Robotics : The human creature by Piyush Suneja

Introduction: –

The  word “ Robotics”  was derived from the word robot and the word “Robot” comes from the word  Robota  (means Labour/work). Play begins in a factory that makes artificial people called “Robots”. Robotics is a branch of engineering that involves the conception, design, manufacture, and operation of robots.

Today, Robotics is the rapidly growing field, as technological advances continue, researching, designing, and building new robots serve various practical purposes, whether domestically, commercially and military. Here, Domestic robot is a type of service robot, an autonomous robot that is primarily used for household chores. Here, an autonomous robot means that which performs behaviors or tasks with a high degree of autonomy (without external influence). Autonomous robotics is usually considered to be a sub field of artificial intelligence ,robotics & information engineering and household chores means (Housekeeping) management of duties and chores involved in the running of a household such as cleaning ,cooking ,home maintenance ,shopping ,and bill payment.

Aspects of Robots :-

There are many types of robots and they are used in different environments :-

• Mechanical Construction :- Robots all have some kind of mechanical construction ,a frame ,form or shape designed to achieve a particular task. For example, a robot designed to travel across heavy dirt or mud ,might use caterpillar tracks.
• Electrical  Aspect :- Robots have electrical components which power and control the machinery. For example, the robot with caterpillar tracks would need some kind of power to move the tracker treads. That power comes in the form of electricity, which will have to travel through a wire and originate from a battery, a basic electrical circuit.
• Level of programming aspect :- All robots contain some level of computer programming code . A program is how a robot decides when or how to do something. In the caterpillar track example, a robot that needs to move across a muddy road may have the correct mechanical construction and receive the correct amount of power from its battery, but would not go anywhere without a program telling it to move.

Types of robotics program :-

There are three different kinds of robotics program that are :-

• Remote control :- A Robot with remote control programming has a pre-existing set of commands that it will only perform if and when it receives a signal from control source, typically a human being with remote control.

• Artificial Intelligence :- Robots that use artificial intelligence can interact with their environment on their own without any control source, and can determine reactions to objects and problems they encounter by using their pre-existing programming.

• Hybrid :- Hybrid is a form of programming that incorporates both AI(Artificial Intelligence) and RC(Remote control) functions.

Components of Robotics  :-

• Power Source  :- At present, mostly (lead-acid) batteries are used as a power source. Many different types of batteries can be used as a power source for robots. They range from lead-acid batteries, which are safe and have relatively long shelf lives but are rather heavy compared to silver-cadmium batteries that are much smaller in volume and are currently much more expensive.

• Electric Motors :- The vast majority of robots use electric motors , often brushed and brush less DC motors in “Portable robots” or AC motors in an “Industrial robots and CNC machines”. These motors are often preferred in systems with lighter loads, and where the predominant form of motion is rotational.

• Muscle Wire :- Muscle wire ,also known as shape memory alloy, Nitinol or Flexinol wire, is a material which contracts (under 5%) when electricity is applied. They have been used for some small robot applications.

• Elastic nanotubes :- Elastic nano tubes also called carbon nano tube. Here, Carbon nano tubes (CNTs)  are made up of carbon with diameters typically measured in nano meters. Elastic nano tubes are a promising artificial muscle technology in early-stage experimental development. The absence of defects in carbon nano tubes enables these filaments to deform elastically by several percent, with energy storage levels of perhaps 10 J/cm³ for metal nano tubes.

• Sensing:- Sensors allow robots to receive information about a certain measurement of the environment, or internal components. This is essential for robots to perform their tasks, and acts upon any changes in the environment to calculate the appropriate response. They are used for various forms of measurements, to give the robots warnings about safety or malfunctions, and to provide real-time information of the task it is performing.

Why we developed Robots ???

Robotic technologies are used to develop machines that can substitute for humans and replicate human actions.

Application of Robotics  :-

• Robots can be used in many situations and for lots of purposes, but today many are used in dangerous environments (including bomb detection and deactivation) ,manufacturing processes, or where humans cannot survive (e.g. in space , underwater , in  heat , and clean up and containment of hazardous materials and radiations).

• Robots can be used in military applications ,from transport to search & rescue and attack .

• Robots can be used in medical purposes  i.e known as surgical robots.

• Robots can be used in line marker on a sports field or pitch.

• Robots can be used in industrial activities .

• Co-bots or Collaborative robots, are robots intended to interact with humans in a shared space or to work safely in close proximity.

Conclusion :- Today , We find most robots working for people in industries, factories, warehouses, and laboratories. Robots are useful in many ways . For instance, it boosts economy because businesses need to be efficient to keep up with the industry  competition . Therefore, having robots helps business owners to be competitive, because robots can do jobs better and faster than humans can, e.g. Robots can built and assemble a car. Yet, robots cannot perform every job .Today, robots roles include assisting , research and industry. Finally, as the technology improves, there will be new ways to use robots which will bring new hopes and new potentials.