NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TRANSPORT

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

PROGRAMME : BMEL
MODULE NAME : AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS
MODULE CODE : MEU 08213
LECTURER NAME : JAIROS KAGOMA
TASK : GROUP ASSIGNMENT
SEMESTER : II
ACADEMIC YEAR : 2022/2023
S/N NAME REG. NUMBER
1 SHADRACK MUSA MAHENGE NIT/BMEL/2019/1006
2 PRINCESS KABONA NIT/BME/2019/985
3 ISMAIL.A. JUMANNE NIT/BMEL/2019/999
4 MICHAEL JOHN NIT/BME/2019/953
5 JOSEPH JAPHET NIT/BMEL/2019/1008
QUESTION:
Briefly Explain Fundamentals About Robot Technology.
FUNDAMENTALS ABOUT ROBOT TECHNOLOGY
A robot is the that implements this interaction with the physical world based on sensor, actuators
and information process. Nowadays, robots are used in applications of manufacturing
environments, medical field, marine technology and even in defense sectors.
Technology is the application of science. And robot technology means the science of robots
which gives the meaning of the term Robotics. Which is defined as the inter disciplinary branch
of engineering science deals with the design, construction, operation and use of robots and
computer systems for their control, sensory feedback, and information processing.
Robot Time First Line.
1922 Czech author Karel Capek wrote a story called Rossum’s Universal Robots and Introduced
the word “Robota” (meaning worker, labor doing compulsory manual works without receiving
any remuneration).
•1954 George developed the first program above Robot.
•1955 Denavit and Hartenberg developed the homogenous transformation matrices
•1962 Animation was formed, firstly industrial robots appeared.
Robot definition
Based on " Random House Dictionary" a robot is defined as a machine that resembles a human
being and does mechanical routine tasks on command.
According to “Robotics Association of America" an industries robot is a reprogrammable,
multifunctional manipulator designed to move materials, parts, tools, or specialized devices
through variable programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks
Based on “Oxford Dictionary" robot is defined as a machine resembling a human being and able
to replicate certain human movement and functions automatically.
•Today's robots area combination of manillas, perceptive, communicative, and cognitive
abilities. Today's robots are capable of so many tasks. Yet, there is so much more on the horizon.
To qualify as a robot
A machine must be able to:
a. Sensing and perception: get information from its surroundings.
b. Carry out different tasks: Locomotion or manipulation, do something physical–such as
move or manipulate objects.
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 c. Re-programmable: can do different things in different ways.
d. Function autonomously and/or interact with human beings.
Laws of Robotics
Isaac Asimov proposed the following three Laws of Robotics:
First law of robotics (Law 1)
“A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to
harm”.
Second law of robotic (Law 2)
“A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict
with the first law”.
Third law of robotic (Law 3)
“A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first
or second law”.
Classification of Robots
According to the Japanese Industrial Robot Association, robots are classified into six classes.
They are:
Class 1 – Manual Handling Robot.
Manual Handling Robot has multiple degrees of freedom, actuated by an operator.
Class 2 – Fixed Sequence Robot.
A bot that performs the continuous task according to the situation and condition applied on it. It
uses a constant sequence which is hard to modify.
Class 3 – Variable Sequence Robot.
Variable Sequence Robot also performs continuous tasks as situation applied but one main
difference is it can be modified as it is used for a variety of sequences.
Class 4 – Playback Robot.
This category of robot records the tasks performed by the human before and stores the tasks and
motions for later playback. The robots will repeat the task and motions according to the recorded
information.
Class 5 – Numerical Control Robot.
The operator supplies the robot with a movement program rather than teaching it manually.
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Class 6 – Intelligent Robot.
A robot that can able to understand its work environment and the ability to successfully complete
a task though there is a change in the surrounding conditions under which is it to be performed.
This type of robot will easily absorb the changes in its work area and work regarding that.
Robot characteristics
Robots are:
a. Machines - mechanical devices designed for doing work.
b. Automatic - operations which are executed without external help.
c. Reprogrammable - multifunctional and flexible: not restricted to one job but can be
programmed to perform many jobs (nearly all robot systems contain a reprogrammable
computer).
d. Responsive - must be able to react based on their sensory input.
Components of Robot
A robot as a whole consists of the following elements which are integrated together to form a
whole.
i. Manipulator
ii. End effector
iii. Actuators
iv. Sensors
v. Controller
vi. Processor
vii. Software.

i. Manipulator
The manipulators in a robot are developed by the integration of links and joints. In the body and
arm, it is applied for moving the tools in the work volume. It is also used in the wrist to adjust
the tools.

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 Figure 1. Manipulator/Robot Arm
ii. End Effector
A hand of a robot is considered as end effectors. The grippers and tools are the two significant
types of end effectors. The grippers are used to pick and place an object, while the tools are used
to carry out operations like spray painting, spot welding, etc. on a work piece.

Figure 2. End effectors

iii. Actuators
Actuators are known as the muscles of the manipulators. Robot joints, and links are moved by
the actuators only through the signals received from the controllers Servomotors, Stepper motors,

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Pneumatic actuators, and Hydraulic actuators are some common types of actuators used in robots.
Mainly Actuators are under the control of the controller only.
iv. Sensors
Sensors are used to collect information about the internal state of the robot or to communicate
with outside environment. The robot controller needs to know the location of joints or needs to
move the actuators depends on the input signal, mainly the input signals were given by the
sensors.
These sensors are integrated with robots every part where the actuations need to be done depends
on the signal, feedback or process. Every action for outside environment is by the signal of the
sensors only. It may be touch, tactile, vision and so on.
Mostly these sensors will get information and sends that to controller that will make required
process to do.
v. Software
Mainly three group of software are used in robots. They are Operating system, robotics software
and applications-oriented programs. Operating system is used to operate the processor.
Robotic software is used to calculate the necessary motion of each joint based on the kinematic,
inverse kinematic equations of the robot. This information is sent to the controller.
vi. Processor
Processor is considered as the brain of robots. It calculates all the motion, it calculates how much
speed was needed for moving to the destination point, checks the coordination points for the
function.
v. Controller
Controller is like human cerebellum; it does not have the power of brain but it controls all the
motions. Through controller only all the motions of the robot were processed.
This controller gets the necessary inputs from all sensory items do the motions of the
coordination, actuator or joints links. Without controller, we cannot do the exact robot operations.

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 Figure 3. Controller
Robot Anatomy
The anatomy of robot is also known as structure of robot. The basic components or sections in
anatomy of robots are as follows. The Anatomy of Industrial Robots deals with the assembling of
outer components of a robot such as wrist, arm, and body

Figure 4 . Robot anatomy

Kinematics: It concerns with the assembling of robot links and joints. It is also used to illustrate
the robot motions.

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Advantages of Robots
i. Robots can work in hazardous environments such as radiation, darkness, hot and cold
areas even in ocean bottoms without life support, comfort.
ii. Robot usage can increase productivity, safety, efficiency, quality and consistency of
products.
iii. Robots need no environmental comforts like lighting, air conditioning, ventilation and
noise protection.
iv. Robots can work continuously without tiring or boredom
v. Robot have repeatable precisions at all times.
vi. They can work more accurate than humans in every environment.
vii. Robots can perform multiple tasks at a time but human can perform single task at a time.
Disadvantages of Robots
i. Though it is more accurate than humans but it lacks the capability in responding to
emergency situations
ii. Inappropriate or wrong responses may cause several loss to the work environment.
iii. The replacement of human workers with robots may cause economic hardship in the
society
iv. Its initial installation, training, and other peripherals were very costly.
v. Only trained personnel were able to operate this.
vi. Robots have very limited capability in real-time response because they will work with the
stored programs it can’t work beyond that.
Why use robots?
a. Application in 4D environments this includes Dangerous, Dirty, Dull, Difficult
b. 4A tasks these are Automation, Augmentation, Assistance, Autonomous
c. Increase product quality: such that Superior Accuracies (thousands of an inch, wafer
handling: microinch), Repeatable precision and Consistency of products
d. Increase efficiency: such that work continuously without fatigue, need no vacation
e. Increase safety:
f. Reduce manufacturing lead time: Rapid response to changes in design
g. Increase productivity: Value of output per person per hour increases.
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 h. Operate in dangerous environment: Need no environmental comfort, Air conditioning,
noise protection, etc.
i. Reduce Cost: Reduce scrap rate, Lower in-process inventory, Lower labor cost.
Applications of robotics
i. Robot Manipulators: for Assembly and Automation.
ii. Field robots: for Military applications and Space exploration.
iii. Service robots: for cleaning robots and medical robots.
iv. Biotechnology: for Micro/Nano manipulation, Sample Handling and Automated Analysis.
v. Urban challenge: for Fire Fighting and Search and Rescue.
vi. Entertainment robots: such as Toys.

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 REFERENCES
1. Jorge Angeles. (2014). Fundamentals of Robotic Mechanical Systems: Theory,
Methods, and Algorithms (Mechanical Engineering Series). 4th edition. Springer.
2. Bekey G. (2008). Robotics: State of the art and future challenges. Imperial
College Press.
3. Bruno Siciliano, Oussama Khatib. (2008). Springer Handbook of Robotics.
Springer.
4. Maja J. Mataric. (2007). The Robotics Primer. MIT Press.
5. Barrientos Antonio et al. (2007). Fundamentos de robótica. Segunda Edición. Mc
Graw Hill.
6. Bob_Rochelle_Fundamentals_of_Robotics.

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