Domestic robot or
Service Robots
Types, Advantages and
Disadvantages
The domestic robot or the service robot is an
autonomous robot that is used for household chores,
most domestic robots are simplistic, some are
connected to Wi-Fi home networks or smart
environments and they are autonomous to a high
degree.
Domestic robot
There are only a few limited models, most of the
personal & domestic robots are used for basic
household chores, while the others are educational or
entertainment robots, Domestic robots include robot
vacuums, robot pet care, pool cleaners, lawnmowers,
and more.
The robots are capable of a wide variety of interactions
including health care and monitoring medication compliance,
security monitoring, education, errands, and entertainment.
Indoor robot
The indoor robot is a type of domestic
robot that does the chores around and inside
homes, There are different kinds such as
robotic vacuum cleaners and floor-washing
robots which clean the floors with sweeping
and wet mopping functions.
Dress-man is the robot to iron the
shirts using hot air, Cat litter robots are
automatic self-cleaning litter boxes that filter
clumps out into a built-in waste receptacle
that can be lined with an ordinary plastic bag,
And the robot can be configured to go into
action at any time of the day.
Indoor robot
The security robots have a night-
vision-capable wide-angle camera that
detects the movements and intruders, It
can patrol places and shoot video of
suspicious activities, and send alerts
via email or text message, the stored
history of past alerts and videos are
accessible via the Web.
Outdoor robot
The outdoor robots are the
domestic robots that perform the
different chores that exist outside
of the house, There are the
automated pool cleaners that
clean and maintain the swimming
pools autonomously by scrubbing
in-ground pools from the floor to
the waterline in 3 hours.
Outdoor robot
Robotic lawnmowers are one type of outdoor robot which cut
the grass on their own without the need for a driver, Some models
can mow complicated and uneven lawns which are up to three-
quarters of the acre in size.
Looj cleans the house gutters, You can
operate the device using the remote,
Gutter-cleaning robots can blast through
debris, clogs, and sludge in the gutters, and
brush them clean.
Robotic toys such as the
well-known Furby, There
are small humanoid
remote-controlled robots,
electronic pets such as
robotic dogs can be
companions for children,
and there are phone-
powered robots for fun
and games such as
Romo which is the small
robot that employs
smartphones as its brain.
Social robots
The social robot is the
robot whose main objective
is social interaction.
Many robots are designed
to help the elderly, the
Wakamaru is the humanoid
robot designed to provide
company for elderly and
less mobile people, There
is the Paro, the robot baby
seal that provides comfort
to nursing the home
patients.
Through the remote-controlled
telepresence robots, You can
visit a distant location and you
can explore it as if they were
physically present, They can
move around in the remote
location and let one
communicate with the people
there via its camera, speaker,
and microphone.
These robots can permit the
healthcare workers to monitor
the patients or they allow the
children who are home-bound
because of injuries, illnesses,
or other physical challenges to
attend school remotely, JIBO
and ConnectR are family robots
that include telepresence.
The network robots link ubiquitous networks with
the robots, They contribute to the creation of new
lifestyles and solutions to address a variety of social
problems including the aging of the population and
nursing care.
Advantages of Domestic robot
Robotics at home have the prime benefit of
making life effortless for the families that
they reside with, Especially for the mothers,
if even a couple of chores such as
vacuuming and washing the dishes could
be eliminated, it would leave more time to
focus on being rearing their children.
The Roomba is a robot that specializes in
vacuum cleaning, The features include a
superb built-in, automatic adjustment
between the floor types and also strong
cleaning functions to pick up pet hair.
The Robotics in the home has the ability to
help the handicapped maneuver and serve
as companions for the elderly, The robot
becomes more advanced and robotic
cameras become cheaper, the rest of
society will have access to them and be
able to make use of them in their
households.
Disabled people have been using dogs and
monkeys for years to help them with the
household tasks they are unable to take
care of, The EI-E robot can use laser
recognition, so, you can point to the task
and you can voice the commands to control
El-E: An Assistive Robot that Fetches
the robot.
Objects from Flat Surfaces
Employing robots in the home
can provide personal security,
The cameras are self-automated
and they can take the pictures
and videos of the environment
such as WowWee Robotics that
aid the families who have been
robbed in catching the thief or
deflecting any intruders.
Disadvantages of Domestic robot
The robots help us, They make life easier, and they are harmless,
But in retrospect, giving robots too much access to our daily lives
could lead to disaster worldwide, The people depend on technology
and Robotics at home, and they could not bear to live without them.
Robotics can not respond in times of danger as humans can, the
production and purchasing of robots are very expensive and this
could harm the global economy, But Robotics in the home can cause
conflict because everyone who will not be able to own one, even if
they need it and they just do trivial tasks.
Robotics in the home has a high cost for both production and
purchasing, Robots cost millions of dollars to build and many
companies invest much money in programming and the involved
research.
The robots have a specific job to do that is ordered by their
operator, and if the robot has malfunctions, The chaos will
happen, We become overly dependent upon robot technology.
The robots can aid the disabled and elderly if the people find
themselves in dangerous situations, The robots can not help them, We
can not invest our entire trust in the robots to care and give
companionship to our family members, If an emergency occurs,
the robot will not be able to dial 911 and it will not give the vital
information to the emergency services.
What Are the Main Components of Domestic Robots?
1. Central Processing Unit
One of the main components of a robot is found in any computer-driven
technology: the central processing unit (CPU). The CPU acts as the “brain” of the
robot. In other words, a CPU is the robot component that provides feedback to
outside stimuli.
All organisms function and survive by using feedback. It’s what causes us to whip
our hands away after we’ve touched a hot stove. The CPU in a robot takes in
environmental data using sensors and then calls on its programming to perform
the appropriate action.
One of the earliest examples of using feedback to control a machine
dates back to 1745 when Edmund Lee invented the automatic fantail.
This device consisted of smaller vanes attached to the axle of a larger
windmill that changed direction depending on the wind. This simple
system may be a far cry from today’s CPUs, but the core idea,
functioning according to outside feedback, remains the same.
In the anatomy of robots, CPUs function similarly to the human brain.
Data comes in through sensors just as information comes to the
neurons in your brain through your body’s senses, then the CPU
interprets and acts accordingly.
2. Sensors
That takes us to the next key component of every robot: sensors. Sensors
are the powerhouse of a robot’s feedback mechanism. They act as eyes
and ears to help it take in information about its surroundings. Robots
typically incorporate a wide range of sensor types to help them perform
their work. These include:
• Light sensors
• Sound sensors
• Temperature sensors
• Contact sensors
• Proximity sensors
• Distance sensors
• Pressure sensors
• Positioning sensors
Contact and proximity sensors help robots navigate more confidently and safely,
especially when deployed alongside human workers. Pressure sensors may
control the grip strength of a powered robotic arm so it doesn’t crush the
merchandise it’s processing.
Positioning sensors include GPS, digital magnetic compasses and other tools to
approximate the location of a robot, either indoors or outdoors. Some robots also
navigate their surroundings through vision sensors, which function like eyes.
Cameras feed in visual information, and then an artificial intelligence (AI) process
called machine vision analyzes the video footage to recognize objects, guiding the
robot.
A newer but increasingly popular kind of robotic sensor is proprioceptive sensors.
These components monitor a robot’s internal factors like heat, electric current and
battery life. Since robots are often expensive, companies must stay on top of their
maintenance, and this information helps them do that.
3. Actuators
If sensors are the eyes and ears of the robot, its actuators function like muscles.
Actuators are small motors attached directly to the structure of the machine that
facilitate movement. Some of the most common types include:
• Hydraulic: Uses oil to facilitate movement
• Pneumatic: Uses air to facilitate movement
• Electric: Uses electric current and magnets to facilitate movement
Hydraulic actuators typically appear in heavy machinery, including mining and
construction equipment, since they produce a lot of force and are relatively easy to
maintain. Pneumatic actuators have many of the same benefits and are often less
expensive, but they’re sensitive to vibrations. They’re a popular choice for
manufacturing and other stable, indoor settings.
Electric actuators are by far the most common type today. They provide more
control, have fewer environmental hazards, make little to no noise and are easy to
program.
Some of the simplest robots consist of little more than an arm, an
actuator and a tool for performing work. More complex robots may use
actuators to kick treads, wheels or even legs into motion.
Step motors may be used when robots are deployed to complete
delicate tasks that require finesses and accuracy. These are distinct
motor designs that provide movement in specific intervals in a highly
repeatable fashion.
The ability to realize consistently high-quality results through robots and
step motors is one of the reasons why robotic assembly took off in such
a huge way in the 1960s and never slowed down.
4. End-Effectors
Another quality that most robots have in common is end-effectors. The terms
“effector” and “end-effector” are sometimes used interchangeably. Both terms refer
to the tools aboard the robot — the parts that perform the actual work and interact
with the environment or a work piece. Here are a few examples:
• Factory robots may feature end-effectors such as welding torches,
screwdrivers, rivet guns and paint sprayers.
• Mobile robots usually have manipulators and grippers for lifting objects or
disposing of dangerous ordinance.
• Robots like those dispatched to other planets may carry shovels, drills,
hammers, cameras, lights and other analytical implements.
From simple to complex, effectors allow robots to carry out their specific tasks with
precision. For example, some of the latest robotic technology uses tiny scalpels,
hands and cameras to perform surgery. These precise tools combined with robots’
stability and range of motion make surgery safer and less invasive. Some robots
can perform operations with just a 25 mm incision, which would be far too small for
a human to operate in.
5. Power Supply
Just like human beings consume food when they need energy, robots need energy
to function as well. Almost all robots receive their power from electricity.
Power supplies can still take many different forms, however. Stationary robots, like
those in factories, receive direct power just like any other appliance. Mobile robots
typically sport high-capacity batteries, while robotic probes and satellites are
generally equipped with solar panels for harvesting energy from the sun.
As energy conservation has become a more pressing issue, many robots today
include power-saving features. Some automatically switch to a low-power mode
according to their usage, others use unique designs to minimize mechanical motion
and still more use green energy sources. As this trend continues, additional novel
ways to reduce robots’ power consumption will emerge.
6. A Program
A robot’s programming isn’t a physical component, but it’s still an essential part of the whole.
Each of the basic components of robots we’ve looked at takes in stimuli or provides a form of
feedback. The program within a robot provides the logic that drives these behaviors.
You may be familiar with automation recipes, including “If This Then That” functionality. It’s a
concept anyone can explore with their smartphones and smart homes. Robots, likewise,
contain “logic trees” that gather and analyze task and environmental data, and then choose an
appropriate response based on that stimulus.
For example, if a robot approaches a steep drop-off, it will back away automatically. A robotic
probe exploring another world may activate a different tool depending on what its cameras and
sensors detect around it.
Other robotic programming examples are more advanced. The latest automated technology
uses machine learning, which mimics how humans learn. These robots continually take note of
different situations and outcomes they encounter and learn from them. The longer they
operate, the more they understand, becoming increasingly accurate and helpful.
Self-driving cars are an example of robotic systems that use machine
learning. As companies test these vehicles on the road, they encounter
more obstacles under more conditions, learning to identify them better.
Without machine learning, these cars may not recognize every object they
come across, which could be dangerous.
Human decision-making happens quickly enough that we’re usually not
aware of doing so in the moment. The same general concept applies to
getting robots to perform specific tasks in uncertain circumstances without
much or any human interaction.
• Power Supply - The working power to the robot is provided by batteries,
hydraulic, solar power, or pneumatic power sources.
• Actuators - Actuators are the energy conversion device used inside a robot.
The major function of actuators is to convert energy into movement.
• Electric motors (DC/AC)- Motors are electromechanical component used for
converting electrical energy into its equivalent mechanical energy. In robots
motors are used for providing rotational movement.
• Sensors - Sensors provide real time information on the task environment.
Robots are equipped with tactile sensor it imitates the mechanical properties of
touch receptors of human fingerprints and a vision sensor is used for
computing the depth in the environment.
• Controller - Controller is a part of robot that coordinates all motion of the
mechanical system. It also receives an input from immediate environment
through various sensors. The heart of robot's controller is a microprocessor
linked with the input/output and monitoring device. The command issued by the
controller activates the motion control mechanism, consisting of various
controller, actuators and amplifier.
Robot Locomotion
Locomotion is the method of moving from one place to another. The
mechanism that makes a robot capable of moving in its environment is
called as robot locomotion.
There are many types of locomotion's:
• Wheeled
• Legged
• Tracked slip/skid
• Combination of legged and wheeled locomotion
Legged locomotion
• It comes up with the variety of one, two,
four, and six legs. If a robot has multiple
legs then leg coordination is required
for locomotion.
• Legged locomotion consumes more
power while demonstrating jump, hop,
walk, trot, climb up or down etc.
• It requires more number of motors for
accomplish a movement. It is suited for
rough as well as smooth terrain where
irregular or too smooth surface makes it
consume more operational power. It is
little difficult to implement because of
stability issues.
