Profesor

Enrique
12
Buendía

WHAT IS
A ROBOT?
What do you think of when you think about robots? Maybe
Though not integral to a
robot’s function, decorations
such as this collar can be
used to personalize a bot.
you picture shiny humanoids with blinking lights and funny
voices. Perhaps you think of a giant assembly line controlled
by an all-robot crew. You might imagine robots as friendly BOT BASICS
A social robot, such as MiRo, is a
companions, or even slightly menacing machines. Robots are machine that is programmed by
simply computers that can sense, think, and move all on their humans. MiRo’s ability to sense,
think, and move are controlled
own. They come in various sizes, shapes, and intelligence
by an array of circuit boards.
levels and are designed for a wide range of tasks.

COLLAR

Circuit boards
control a robot’s
functions—from
movement, to
processors,
and sensors.

BLUETOOTH WHEEL DRIVE FOREBRAIN

INSIDE MODULE BOARD BOARD
BODY SHELL

NECK, LIFT, AND

Touch sensor YAW MOTORS
This sensor allows TAIL MOTOR
a robot to be CONTROL
sensitive to human
touch. MiRo will
respond when you
stroke its back.

SPINAL FRONT SENSOR

PROCESSOR ARRAY BOARD

THE FIRST ROBOTS WHAT DO ROBOTS DO? WHY USE ROBOTS?

Robots aren’t a modern invention. The first Robots can already do many of the things Robots are ideal for tasks that are too
one may have been created around 400 bce, humans can, and they are only getting dangerous, dull, or dirty for humans to do.
when the ancient Greek mathematician smarter and better. They can play, work, Robots do not get tired or bored but must
Archytas built a steam-powered flying pigeon. fix, build, and more. have clear instructions to do a task.
 Profesor
Enrique
13
Buendía
Sensing
Interacting Robots collect the information they
Many robots, such as MiRo, use lights, need to make decisions via a range
movements, and a range of humanlike of devices called sensors. These
expressions to let people know how pick up all sorts of information,
they are feeling and what they are including light and images,
thinking. A robot’s sensors can guide sound, touch, pressure, and
its interactions with humans, too. location. MiRo’s ears turn to
detect the source of sound.

MiRo
Thinking
A robot gets its brain power
through various circuit boards. Each
one performs a job by processing
information and sending instructions
for an outcome. Some robots need
an Internet connection to “think,”
while others are more or less able
to make decisions on their own.

Connecting wires INSIDE

enable the parts of the MiRo’s BODY
robot to communicate
with each other.

CONNECTING WIRES

Moving
Most robots move about accurately,
FICTION TO FACT quickly, and smoothly on legs, wheels, or
Robots have inspired countless books tracks. Moving body parts such as arms,
and movies. In turn, the creative ideas heads, legs, and even wagging tails help bots
communicate and do various jobs. Robots may
of science-fiction (sci-fi) writers and
even use pressurized air or water to move.
moviemakers inspire many robot builders.