April 11, 2014

Robotics
By Chelsea Mockli Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, and application of robots. Knowing that, what exactly is a robot? Joseph Engelberger, a pioneer in industrial robotics, says I can't define a robot, but I know one when I see one." There are many types of machines that we consider to be robots, because of this, it is hard to come up with a comprehensive definition. However, here is one definition so we can get an idea of what a robot is. A robot is a machine that can do the work of a person and works automatically or is controlled by a computer. They are tools that help us accomplish tasks, such as building cars and electronics to exploring underwater and other planets. They are able to go places where it is impossible for humans to reach. They are also being used in hospitals, transportation, security, and more. Robots are being made to function like humans, their makeup is similar to ours in the following ways. Human beings are made up of five major components: body structure, muscular system for movement, sensory system for input, a power source to active movement and senses, and a brain to process sensory input and tell the muscles how to move. Robots are made up of very similar components. They have a movable physical structure, a motor, sensors, a power supply, and a computer that acts as the brain to control and coordinate these elements. Robots are machines that can replicate human behavior.

The idea of creating machines that can operate such as humans dates back to classical times, but research about robots did not really grow until the 20th century. Today, robotics is a quickly growing field as technology advances and our knowledge about robotics continues to grow. Research, design, and creating robots serve many uses, whether it is industrial, commercial, or for the military. Robots are able to complete hazardous jobs for humans such as defusing bombs, going into mines, and searching shipwrecks. As mentioned, robotics are often used to keep humans out of harms way. They allow us to explore places that are dangerous for humans or are places we simply cannot get to. NASA is known for using robots to help astronauts in space. They use robotics in a variety of ways. A few of these ways include the use of robotics arms, spacecrafts, and robotic planes. Robotic arms are used by astronauts to move large objects in space, such as moon rocks. They have also been used to help fix space shuttles and space stations. An astronaut is able to control these robotic arms from inside by using little joysticks to create movement. Robotic spacecrafts have been used by NASA to visit other planets, such as the moon and Mars. These robots are able to study other planets from space. People use computers to send messages to the spacecraft, which has antennas that pick up the messages. The robot then interprets these messages and completes the action that the person told it to.

Finally, NASA uses robotic airplanes that are able to fly without a pilot on board. Some are able to fly by themselves with only simple directions given; others are flown with the use of a remote control. Robotic airplanes are used to help us study dangerous places, such as volcanoes. There are also robots called industrial robots that are designed to do a repetitive movement in a controlled environment. An example would be their use in a factory to twist the caps onto peanut butter jars as they come down an assembly line. It is the same movement over and over, in the confined area of a factory. A programmer guides the robotic arm through the motions of this movement using a handheld controller. The robot them stores this sequence into its memory where it then repeats it over and over each time a new jar of peanut butter comes down the assembly line. This is how a robot learns the movements it is supposed to create. Industrial robots are also used in auto assembly lines. They are used in the assembly of cars and trucks, they are able to put vehicles together more efficiently than humans because their movements are precise. Because of their programming they always drill in exactly the same place, tighten bolts with the same amount of force, and so on. No matter how long they have been functioning, their movements are always precise and done in the same way. As technology continues to advance, we are able to learn more about how to design, create, and construct robots. They are used in a variety of ways. Without them, there would be a lot we havent yet discovered and humans would be doing a lot more hard labor. The

future of robotics is bright, there is still a lot left to learn and accomplish. This is only the beginning of what is out there.

Bibliography
Harris, Tom. How Robots Work. http://science.howstuffworks.com/robot2.htm Hitt, David. November 9, 2009. What is Robotics? http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/robotics/home/what_is_robotics_k4.html #.U0gQF_ldX9Y Robotics. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotics What is Robotics? http://engineering.nd.edu/NDNRW/what-is-robotics