus study much more than Robots. It is based on two main technologies, Telemanipulation and the Numeric Control, or the remotely controlled machine and with precision to work on a task.

Areas of Study

Study of a number of fields is required, to achieve the kind of results that are mind boggling results.

Fields	Description
Artificial Intelligence	The Knowledge in a Machine is ordered categorized and sorted, to find the shortest way to take care of new situations and obstacles etc. It is used to construct algorithms for extracting real world conclusions from databases.
Mechanics	It keeps the robot in balance and is required to understand the construct of the body, axel, wheels and gears. Solid mechanics is another subject required to study the distribution of forces inside the solid material. This helps in preventing too thick or too thin material.
Electronics	All the analog circuits, digital logics, electronic components and microcontroller are required to be understood in manufacturing the robots.
Programming	Algorithms, control structures, data types, hardware and microcontroller programming are the chief areas of study. Interpreting sensor data, decision making, motors and motion are also some of the key areas included in robot programming.
Mathematics	The advanced areas of robotics uses a lot of maths, especially machines where integrals etc. are used for complicated shape constructs. It also helps in right approximation.

      

Robot Hardware 

Parts	Function
Sensors	They perceive the environment to understand and inform as required. Sensors can be either active or passive; generally active sensors such as sonar, radar and laser provide more information than the passive sensor example the cameras. They are used to record distances, generate images or measure the properties of the robot itself
Effectors	These are used to manipulate the environment, move and change the shape of the bodies. They have a degree of freedom or DOF which defines the kinematic state of a robot. For example robot joints like a human arm can have 1, 2 and 3 DOF by which effectors can target a location easily
Power Sources	Robots need the power source to drive their efforts such as electric motor, pneumatic actuation and hydraulic actuation
Digital communicator	These are mostly wireless networks for a link between robots and their home stations
Metal bodies	Depending on the design type, task, and the frame, metals and other elements are used to develop different type of robots

 Scope

The promise of robotics is easy to describe but hard for mind to grasp. They help increase the productivity, avoid errors and perform tasks unthinkable for human capacity. As robotics and artificial intelligence develop further, there is a worry that jobs would be wiped out, but ultimately the negatives can always be off-set with human wisdom.