Robotics

Robotics

By Christine Torrepenida

Robotics is an interdisciplinary sector of science and engineering dedicated to the design, construction and use of mechanical robots.

Robotics

Robotics is the intersection of science, engineering and technology that produces machines, called robots, that substitute for (or replicate) human actions.

Robotics

A robot is the product of the robotics field, where programmable machines are built that can assist humans or mimic human actions.

WHAT IS A ROBOT?

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1. Robots need electrical components that control and power the machinery.

2. ​Robots all consist of some sort of mechanical construction.

Common about Robots:

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3. Robots contain at least some level of computer programming.

Common about Robots:

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Pre-Programmed Robots

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Pre-programmed robots operate in a controlled environment where they do simple, monotonous tasks.​

Types of Robots

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Humanoid Robots

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Humanoid robots are robots that look like and/or mimic human behavior.

Types of Robots

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Autonomous Robots

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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.

Types of Robots

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EXAMPLES OF AUTONOMOUS ROBOTS

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• Cleaning Bots (for example, Roomba)

• Lawn Trimming Bots

• Hospitality Bots

• Autonomous Drones

• Medical Assistant Bots

Types of Robots

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Teleoperated Robots

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Teleoperated robots are semi-autonomous bots that use a wireless network to enable human control from a safe distance.

Types of Robots

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Augmenting Robots

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Augmenting robots either enhance current human capabilities or replace the capabilities a human may have lost.

Types of Robots

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Is robot software considered robotics?

Independent robots

​Independent robots are capable of functioning completely autonomously and independent of human operator control.

​Functions of a Robot

Dependent robots

Dependent robots are non-autonomous robots that interact with humans to enhance and supplement their already existing actions.

​Functions of a Robot

A famous example of a dependent robot was created by Johns Hopkins APL in 2018 for a patient named Johnny Matheny, a man whose arm was amputated above the elbow. Matheny was fitted with a Modular Prosthetic Limb (MPL) so researchers could study its use over a sustained period.

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Main Components of a Robot

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Control system

​Control systems are programmed to tell a robot how to utilize its specific components, similar in some ways to how the human brain sends signals throughout the body, in order to complete a specific task.

Components of a Robot

Control system

​Control systems are programmed to tell a robot how to utilize its specific components, similar in some ways to how the human brain sends signals throughout the body, in order to complete a specific task.

Components of a Robot

Sensors

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Sensors provide a robot with stimuli in the form of electrical signals that are processed by the controller and allow the robot to interact with the outside world.

Common sensors found within robots include video cameras that function as eyes, photoresistors that react to light and microphones that operate like ears.​

Components of a Robot

Actuators

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As previously stated, a device can only be considered to be a robot if it has a movable frame or body. Actuators are the components that are responsible for this movement.

These components are made up of motors that receive signals from the control system and move in tandem to carry out the movement necessary to complete the assigned task.

Components of a Robot

Power Supply

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Like the human body requires food in order to function, robots require power. Stationary robots, such as those found in a factory, may run on AC power through a wall outlet but more commonly, robots operate via an internal battery.

Components of a Robot

End Effectors

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End effectors are the physical, typically external components that allow robots to finish carrying out their tasks.

Robots in factories often have interchangeable tools like paint sprayers and drills, surgical robots may be equipped with scalpels and other kinds of robots can be built with gripping claws or even hands for tasks like deliveries, packing, bomb diffusion and much more.

Components of a Robot