What Is Robotics?

Robotics is the intelligent connection of

perception to action.
Or simply the science of dealing with robots.
What Is Robot?
ISO, the international standard organization, have formulated the
following definition with respect to robots and manipulators

Manipulating industrial robot is an automatically

controlled, re-programmable, multi-purpose,
manipulative machine with several degrees of
freedom, which may be either fixed in place or
mobile for use in industrial automation
applications
What Is a Robot?
By general agreement a robot is:

A programmable machine that imitates the actions

or appearance of an intelligent creature!usually a
human.
What Is a Robot?
To qualify as a robot, a machine must have the ability for:

Sensing and perception: get information from its

surroundings.
Carry out different tasks: locomotion or
manipulation, do something physical!such as
move or manipulate objects.
Re-programmable: can do different things.
Function autonomously and/or interact with
human beings.
Robotics As an Interdisciplinary
Science
Arts, Artificial Intelligence,
Politics, Biology,
Economics, Psychology,
Mathematics, Sociology,
Social-Psychology,
Physics,
Philosophy,
Control-theory,
Artificial life,
Cybernetics, Sports
Computer science,
Historical Overview
Leonardo da Vinci created many robot-like
sketches and designs in the 1500"s.
In 1920, the word robot was first used in a play by
Karel Capek entitled #Rossum"s universal robots$
performed in Paris. In this play small artificial
creatures strictly obeyed their master"s orders. In
Czech and Russian they were called Robotnic,
from #Robota$ meaning hard work and drudgery.
Historical Overview
In 1950, Isaac Asimov
introduced the idea of good
robots (androids) in his
stories and popularized the
word #robotics$.
The first robots were thought
to be evil human-looking
machines.
First Industrial Robots
Robot manipulators were first realized in 1945
with the onset of nuclear age.
In 1961 George C. Devol obtains the first U.S.
Robot patent, no. 2,998,237.
Joe Engelberger formed Unimation and was the
first to market robots. In fact Joseph Engleberger
and George Devol were the fathers of industrial
robots.
1978 the first PUMA (programmable universal
machine for assembly) robot is developed by
Unimation for general motors.
Impact
Robotics offers benefits such as high reliability,
accuracy, and speed of operation.

Advantages of industrial robots.

Flexibility in production.
High productivity.
Improve quality of products.
Improve quality of human life (safety of
personnel) by performing the undesirable jobs.
Asimov!s Laws of Robotics
Asimov invented the three laws of robotics:
Robotics offers benefits such as high reliability,
accuracy, and speed of operation.
A robot may not injure a human being or, through
inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
A robot must obey the orders given it by human
beings except where such orders conflict with the
first law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as
such protection does not conflict with the first or
second law.
Applications of Robotics
Service robots Space
Automatic cleaning of Military
(large) areas Forests
Client support Material Handling
Agricultural Safety
Hazard environments Civil Transportation
Construction and Elderly and Handicapped
demolishing Entertainment
Elements of a Robot System
The mechanical structure
comprises the links of a manipulator or the body and
wheels of a mobile robot.
The actuators
cause the robot to move.
Sensors
measure robot motion and sense a robot!s
environment.
A computer controller
reads sensors, sends control signals to actuators,
interacts with command.
Types of Robots
Robot Manipulators

% Mobile Manipulators
Trends in Robotics
Classical Robotics (mid-70s)
! exact models
! no sensing necessary Reactive Paradigm (mid-80s)
! no models
! relies heavily on good sensing

Hybrids (since 90s)

! model-based at higher levels
! reactive at lower levels

Probabilistic Robotics (since mid-90s)

! integration of models and sensing
! inaccurate models, inaccurate sensors
Industrial Robot
Manipulator is a machine, the
mechanism of which usually consists of
a series of segments jointed or sliding
relative to one another, for the purpose
of grasping and/or moving objects
(pieces or tools) usually in several
degrees of freedom .
Industrial Robot
Robot Parts
Base
Shoulder
Elbow
Wrist
Tool-plate
End-effecter (not
shown)
How are they used
Industrial robots
„ 70% welding and painting

„ 20% pick and place

„ 10% others

Research focus on
„ Manipulator control

„ End-effectors design

Š Compliance device
Š Robot hand
„ Visual and force feedback

„ Flexible automation
Common Robot Designs
Cartesian.
Robots which have three linear (P, as opposed to
rotational R joints) axes of movement (X, Y, Z). Used
for pick and place tasks and to move heavy loads.
They can trace out rectangular volumes in 3D space.

Cartesian: PPP
Common robot designs
Cylindrical
The positions of these robots are controlled by a
radius, a height and an angle (that is, two P joints
and one R joint). These robots are commonly used
in assembly tasks and can trace out concentric
cylinders in 3D space.

Cylindrical: RPP
 Common robot designs
Spherical
Spherical robots have two rotational R axes and one
transnational P (radius) axis. The robots" end-
effectors can trace out concentric spheres in 3D
space.

Spherical: RRP
 Common Robot Designs
Articulated.
The positions of articulated robots are controlled
by three angles, via R joints. These robots
resemble the human arm (anthropomorphic). They
are the most versatile robots,but also the most
difficult to program.

Articulated: RRR
Common Robot Designs
SCARA (selective compliance articulated robot arm).
SCARA robots are a blend of the articulated and
cylindrical robots. The robot arm unit can move up
and down, and at an angle around the axis of the
cylinder, but the arm itself is jointed like a revolute
coordinate robot to allow precise and rapid
positioning. It consists of three R and one P joints.

SCARA: RRP
Master/slave Manipulators
Technical Terms in Robotics
Speed.
The amount of distance per unit time at which the
robot can move. M/s.
Load bearing capacity (pay load).
The maximum weight-carrying capacity of the robot.
Accuracy.
The ability of a robot to position itself to the desired
location with the minimal error (example:
0.001inch).
Technical Terms in Robotics
Repeatability.
The ability of a robot to repeatedly position itself when
asked to perform a task multiple times.
Work envelope.
The maximum reach, or volume within which a robot
can operate.
Robot Power Sources/actuators
Electric motors (DC servomotors).
Uses electric motors to position the robot. These robots
can be accurate, but are limited in their load-bearing
capacity.
Hydraulic cylinders (fluid pressure).
It can carry very heavy objects, but may not be very
accurate.
Pneumatic cylinders (air pressure).
It is similar to one with a hydraulic drive system; It can
carry less weight, but is more compliant (less rigid to
disturbing forces).
End Effectors
Grippers.
Grippers are the most common end-effectors. They
provide the equivalent of a thumb and an opposing
finger, allowing the robot to grasp small parts and
manipulate them.
Machine tools.
Robot end-effectors can also be machine tools such
as drills, grinding wheels, cutting wheels and
sanders.
End Effectors
Measuring Instruments
Allow the robot to precisely measure parts by running
the arm lightly over the part using a measuring probe
or gauge.
Laser & Water Jet Cutters
Use high-intensity laser beams or high-pressure abrasive
water jets to cut sheet metal or fiberglass parts to
shape.
Welding Torches
Allow robots to weld parts together. These end-effectors
are widely used in the automotive industry.
Smart Robot Sensors
Vision.
Used commonly in electronics assembly to place
expensive circuit chips accurately through holes in
the circuit boards.
Voice.
Useful in training the robots.
Tactile.
Sensors that provide the robot with the ability to
touch and feel.
Smart Robot Sensors
Force/Pressure
Help the robot auto-correct for misalignments, or to
sense the distribution of loads on irregular
geometry. Can be used in conjunction with haptic
interfaces to allow the human operator to feel what
the robot is exerting on the environment during
tele-operation tasks.
Proximity
Allow the robots to detect the presence of objects
that are very close to the arm before the arm
actually contacts the objects.
Smart Robot Sensors
Other sensors
Š Limit Switches
Š Encoder (measures angle)
Š Potentiometer (measures angle or length)
Š LVDT (linear variable displacement transducer,
measures length)
Š Strain gauge (measures deflection)
Š Ultrasonic sensor (measures distance)
Š Infrared sensor (measures distance)
Š Light sensor (detects presence)
Architecture of Robotic Systems

Environmental Motion Mechanical

sensors planner Controller
Structure

Mechanical Structure Configuration

„ Kinematics model sensor
„ Dynamics model
Actuators: Electrical, Hydraulic, Pneumatic, Artificial Muscle
Computation and controllers
Sensors
Communications
User interface
Power conversion unit
Humanoid
Humanoid is an autonomous robot with
human-like form and abilities.
The autonomous humanoid combines
advanced manipulation skills with human-like
cognitive processes so as to be able to operate
in unchanged man-made environments.
There is much current research work aimed at
creating human-like robots that can walk, talk,
think, see, touch, etc.
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Summary

Robotics:interdisciplinary research
„ Mechanical design
„ Computer science and engineering
„ Electrical engineering
„ Cognitive psychology, perception and neuroscience
Research open problems
„ Manipulation, Locomotion
„ Control, Navigation
„ Human-Robot Interaction
„ Learning & Adaptation (AI)