PRINCIPLES OF ROBOTICS

MODULE 1
INTRODUCTION
What is a Robot: I
Manipulator
 What is a Robot: II
Legged Robot Wheeled Robot
 What is a Robot: III
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
 Robot Definition

• Word “robot” was coined by a

Czech novelist Karel Capek in a
1920 play titled Rossum’s
Universal Robots (RUR)
• Robota in Czech is a word for worker
or servant or “Forced Labor” Karel Capek

Definition of robot:
–Any machine made by human beings: Robot Institute of America 
–A robot is a reprogrammable, multifunctional manipulator designed
to move material, parts, tools or specialized devices through variable
programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks:
Robot Institute of America, 1979
 What a Robot can mean?

• An automatic industrial machine

replacing the human in hazardous
work.

• An automatic mobile sweeper

machine at a modern home.

• An automatic toy car for a child to

play with.

• A machine removing mines in a war

field all by itself and many more…
WHY ROBOTS ?

 Dull, Repetitive tasks

 Dangerous tasks
 Unhealthy tasks
 Physically difficult tasks
 Hazardous environment.
 Efficiency
 Accuracy
 Adaptability
 Speed
 What Can Robots Do: I

Jobs that are dangerous for

humans

Decontaminating Robot
Cleaning the main circulating pump housing in the nuclear power plant
 What Can Robots Do: II
Welding Robot

Repetitive jobs that are boring, stressful, or labor-intensive

for humans
 What Can Robots Do: III
The SCRUBMATE Robot

Menial tasks that human don’t want to do

Laws of Robotics
• Asimov proposed three “Laws
of Robotics”

• Law 1: A robot may not injure a

human being or through
inaction, allow a human being
to come to harm

• Law 2: A robot must obey

orders given to it by human
beings, except where such
orders would conflict with a
higher order law

• Law 3: A robot must protect its

own existence as long as such
protection does not conflict
with a higher order law
Robot Anatomy
 Robot Anatomy

• Manipulator consists of joints and links Link3

Joint3
– Joints provide relative motion
End of Arm
– Links are rigid members between joints
– Various joint types: linear and rotary
– Each joint provides a “degree-of-freedom” Link2
– Most robots possess five or six degrees-of- Link1
freedom
• Robot manipulator consists of two sections: Joint2
– Body-and-arm – for positioning of objects
in the robot's work volume Joint1
– Wrist assembly – for orientation of objects Link0
Base
 Manipulator Joints

• Translational motion
– Linear joint (type L)
– Orthogonal joint (type O)

• Rotary motion
– Rotational joint (type R)
– Twisting joint (type T)
– Revolving joint (type V)
 Joint Notation Scheme
• Uses the joint symbols (L, O, R, T, V) to designate joint types
used to construct robot manipulator
• Separates body-and-arm assembly from wrist assembly using
a colon (:)

• Example: TLR : TR

• Common body-and-arm configurations …

 Polar Coordinate
Body-and-Arm Assembly

• Notation TRL:

• Consists of a sliding arm (L joint) actuated relative to the

body, which can rotate about both a vertical axis (T joint)
and horizontal axis (R joint)
 Cylindrical Body-and-Arm Assembly

• Notation TLO:
• Consists of a vertical column,
relative to which an arm
assembly is moved up or down
• The arm can be moved in or out
relative to the column
 Cartesian Coordinate
Body-and-Arm Assembly
• Notation LOO:
• Consists of three sliding joints, two
of which are orthogonal
• Other names include rectilinear
robot and x-y-z robot
 Jointed-Arm Robot

• Notation TRR:
SCARA Robot
• Notation VRO
• SCARA stands for Selectively
Compliant Assembly Robot Arm
• Similar to jointed-arm robot
except that vertical axes are
used for shoulder and elbow
joints to be compliant in
horizontal direction for vertical
insertion tasks
 Example
• Sketch following manipulator configurations
• (a) TRT:R, (b) TVR:TR, (c) RR:T.

Solution:
R
R
T T R
R T
R
R V

T T

(a) TRT:R (b) TVR:TR (c) RR:T

Robot Configurations
• P – Prismatic Joint - Linear/Sliding
• R – Revolute or Rotary Joint
 Robot Configurations

Cartesian: PPP Cylindrical: Spherical: RRP

RPP

Hand coordinate:
SCARA: RRP n: normal vector; s: sliding vector;
Articulated: RRR (Selective Compliance a: approach vector, normal to the
Assembly Robot Arm)
25 tool mounting plate
 Configuration of Robots

Robot designs fall under different coordinate systems or

frames
Depends on joint arrangement
Coordinate system types determine the position of a
point through measurement (X, Y etc.) or angles
Different systems cater for different situations
The three major robotic classifications are:
(i) Cartesian
(ii) Cylindrical
(iii) Spherical / Polar
 Coordinate Systems

World coordinate system Tool coordinate

system
 Cartesian Coordinate Frame
• Most familiar system
• Uses three axes at 90° to each other
• Three coordinates needed to find a
point in space
• The right-hand rule.

Cartesian Robot:

• Three prismatic joints

• Pick and place
 Cartesian Robot Applications

Applying
adhesive to a pane
of glass

Transferring ICs from a pallet to a

holding location

Camera monitoring of products

Transferring & Stacking
Cylindrical Coordinate Frame
 Point A- located on cylinder of known radius
 Height Z from origin
 Third point - angle on the XY plane

Cylindrical Robot:
• Used mainly for assembly
Repeatability and accuracy - Medical testing

• Two prismatic joints and one rotary joint

Work Envelope
Cylindrical Robot Applications

Used extensively in medical research

DNA Screening
Drug Development
Toxicology
Spherical/ Polar Coordinate System
Similar to finding a point on the earth’s surface
• Radius,
• Latitude
• Longitude

Spherical / Polar Robot:

• Spot, Gas and Arc Welding

• Reaching horizontal or inclined

tunnels / areas

Robot sometimes known as the gun turret Work Envelope

Spherical configuration
Polar Robotic applications

Used extensively in the car

manufacturing industry

Welding
The Scara Robot
• Developed to meet the needs of modern assembly.
• Fast movement with light payloads
• Rapid placements of electronic components on PCB’s
• Combination of two horizontal rotational axes and one
linear joint.
SCARA configuration
Scara Robot Applications

Testing a calculator.
Camera observes
output
Stacking lightweight
components

Multi Function

Precision assembly
Articulated/ Revolute
Robot
• The Revolute or Puma most resembles the human arm

• The Robot rotates much like the human waist

• Ideal for spray painting and welding as it mimics human

movements

Gripper
Articulated/Revolute configuration (Jointed
Arm Configuration)
Revolute Applications

Spray Painting

Metal Inert Gas Welding

Components of an industrial robot system:
Classification of joint types

 R - revolute (1 DOF)

 P - prismatic (1 DOF)

 Helical (2 DOF)

Revolute joint, R Prismatic, P Helical joint, H

 Cylindrical ((2 DOF)

 Universal (2 DOF)

 Spherical (3 DOF)

Cylindrical, C Universal , U Spherical, S

 Wrist Configurations
• Wrist assembly is attached to end-of-arm
• End effector is attached to wrist assembly
• Function of wrist assembly is to orient end effector
– Body-and-arm determines global position of end
effector
• Two or three degrees of freedom:
– Roll
– Pitch
– Yaw
• Notation :RRT
Robot specifications

Number of axes (DOF)

Accuracy and repeatability
Resolution
Speed
Payload
Volume of space that can be reached by the robot
Reach
 Resolution, Accuracy, Repeatability
 Resolution is the smallest increment of distance that can
be read and acted upon by an automatic control system of
a robot.
 The unit of measure is the basic resolution unit (BRU).
 The accuracy of an industrial robot is the ability of the
robot to make a motion with an end point as specified by
a program.
 The closeness of agreement of repeated position
movement under the same conditions to the same location
is called the repeatability of the robot.
Work Envelope
Robot ‘Work Envelope’
The volume of space in which a robot can operate is
called the ‘Work Envelope’.

The work envelope defines the space around a robot

that is accessible to the mounting point for the end-
effector
Working Envelope
Degrees of freedom
 Degrees of Freedom
• Degree of freedom - one joint one degree of freedom
• Simple robots - 3 degrees of freedom in X,Y,Z axis
• Modern robot arms have more than 6 degrees of freedom
• XYZ, Roll, Pitch and Yaw
• The human arm can be used to demonstrate the degrees
of freedom.

• Crust Crawler- 5 degrees of freedom

Degrees of Freedom
N  s (n  j  1)   f i
N No of Degrees of freedom
s
Dimensions of working space
n
No of rigid bodies
j
fi  Number of kinematic pairs or joints

Relative degrees of freedom of each joint

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INDUSTRIAL ROBOT SYSTEMS: OVERVIEW

Today 90% of all robots used

are found in factories and
they are referred to as
industrial robots.
An industrial robot typically
has the following
component parts:
 controller

 arm

 drive

 end-effector

 sensors
Industrial Robot System – Basic Structure
1. Computer Control 2. Power Supply
3. Base and Arm assembly 4. Wrist Assembly
 ROBOT PARTS AND FUNCTIONS
 Arm – It is the part of the robot that positions the end-effector
and sensor to do their pre-programmed work. Resemble human
arm – shoulders, elbow, wrist and even fingers.
End effectors are the tools mounted at the end of robotic arms to
perform the useful operation. (E.g.) Grippers, hammers, screw-
drivers, welding torch.
Actuator – They are the motors and drives that are used to create
and control motion. Drives are the engine or motor that moves the
links/arm into their designated positions. Types – Hydraulic,
Electric, Pneumatic.

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 ROBOT PARTS AND FUNCTIONS
Sensors allow a robot to gather information about its
environment. This information can be used to guide the robot’s
behaviour.
Controller – This regulating device initiates one or more
functions of operation in the robot arm, such as starting, stopping,
reversing and changing speeds by issuing a preset list of
commands. Controller/computer functions as the “brain” of the
robot. The controllers are run by programs

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 Need for Robot
1. Material handling applications
– Material transfer – pick-and-place, palletizing
– Machine loading and/or unloading
2. Processing operations
– Welding
– Spray coating
– Cutting and grinding
3. Assembly and inspection
 Industries Using Robots
•Agriculture
•Automobile
•Construction
•Entertainment
•Health care: hospitals, patient-care, surgery , research, etc.
•Laboratories: science, engineering, etc.
•Law enforcement: surveillance, patrol, etc.
•Manufacturing
•Military: demining, surveillance, attack, etc.
•Mining, excavation, and exploration
•Transportation: air, ground, rail, space, etc.
•Utilities: gas, water, and electric
Advantages of using Industrial Robots

1.Flexibility
2.High Productivity
3.Better Quality of Products
4.Improved Quality of human life by not
performing the undesirable jobs
 What Can Robots Do?
Industrial Robots
•Material handling
•Material transfer
•Machine loading
and/or unloading
Material Handling Manipulator
•Spot welding
•Continuous arc
welding
•Spray coating
•Assembly
Assembly Manipulator
•Inspection

Spot Welding Manipulator

 Manipulators
• Robot arms, industrial robot
– Rigid bodies (links) connected by
joints
– Joints: revolute or prismatic
– Drive: electric or hydraulic
– End-effector (tool) mounted on
a flange or plate secured to the
wrist joint of robot

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60
 Robots in Space

NASA Space Station

Robots in Hazardous Environments

TROV in Antarctica HAZBOT operating in

atmospheres containing
operating under water
combustible gases
 Medical Robots

Robotic assistant for

micro surgery
 Robots at Home

Sony SDR-3X Entertainment Robot Sony Aido

 Wheeled robot
•The wheel has been by far the most popular locomotion mechanism in mobile robotics.

• The robot wheels provide sufficient traction and stability for the robot to cover
all of the desired terrain.

• Robot’s wheeled configuration enable sufficient control over the velocity of the robot

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66
 Underwater Robot

Classifications
ROVs (Remotely Operated
Vehicle)
• An umbilical, or tether carries
power and command and
control signals to the vehicle
and the status and sensory data
back to the operators topside.
• equipped with one or two arms
AUVs (Autonomous
underwaterVehicle)
• do not have arms
• limited to survey-type
applications

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 Types of Mobile Manipulators

• Underwater
manipulators
• Space manipulators
• Land based mobile
manipulators

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 Underwater Manipulator

Applications
• Intervention missions
• opening and closing of valves,
• welding

• contact type inspection

The ROV manipulator is

about to operate a lever
on the subsea structure.
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 Space Manipulators

Applications
• lunar/planetary exploration
• maintenance and repair of space
stations
• inspection of space vehicles
• exchange and retrieve of
equipment in space

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 Space Shuttle Remote Manipulator System
(SRMS) or CanadArm
Used for
• Satellite deployment
• Construction of International space
station
• Survey the outside of the space
shuttle.
specifications
• 15.2 meters (50 ft 3 in) long
• 38 centimeters (15 inches) in diameter
• six degrees of freedom. Weighs
• 410 kg (905 pounds)
• Total system weighs 450 kg (994 lb).
• payloads weighing up to 29 tons
(65,000 pounds) in space (the arm
motors are unable to lift the arm's
own weight when on the ground)
The Field Integrated Design and Operations (FIDO)

2003 Mars Exploration Rover missions

FIDO prototype planetary rover

 Land based Mobile Manipulator
Applications Classifications
Mobile manipulators can be classified
in to two major categories based
•material handling
upon their locomotion capability.
•repetitive works
1. Legged robot
2. Wheeled robot
•spray painting

•Assembly

•Automation

•and some hazardous operations like

handling of radioactive materials etc
• Wheeled
• Legged
• Climbing
• Flying
 Legged robot
Legged locomotion is characterized by a series of point contacts between the robot and the
ground

Advantages

• adaptability and maneuverability in rough terrain.

• only a set of point contacts is required, the

quality of the ground between those points does
not matter so long as the robot can maintain
adequate ground clearance.

• capable of crossing a hole or chasm so long as its

reach exceeds the width of the hole.

• potential to manipulate objects in the

environment with great skill.
 Legged robot
Limitations

•power and mechanical complexity.

•The leg, which may include several degrees of freedom,

must be capable of sustaining part of the robot’s total weight.
 Robot Base: Fixed v/s Mobile
Robotic manipulators used in Mobile bases are typically
manufacturing are examples of platforms with wheels or tracks
fixed robots. They can not attached. Instead of wheels or
move their base away from the tracks, some robots employ
work being done. legs in order to move about.
 Robotic Arc-Welding Cell
• Robot performs
flux-cored arc
welding (FCAW)
operation at
one
workstation
while fitter
changes parts
at the other
workstation
 Future of Robots: I
Artificial Intelligence

Cog Kismet
 Future of Robots: II
Autonomy

Robot Work Crews Garbage Collection Cart

Future of Robots: III
Humanoids

HONDA Humanoid Robot