ROBOTICS - THE FUTURE part 1

INTRODUCTION

The word robotics was derived from the word robot, which was introduced to the public by Czech writer Karel Capek in his play Rossum's Universal Robots, which was published in 1920. The word robot comes from the Slavic word robota, which means labour. The play begins in a factory that makes artificial people called robots, creatures who can be dangerous for humans very similar to the modern ideas of androids.

Robot is a machine that can do specific tasks, and sometimes is given human characteristics, or a person who automatically does work without question or emotion. Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation and application of robots. Robots are automated machines that can replace humans, in hazardous or manufacturing processes or routine jobs.

The concept of creating machines that can operate autonomously dates back to classical times, but research into the functionality and potential uses of robots did bot grow substantially until the 20th century. Throughout history, it has been frequently assumed that robots will one day be able to mimic human behavior and manage tasks in a human-like fashion. Today, robotics is a rapidly growing field, as technological advances continue; researching, designing, and building new robots serve various practical purposes, whether domestically, commercially, or militarily. Many robots do jobs that are hazardous to people such as defusing bombs, mines and exploring shipwrecks.

History of Robotics

Asimov is the generally credited with the popularization of the term "Robotics" which was first mentioned in his story "Runaround" in 1942. But probably Issac Asimov's most important contribution to the history of the robot is the creation of his Three Laws of Robotics:

1 - Zeroth Law : 

A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come toi harm.

2 - First Law : 

A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3 - Second Law : 

A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection its long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

In 1948 Norbert Wiener formulated the principles of cybernetics, the basis of practical robotics.

In 1959 John Minsky started the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This was funded by Rockefeller Foundation. This gave impetus to the field of 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 to lift hot 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. Robots are widely used in manufacturing, assembly, packing and packaging, transport, earth and space exploration,surgery, weaponry, laboratory research, safety, and the mass production of consumer and industrial goods.

 

 Use of robots in car manufacturing and restaurant.

Robotics Technology

Today's robotics systems operate by way of hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical power. Electric motors have become progressively smaller, with high power- to- weight ratios, enabling them to become the dominant means by which robots are powered.

Robots are' of course, comprised of several different elements, depending on their purpose. The hand of a robot, for instance, is referred to in the industry as an "end effector". End effectors may be specialized tools, such as spot welders or spray guns, or more general-purpose grippers.Common grippers include fingered and vacuum types. Another central element of robotics control technology is the sensor. It is through sensor that a robotic system receives knowledge of its environment, to which subsequent actions of the robot can be adjusted. Sensors are used to enable a a robot to adjust to variations in the position of objects to be pocked up, to inspect objects, and to monitor proper operation ( although some robots are able to adjust to variation in object placement without the use of sensor, provided they have sufficient end effector flexibility ). Important sensor type include visual, force and torque, speed and acceleration, tactile, and distance sensors. the majority of industrial robots use simple binary sensing, analogous to an on/off switch. This does not permit sophisticated feedback to the robot as to how successfully an operation was performed. Lack of adequate feedback also often requires the use of guides and fixtures to constrain the motions of a robot through an operation which implies substantial inflexibility in changing operations.

Robots are programmed either by  guiding or by the off-line programming. Most industrial robots are programmed by the former method. This involves manually guiding a robot from point to point through the phased of an operation, with each point stored in the robotic control system. With off-line programming, the points of an operation are defined through computer commands. This is referred to as manipulator level off-line programming that makes use of higher-level languages in which robotic actions are defined by tasks or objectives.

Robots may be programmed to move thorough a specified continuous path instead of from point to point. Continuous path control is necessary for operations such as spray painting or arc welding a curved joint. Programming also requires that a robot be synchronized with the automated machine tools or other robots with which it is working. Thus robot control systems are generally interfaced with a more centralized control system.