Robotics is an engineering field that comprises of computer engineering, electronics engineering, mechanical engineering, embedded system engineer and mechatronics.
Roboticss is the design of machines that can substitute human in their daily tasks such as in industries, home, offices, production and design lines. What are robots?
Robots are machines that are reprogrammable, they consists of a mechanical body which is controlled by a microcontroller which is programmable. The microcontroller is controlled by sets of codes which decides how the mechanical body is controlled depending on input signals from the environment by means of sensors.
They can take any form but some are made to look like human in appearance while some are designed in form of an arm. The appearance and designs depends on the applications and functionalites.
Robots that looks like human can replicate human like walking, talking, recognition, obstacles avoiding, this type of machines are called humaniod robots.
Some robots requires user input to operate while others functions autonomously. The concept of designing autonomous robots dates back to classical times, the use and designing of robots is expected to grow rapidly in the 21st century.
History of robotics.
The term robot was first used in a fictional story written in 1941 "liar" by the science fiction writer 'Isaac Asimov'. Throughout history, human have been researching on designing a machine that can imitate human capabilities and dexterity. And science fiction authors have been interested in manufacturing self motivated machines and lifeforms from the ancient Greeks myth of Pygmalion to Mary Shelley's, Dr. Frankenstein and Arthur C. Clarke's HAL 9000. Essentially, robots is a reprogrammable machine that is capable of movement in the completion of a task. Robots yae special codes that differentiates them from other machines and tools such as CNC (computer Numerical Control). Robots have found use in a wide varieties of industries due to their resistance, capability and precision control.
Laws of robotics
In March 1942 issue of Astounding Science Fiction science fiction author Isaac Asimov introduced The Three Laws of Robotics in his short story "Runaround." The Three Laws are:
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
These form an organizing principle and unifying theme for Asimov's robotic-based fiction, appearing in his Robot series, the stories linked to it, and his Lucky Starr series of young-adult fiction. The Laws are incorporated into almost all of the positronic robotsappearing in his fiction, and cannot be bypassed, being intended as a safety feature. Many of Asimov's robot-focused stories involve robots behaving in unusual and counter-intuitive ways as an unintended consequence of how the robot applies the Three Laws to the situation in which it finds itself.
The core principles of robotics rely on related subjects: computing, artificial intelligence, electronics, control or cybernetics and mechanical engineering.
This course will focus on mobile robots, approached from a cybernetic perspective.
Various aspects include:
The physical robot. the mechanics, electronics and computer
Its sensors which allow it to perceive its surroundings
Its behaviour: how its movement is specified in terms of what it perceives, is this determined by humans, or can the robot learn?
Its means of movement and is the desired movement achieved?
How it interacts with other robots or humans
But what is a robot? Find out more in the following chapter.
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Robotics