What Is Robotics?

What Is Robotics?
Robotics is the intersection of science, engineering and technology that produces machines,
called robots, that substitute for (or replicate) human actions. Pop culture has always been
fascinated with robots. R2-D2. Optimus Prime. WALL-E. These over-exaggerated, humanoid
concepts of robots usually seem like a caricature of the real thing...or are they more forward
thinking than we realize? Robots are gaining intellectual and mechanical capabilities that don’t
put the possibility of a R2-D2-like machine out of reach in the future.
WHAT IS A ROBOT?
A robot is the product of the robotics field, where programmable machines are built that can
assist humans or mimic human actions. Robots were originally built to handle monotonous tasks
(like building cars on an assembly line), but have since expanded well beyond their initial uses to
perform tasks like fighting fires, cleaning homes and assisting with incredibly intricate surgeries.
Each robot has a differing level of autonomy, ranging from human-controlled bots that carry out
tasks that a human has full control over to fully-autonomous bots that perform tasks without any
external influences.
As technology progresses, so too does the scope of what is considered robotics. In 2005, 90% of
all robots could be found assembling cars in automotive factories. These robots consist mainly of
mechanical arms tasked with welding or screwing on certain parts of a car. Today, we’re seeing
an evolved and expanded definition of robotics that includes the development, creation and use
of bots that explore Earth’s harshest conditions, robots that assist law-enforcement and
even robots that assist in almost every facet of healthcare.
While the overall world of robotics is expanding, a robot has some consistent characteristics:
1. Robots all consist of some sort of mechanical construction. The mechanical aspect
of a robot helps it complete tasks in the environment for which it’s designed. For
example, the Mars 2020 Rover’s wheels are individually motorized and made of
titanium tubing that help it firmly grip the harsh terrain of the red planet.
2. Robots need electrical components that control and power the machinery.
Essentially, an electric current (a battery, for example) is needed to power a large
majority of robots.
3. Robots contain at least some level of computer programming. Without a set of code
telling it what to do, a robot would just be another piece of simple machinery.
Inserting a program into a robot gives it the ability to know when and how to carry
out a task.
We’re really bound to see the promise of the robotics industry sooner, rather than later,
as artificial intelligence and software also continue to progress. In the near future, thanks to
advances in these technologies, robots will continue getting smarter, more flexible and more
energy efficient. They’ll also continue to be a main focal point in smart factories, where they’ll
take on more difficult challenges and help to secure global supply chains.
Though relatively young, the robotics industry is filled with an admirable promise of progress
that science fiction could once only dream about. From the deepest depths of our oceans to
thousands of miles in outer space, robots will be found performing tasks that humans couldn’t
dream of achieving alone.
Types of Robots
Mechanical bots come in all shapes and sizes to efficiently carry out the task for which they are
designed. All robots vary in design, functionality and degree of autonomy. From the 0.2
millimeter-long “RoboBee” to the 200 meter-long robotic shipping vessel “Vindskip,” robots are
emerging to carry out tasks that humans simply can’t. Generally, there are five types of robots:
1) Pre-Programmed Robots
Pre-programmed robots operate in a controlled environment where they do simple, monotonous
tasks. An example of a pre-programmed robot would be a mechanical arm on an automotive
assembly line. The arm serves one function — to weld a door on, to insert a certain part into the
engine, etc. — and its job is to perform that task longer, faster and more efficiently than a
human.
2) Humanoid Robots
Humanoid robots are robots that look like and/or mimic human behavior. These robots usually
perform human-like activities (like running, jumping and carrying objects), and are sometimes
designed to look like us, even having human faces and expressions. Two of the most prominent
examples of humanoid robots are Hanson Robotics’ Sophia (in the video above) and Boston
Dynamics’ Atlas.
3. Autonomous Robots
Autonomous robots operate independently of human operators. These robots are usually
designed to carry out tasks in open environments that do not require human supervision. They
are quite unique because they use sensors to perceive the world around them, and then employ
decision-making structures (usually a computer) to take the optimal next step based on their data
and mission. An example of an autonomous robot would be the Roomba vacuum cleaner, which
uses sensors to roam freely throughout a home.
EXAMPLES OF AUTONOMOUS ROBOTS
 Cleaning Bots (for example, Roomba)

 Lawn Trimming Bots
 Hospitality Bots
 Autonomous Drones
 Medical Assistant Bots

4) Teleoperated Robots
Teleoperated robots are semi-autonomous bots that use a wireless network to enable human
control from a safe distance. These robots usually work in extreme geographical conditions,
weather, circumstances, etc. Examples of teleoperated robots are the human-controlled
submarines used to fix underwater pipe leaks during the BP oil spill or drones used to detect
landmines on a battlefield.
5) Augmenting Robots
Augmenting robots either enhance current human capabilities or replace the capabilities a human
may have lost. The field of robotics for human augmentation is a field where science fiction
could become reality very soon, with bots that have the ability to redefine the definition of
humanity by making humans faster and stronger. Some examples of current augmenting robots
are robotic prosthetic limbs or exoskeletons used to lift hefty weights.
Uses of Robots
Robots have wide variety of use cases that make them the ideal technology for the future. Soon,
we will see robots almost everywhere. We'll see them in our hospitals, in our hotels and even on
our roads.
APPLICATIONS OF ROBOTICS
 Helping fight forest fires

 Working alongside humans in manufacturing plants (known as co-bots)
 Robots that offer companionship to elderly individuals
 Surgical assistants
 Last-mile package and food order delivery
 Autonomous household robots that carry out tasks like vacuuming and mowing the grass
 Assisting with finding items and carrying them throughout warehouses
 Used during search-and-rescue missions after natural disasters
 Landmine detectors in war zones
Manufacturing
The manufacturing industry is probably the oldest and most well-known user of robots. These
robots and co-bots (bots that work alongside humans) work to efficiently test and assemble
products, like cars and industrial equipment. It’s estimated that there are more than three million
industrial robots in use right now.
Logistics
Shipping, handling and quality control robots are becoming a must-have for most retailers and
logistics companies. Because we now expect our packages arriving at blazing speeds, logistics
companies employ robots in warehouses, and even on the road, to help maximize time
efficiency. Right now, there are robots taking your items off the shelves, transporting them
across the warehouse floor and packaging them. Additionally, a rise in last-mile robots (robots
that will autonomously deliver your package to your door) ensure that you’ll have a face-to-
metal-face encounter with a logistics bot in the near future.

Home
It’s not science fiction anymore. Robots can be seen all over our homes, helping with chores,
reminding us of our schedules and even entertaining our kids. The most well-known example of
home robots is the autonomous vacuum cleaner Roomba. Additionally, robots have now evolved
to do everything from autonomously mowing grass to cleaning pools.
Travel
Is there anything more science fiction-like than autonomous vehicles? These self-driving cars are
no longer just imagination. A combination of data science and robotics, self-driving vehicles are
taking the world by storm. Automakers, like Tesla, Ford, Waymo, Volkswagen and BMW are all
working on the next wave of travel that will let us sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. Rideshare
companies Uber and Lyft are also developing autonomous rideshare vehicles that don’t require
humans to operate the vehicle.
Healthcare
Robots have made enormous strides in the healthcare industry. These mechanical marvels have
use in just about every aspect of healthcare, from robot-assisted surgeries to bots that help
humans recover from injury in physical therapy. Examples of robots at work in healthcare
are Toyota’s healthcare assistants, which help people regain the ability to walk, and “TUG,” a
robot designed to autonomously stroll throughout a hospital and deliver everything from
medicines to clean linens.
Recently, robots have been employed by pharmaceutical companies to help speed up the fight
against COVID-19. These bots are now being used to fill and seal COVID-19 testing swabs, and
are also being used by some manufacturers to produce PPE and respirators.

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What Is Robotics?

EXAMPLES OF AUTONOMOUS ROBOTS

 Cleaning Bots (for example, Roomba)

 Helping fight forest fires

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