ROBOTICS

Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering

and computer science that deals with the design, construction, operation, and application of
robots, as well as computer systems for their control, sensory feedback, and information
processing. These technologies deal with automated machines that can take the place of humans
in dangerous environments or manufacturing processes, or resemble humans in appearance,
behaviour, and or cognition. Many of today's robots are inspired by nature contributing to the
field of bio-inspired robotics.
The word "robot" was introduced to the public by Czech writer Karel Čapek in his
play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots), published in 1920. The term "robotics" was coined
by Isaac Asimov in his 1941 science fiction short-story "Liar!"

HISTORY OF ROBOTICS
The history of robots has its origins in the ancient world. The modern concept
began to be developed with the onset of the Industrial Revolution, which allowed the use
of complex mechanics, and the subsequent introduction of electricity. This made it
possible to power machines with small compact motors. In the early 20th century, the
notion of a humanoid machine was developed.
As the advancement in the computer technology progressed at a great pace,
scientists became more fascinated in construction of intellectual machines that can
ultimately have some logic to work themselves. At present, robots of all types occupy our
globe and are brought into play for diverse applications in space discovery, the armed
forces, medication industry, exploration, police work and of course movies.
Though the division of Robotics is new, the making of Robots initiated in the year
1250 when the first man-made automated human (Robot) was developed. In the phase
from 1250 to 1950 the Robots were created for entertaining rather than for applications.
The first uses of modern robots were in factories as industrial robots – simple fixed
machines capable of manufacturing tasks which allowed production with less need for
human assistance. Digitally controlled industrial robots and robots using artificial
intelligence have been built since the 2000s.

Robotics at present symbolizes one of the mankind’s supreme achievements and

is the only best endeavor of mankind to create an artificial, electronic being.

 The first industrial robot: UNIMATE • 1954: The first programmable robot is
designed by George Devol, who coins the term Universal Automation. He later
shortens this to Unimation, which becomes the name of the first robot company
(1962).
 1978: The Puma (Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly) robot is
developed by Unimation with a General Motors design support
 1980s: The robot industry enters a phase of rapid growth. Many institutions introduce
programs and courses in robotics. Robotics courses are spread across mechanical
engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science departments.
 1995-present: Emerging applications in small robotics and mobile robots drive a
second growth of start-up companies and research
  2003: NASA’s Mars Exploration Rovers will launch toward Mars in search of
answers about the history of water on Mars

KEY COMPONENTS OF ROBOTICS

 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 robot motors
are used for providing rotational movement.
 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.

LAWS OF ROBOTICS

1. Law One: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human
being to come to harm.
2. Law Two: A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such
orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. Law Three: A robot must protect its own existence, as long as such protection does
not conflict with the First or Second Law.
4. Zeroth Law: A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to
come to harm.
With the growing advancement of technology and robotics, Isaac Asimov’s Law
of Robotics has been up for debate. Compared to his time, we now have a clearer image
of what a robot is, or how robots are designed to be. Robots tend to be more varied
compared to how Asimov paint them to be. Isaac Asimov is a science fiction author and
 one thing about his laws are they are fiction. They were written as basis of the ‘robots’ he
creates in his stories. Up until now, no robot is made with all these laws followed.
Replicating Asimov’s Laws inside a machine is still a dilemma. Also, some robots used
in our industry is in conflict with these laws. Military robots could be an example. There
are robots designed for spying, bomb disposal, and load carrying purposes. However, it is
not far to assume that armed robots will be used in the battlefield. This protects the lives
of its soldiers and civilians, but, on one end, it does it by harming its enemies.

NATURE OF ROBOTICS
Robotics can be described as:

 An applied science – scientific knowledge transferred into a physical environment,

like technology or inventions.
o A branch of computer science – the theory, experimentation, and engineering
that form the basis for the design and use of computers. It involves the study
of algorithms that process, store, and communicate digital information.
o A branch of electrical engineering –  a professional engineering discipline that
generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics,
and electromagnetism.
o A branch of mechanical engineering – the discipline that
applies engineering, physics, engineering mathematics, and materials
science principles to design, analyze, manufacture, and maintain mechanical
systems. 
 Research and development – refers to innovative activities undertaken by
corporations or governments in developing new services or products, or improving
existing services or products. Research and development constitutes the first stage of
development of a potential new service or the production process.
 A branch of  technology – the collection of techniques, skills, methods,
and processes used in the production of goods or services or in the accomplishment of
objectives, such as scientific investigation. Technology can be the knowledge of
techniques, processes, and the like, or it can be embedded in machines to allow for
operation without detailed knowledge of their workings.

BRANCHES OF ROBOTICS

 Android science – interdisciplinary framework for studying human interaction and

cognition based on the premise that a very humanlike robot (that is, an android) can
elicit human-directed social responses in human beings.
 Artificial intelligence – the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer
science that aims to create it.
 Nanorobotics – the emerging technology field creating machines or robots whose
components are at or close to the scale of a nanometer (10−9 meters).
 Robot locomotion – collective name for the various methods that robots use to
transport themselves from place to place.
 Robotic surgery – computer-assisted surgery, and robotically-assisted surgery are
terms for technological developments that use robotic systems to aid in surgical
procedures.
 o Robot-assisted heart surgery – technological developments that use robotic
systems to aid in surgical procedures. Robotically-assisted surgery was
developed to overcome the limitations of pre-existing minimally-invasive
surgical procedures and to enhance the capabilities of surgeons performing
open surgery.
 Speech processing – study of speech signals and the processing methods of these
signals. The signals are usually processed in a digital representation, so speech
processing can be regarded as a special case of digital signal processing, applied to
speech signal. Aspects of speech processing includes the acquisition, manipulation,
storage, transfer and output of digital speech signals.
 Laboratory robotics – the act of using robots in biology or chemistry labs
 Swarm robotics – involves large numbers of mostly simple physical robots. Their
actions may seek to incorporate emergent behavior observed in social insects (swarm
intelligence).
o Ant robotics – swarm robots that can communicate via markings, similar to
ants that lay and follow pheromone trails.
 Telepresence – refers to a set of technologies which allow a person to feel as if they
were present, to give the appearance of being present, or to have an effect, via
telerobotic at a place other than their true location.

CLASSIFICATION OF ROBOTS

Robots are categorized depending upon the circuits of the Robots and the variety
of application it can perform. The robots are classified into three types:

 Simple level Robots- These are automatic machines which do not contain complex
circuit. They are developed just to extend human potential. For Example- Washing
Machine.
 Middle level Robots– These robots are programmed but can never be reprogrammed.
These robots contain sensor-based circuit & can perform multiple tasks. For
Example- Fully Automatic Washing Machine.
 Complex level Robots- These robots are programmed and can be reprogrammed as
well. They contain complex model-based circuit. For Example- Laptop or Computer.

By power source

 Electric
o This type of source is divided into two, AC and DC. Alternating Current
(AC) describes the flow of charge that changes direction periodically. As a
result, the voltage level also reverses along with the current. Generating and
transporting AC across long distances and relatively easy. At high voltages
like as over 110kV, less energy is lost in electrical power transmission. AC is
used in powering electric motors. Direct Current (DC) means the
unidirectional flow of electric charge. Examples are batteries, power supplies,
solar cells, thermocouples or dynamos. DC is often the choice for the hobby
robotics world as many of those systems are mobile, battery powered robots.
 Hydraulic
 o Hydraulics uses incompressible liquids so the applied pressure from one end
is equal to the desired pressure on the other end. Hydraulics is most often used
for its ability to move heavy loads with highly controlled motion. Some down
sides to hydraulic robots are they are prone to hydraulic leaks, its fire hazard,
mostly as mist, its cost of oil, increased maintenance and increased noise.
 Pneumatic
o A pneumatic system is a system that uses compressed air to transmit and
control energy. Pneumatics is more often associated with applications
involving lighter loads and rapid, repetitive motions. These systems are very
fast and most industries have a ready supply of cheap pneumatic pressure.
 Nuclear
o Nuclear powered robots carry their own nuclear reactor, though smaller than
those found in nuclear power plants or subs. These robots are typically used
by NASA or similar agencies for deep space exploration. These systems can
run for years or even decades without human interaction, thus making them a
perfect fit for space missions
 Green
o Green power is a term used to cover a wide variety of power sources that
share the common characteristic of power that is easy to replenish with little
or no ecological impact. This includes solar power, wind, organic sources, and
natural heat sources.

By geometry of the work envelope

 Cartesian
o These are also called rectilinear or gantry robots. Cartesian robots have three
linear joints that use the Cartesian coordinate system (X, Y, and Z). They also
may have an attached wrist to allow for rotational movement. The three
prismatic joints deliver a linear motion along the axis.
 Cylindrical
o These robots commonly have a rotary axis on the base to spin the robot, two
linear axes to move the tooling into the general work area, and then two or
three minor axes for tooling orientation. – These systems are good for
reaching deep into machines, save on floor space, and tend to have the rigid
structure needed for large payloads.
 Spherical
o This robots work envelope is a ball, cut off by where the robot mounts.
Spherical, or polar, geometry, gives the user a wide range of options for robot
positioning. The primary difference between cylindrical and spherical robots
is that the spherical units have a long reach with a smaller size.
 Articulated
o This robot design features rotary joints and can range from simple two joint
structures to 10 or more joints. The arm is connected to the base with a
twisting joint. The links in the arm are connected by rotary joints. Each joint is
called an axis and provides an additional degree of freedom, or range of
motion.
 SCARA
 o Selective Compliance Articulated Robot Arm (SCARA) is unique in that it
combines Cartesian linear motion with the rotation of an articulated system,
creating a new motion type. SCARA has a cylindrical geometry with axes 1
and 2 moving in a rotational manner and axis 3 moving in a linear vertical
way to manipulate the tooling into position while applying force
 Delta
o The system is made up of three vertical arms coming to a pyramid-type point
at the tooling below.

By locomotion

 Stationary Robots
o Stationary robots are robots those work without changing their positions.
These types of robots are fixed in its position. They generally manipulate their
environment by controlling the position and orientation of an end-effector.
These include robotic arms, cartesian robots, cylindrical robots, spherical
robots, SCARA robots and parallel robots.
 Wheeled Robots
o Wheeled robots are robots that change their positions with the help of their
wheels. These types of robots include Single Wheel (Ball) Robots, Two-
Wheeled Robots, Three Wheeled Robots, Four Wheeled Robots, Multi
Wheeled Robots, and Tracked Robots which are usually used for uneven
terrains.
 Legged Robots
o As their name suggests they use legs to control their locomotion and they
perform much better than wheeled robots on uneven terrain. These robots
could be one legged, two legged (humanoid) or bipedal, three legged or
tripedal, four legged or quadrupedal, six legged or with many more.
 These are the most common types. Others may include swimming, flying, swarming,
micro, modular, nano and soft elastic robots, and rolling robotic balls.

TYPES OF ROBOTICS

1. Outer Space – Robotic arms that are under the control of a human being are
employed to unload the docking cove of outer-space shuttles to launch satellites or to
build a space station.
2. The Intelligent Home – Robotic systems can nowadays scrutinize home safety,
ecological circumstances and energy consumption. Door & windows can be unlocked
mechanically and electrical device such as lights and A/C can be pre-programmed to
turn on. This helps residents to enjoy appliances irrespective of their mobility.
3. Exploration – Robots can enter the environments that are injurious to human beings.
An illustration is observing the atmosphere within a volcano or investigating our deep
marine life. NASA has utilized robotic probe for environmental study, ever since the
early 60’s.
4. Military Robots – Flying robot drones are brought into play for close watch in
present time’s modern armed force. In the future robotic airplane and automobiles
could be employed to transmit petroleum, bullets, bombs, etc. or clear minefields.
 5. Farms – Programmed robots are used by harvesters to cut and collect crops. Robotic
milk farms are existing permitting workers to nourish and milk their cattle distantly.
6. The Car Industry – Robotic arms are used, these arms are able to execute numerous
tasks in the car manufacturing & assembling procedure. They carry out jobs such as
sorting, cutting, welding, lifting, painting and bending. Similar functions but on a
minor scale are now being intended for the food industry to execute tasks like- the
trimming, cutting and processing of different types of meats like- chicken, beef, fish,
lamb, etc.
7. Hospitals – The development of a robotic suit is under construction that will allow
nurses to raise patients without injuring their backbones. Scientists in Japan have
crafted a power facilitated suit which will provide nurses the additional power that
they need to lift patients.
8. Disaster Areas – Observation robots built-in with superior sensing and imaging
gears. This robot can work in dangerous environments like urban site spoiled by
earthquakes by inspecting floors, walls, and roofs for structural reality.
9. Entertainment – Interactive robots that shows behaviors and education capability.
One such robot is owned by SONY which moves around freely, responds to all your
commands, carries your luggage and even responds to your oral instructions.

ROBOTICS PRINCIPLES

 Artificial intelligence – intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science

that aims to create it.
 Degrees of freedom – extent to which a robot can move itself; expressed in terms
of Cartesian coordinates (x, y, and z) and angular movements (yaw, pitch, and roll).
 Emergent behaviour – complicated resultant behaviour that emerges from the
repeated operation of simple underlying behaviours.
 Envelope (Space), Maximum – volume of space encompassing the maximum
designed movements of all robot parts including the end-effector, workpiece, and
attachments.
 Humanoid – resembling a human being in form, function, or both.
 Roboethics
 Three Laws of Robotics – coined by the science fiction author Isaac Asimov, one of
the first serious considerations of the ethics and robopsychological aspects of
robotics.
 Tool Center Point (TCP) – origin of the tool coordinate system.
 Uncanny valley – hypothesized point at which humanoid robot behavior and
appearance is so close to that of actual humans yet not precise or fully featured
enough as to cause a sense of revulsion.

FUTURE OF ROBOTICS

Future of robotics

 Artificial general intelligence - the intelligence of a machine that could

successfully perform any intellectual task that a human being can.
 Soft robotics - the specific subfield of robotics dealing with constructing robots
from highly compliant materials, similar to those found in living organisms. Soft
 robotics draws heavily from the way in which living organisms move and adapt to
their surroundings. These characteristics allow for its potential use in the fields of
medicine and manufacturing.

APPLICATIONS

 Industrial Applications
o Welding. Robot welding improves the safety of workers from burns and
inhaling hazardous fumes.
o Materials handling. These robots are utilized to move, pack and select
products. They also can automate functions involved in the transferring of
parts from one piece of equipment to another. Direct labor costs are reduced
and much of the tedious and hazardous activities traditionally performed by
human labor are eliminated.
o Machine Tending. Robotic automation for machine tending is the process of
loading and unloading raw materials into machinery for processing and
overseeing the machine while it does a job.
o Painting. This is used in automotive production and many other industries as it
increases quality and consistency of product. Cost savings are also realized
through less rework.
o Picking and Packaging. Robots increase speed and accuracy.

 in Space
o The robots in space are devices used to aid, augment and substitute astronauts
in doing difficult tasks such as repairs in dangerous environments.

 in Hazardous Environments
o It would be impractical to use human workforce in executing tasks which are
harmful to us humans. A TROV or Telepresence Remotely Operated Vehicle
operating underwater and a HAZBOT operating in an environment with
combustible gases are examples.

 Medical Robots
o Robots are now used to assist medical practices. Some uses of robots in the
medial field are telepresence, surgical assistance, especially in microsurgeries,
sanitation and disinfection, and medical transportation.

 Military
o Robots are used in the military to do tasks that are better done by programmed
machines for safety purposes. Robots are being designed to be useful in land,
air, or sea. Some robots are used to spy on an enemy’s terrain, use tanks with
a remote control, etc.

 Home
o Robotics in the home has the prime advantage of making life increasingly
effortless for the families that they reside with. Robotic vacuum cleaners and
floor-washing robots are some of the examples of robots at home.

 Service robots 
 o Robots that cannot be classed into any other types by practice. These could be
various data collecting robots, robots prepared to exhibit technologies, robots
employed for research, etc.

 Entertainment robots 
o These types of robots are employed for entertainment. This is an extremely
wide-ranging category. It begins with model robots such as Robosapiens or
the running photo frames and concludes with real heavy weights like
articulated robot arms employed as movement simulators.

 Hobby and competition robots 

o Robots that is created by students. Sumo-bots, Line followers, robots prepared
merely for learning, fun and robots prepared for contests.