ROBOTICS: WHAT IT IS, HOW IT

WORKS

1.

WHAT IS ROBOTICS ?

Robotics is the intersection of science, engineering

and technology that produces machines, called robots,

that replicate or substitute for human actions. Robots

perform basic and repetitive tasks with greater

efficiency and accuracy than humans, making them

ideal for industries like manufacturing. However, the

introduction of artificial intelligence in robotics has

given robots the ability to handle increasingly complex

situations in various industries.

What Is Robot : A robot is a programmable machine

that can complete a task, while the term robotics

describes the field of study focused on developing

robots and automation. Each robot has a different

level of autonomy. These levels range from human-

controlled bots that carry out tasks to fully-

autonomous bots that perform tasks without any

external influences.

In terms of etymology, the word ‘robot’ is derived from

the Czech word robota, which means “forced labor.”

The word first appeared in the 1920 play R.U.R., in

reference to the play’s characters who were mass-

produced workers incapable of creative thinking.

2.

Robotics Aspects
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.

Electrical Components

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.
Software Program

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.

What Are the Main Components of a
Robot?

Control System

Computation includes all of the components that make

up a robot’s central processing unit, often referred to

as its control system. Control systems are

programmed to tell a robot how to utilize its specific

components, similar in some ways to how the human

brain sends signals throughout the body, in order to

complete a specific task. These robotic tasks could

comprise anything from minimally invasive surgery to

assembly line packing.

Sensors

Sensors provide a robot with stimuli in the form of

electrical signals that are processed by the controller

and allow the robot to interact with the outside world.

Common sensors found within robots include video

cameras that function as eyes, photoresistors that

react to light and microphones that operate like ears.

These sensors allow the robot to capture its

surroundings and process the most logical conclusion

based on the current moment and allows the

controller to relay commands to the additional

components.
Actuators

A device can only be considered to be a robot if it has

a movable frame or body. Actuators are the

components that are responsible for this movement.

These components are made up of motors that receive

signals from the control system and move in tandem

to carry out the movement necessary to complete the

assigned task. Actuators can be made of a variety of

materials, such as metal or elastic, and are commonly

operated by use of compressed air (pneumatic

actuators) or oil (hydraulic actuators) but come in a

variety of formats to best fulfill their specialized roles.

Power Supply
Like the human body requires food in order to

function, robots require power. Stationary robots, such

as those found in a factory, may run on AC power

through a wall outlet but more commonly, robots

operate via an internal battery. Most robots utilize

lead-acid batteries for their safe qualities and long

shelf life while others may utilize the more compact

but also more expensive silver-cadmium variety.

Safety, weight, replaceability and lifecycle are all

important factors to consider when designing a robot’s

power supply.

Some potential power sources for future robotic

development also include pneumatic power from

compressed gasses, solar power, hydraulic power,

flywheel energy storage organic garbage through

anaerobic digestion and nuclear power.

End Effectors

End effectors are the physical, typically external

components that allow robots to finish carrying out

their tasks. Robots in factories often have

interchangeable tools like paint sprayers and drills,

surgical robots may be equipped with scalpels and

other kinds of robots can be built with gripping claws

or even hands for tasks like deliveries, packing, bomb

diffusion and much more.

3.

Types of Robotics

Humanoid Robots

Humanoid robots are robots that look like 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 and Boston

Dynamics’ Atlas.

Cobots

Cobots, or collaborative robots, are robots designed to

work alongside humans. These robots prioritize safety

by using sensors to remain aware of their

surroundings, executing slow movements and ceasing

actions when their movements are obstructed. Cobots

typically perform simple tasks, freeing up humans to

address more complex work.

Industrial Robots

Industrial robots automate processes in manufacturing

environments like factories and warehouses.

Possessing at least one robotic arm, these robots are

made to handle heavy objects while moving with

speed and precision. As a result, industrial robots

often work in assembly lines to boost productivity.

Medical Robots

Medical robots assist healthcare professionals in

various scenarios and support the physical and mental

health of humans. These robots rely on AI and sensors

to navigate healthcare facilities, interact with humans

and execute precise movements. Some medical robots

can even converse with humans, encouraging people’s

social and emotional growth.

Agricultural Robots

Agricultural robots handle repetitive and labor-

intensive tasks, allowing farmers to use their time and

energy more efficiently. These robots also operate in

greenhouses, where they monitor crops and help with

harvests. Agricultural robots come in many forms,

ranging from autonomous tractors to drones that

collect data for farmers to analyze.

Microrobotics

Microrobotics is the study and development of robots

on a miniature scale. Often no bigger than a

millimeter, microrobots can vary in size, depending on

the situation. Biotech researchers typically use

microrobotics to monitor and treat diseases, with the

goal of improving diagnostic tools and creating more

targeted solutions.

Augmenting Robots

Augmenting robots, also known as VR 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.
Software Bots

Software bots, or simply ‘bots,’ are computer

programs which carry out tasks autonomously. They

are not technically considered robots. One common

use case of software robots is a chatbot, which is a

computer program that simulates conversation both

online and over the phone and is often used in

customer service scenarios. Chatbots can either be

simple services that answer questions with an

automated response or more complex digital

assistants that learn from user information

4.

Robotics Applications
Beginning as a major boon for manufacturers, robotics

has become a mainstay technology for a growing

number of industries.

Manufacturing

Industrial robots can assemble products, sort items,

perform welds and paint objects. They may even be

used to fix and maintain other machines in a factory or

warehouse.

Healthcare

Medical robots transport medical supplies, perform

surgical procedures and offer emotional support to

those going through rehabilitation.

Companionship

Social robots can support children with learning

disabilities and act as a therapeutic tool for people

with dementia. They also have business applications

like providing in-person customer service in hotels and

moving products around warehouses.

Home Use

Consumers may be most familiar with the Roomba and

other robot vacuum cleaners. However, other home

robots include lawn-mowing robots and personal robot

assistants that can play music, engage with children

and help with household chores.

Search and Rescue

Search and rescue robots can save those stuck in

flood waters, deliver supplies to those stranded in

remote areas and put out fires when conditions

become too extreme for firefighters.

Pros and Cons of Robotics

Robotics comes with a number of benefits and

drawbacks.

Pros of Robotics

 Increased accuracy. Robots can perform

movements and actions with greater precision and

accuracy than humans.

 Enhanced productivity. Robots can work at a

faster pace than humans and don’t get tired, leading

to more consistent and higher-volume production.

 Improved safety. Robots can take on tasks and

operate in environments unsafe for humans,

protecting workers from injuries.

 Rapid innovation. Many robots are equipped

with sensors and cameras that collect data, so teams

can quickly refine processes.

 Greater cost-efficiency. Gains in productivity

may make robots a more cost-efficient option for

businesses compared to hiring more human workers.

Cons of Robotics

 Job losses. Robotic process automation may put

human employees out of work, especially those who

don’t have the skills to adapt to a changing

workplace.

 Limited creativity. Robots may not react well to

unexpected situations since they don’t have the same

problem-solving skills as humans.

 Data security risks. Robots can be hit with

cyber attacks, potentially exposing large amounts of

data if they’re connected to the Internet of Things.

 Maintenance costs. Robots can be expensive to

repair and maintain, and faulty equipment can lead to

disruptions in production and revenue losses.

 Environmental waste.Extracting raw materials

to build robots and having to discard disposable parts

can lead to more environmental waste and pollution.

5.

HISTORY OF ROBOTICS

Robotics as a concept goes back to ancient times. The

ancient Greeks combined automation and engineering

to create the Antikythera, a handheld device that

predicted eclipses. Centuries later, Leonardo Da Vinci

designed a mechanical knight now known as

“Leonardo’s Robot.” But it was the rise of

manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution that

highlighted the need for widespread automation.

Following William Grey Walter’s development of the

first autonomous robots in 1948, George Devol

created the first industrial robotic arm known as

Unimate. It began operating at a GM facility in 1959. In

1972, the Stanford Research Institute designed

Shakey — the first AI-powered robot. Shakey used

cameras and sensors to collect data from its

surroundings and inform its next moves.

The ability of robots to perceive their surroundings led

researchers to explore whether they could also

perceive human emotions. In the late 1990s, MIT’s Dr.

Cynthia Breazeal built Kismet, a robotic head that

used facial features to express and respond to human

emotions. This predecessor to social robots opened

the door for future robots like Roomba and consumer-

centric inventions like Alexa and other voice

assistants.

Robots took another leap forward in 2012 due to a

breakthrough in deep learning. Armed with volumes of

digital images, British AI expert Geoffrey Hinton and

his team successfully trained a system of neural

networks to sort over one million images while making

few errors. Since then, companies have incorporated

deep learning into their technologies, promising more

possibilities for robotics.

1700s

(1737) Jacques de Vaucanson builds the first

biomechanical automaton on record. Called the Flute

Player, the mechanical device plays 12 songs.

1920s

(1920) The word “robot” makes its first appearance in

Karel Capek’s play R.U.R. Robot is derived from the

Czech word “robota,” which means “forced labor.”

1930s

(1936) Alan Turing publishes “On Computable

Numbers,” a paper that introduces the concept of a

theoretical computer called the Turing Machine.

1940s

(1948) Cybernetics or Control and Communication in

the Animal is published by MIT professor Norbert

Wiener. The book speaks on the concept of

communications and control in electronic, mechanical

and biological systems.

(1949) William Grey Walter, a neurophysiologist and

inventor, introduces Elmer and Elsie, a pair of battery-

operated robots that look like tortoises. The robots

move objects, find a source of light and find their way

back to a charging station.

1950s

(1950) Isaac Asimov publishes the Three Laws of

Robotics.

(1950) Alan Turing publishes the paper “Computing

Machinery and Intelligence,” proposing what is now

known as the Turing Test, a method for determining if

a machine is intelligent.
1960s

(1961) The first robotic arm works in a General Motors

facility. The arm lifts and stacks metal parts and

follows a program for approximately 200 movements.

The arm was created by George Devol and his partner

Joseph Engelberger.

(1969) Victor Scheinman invents the Stanford Arm, a

robotic arm with six joints that can mimic the

movements of a human arm. It is one of the first

robots designed to be controlled by a computer.

1970s

(1972) A group of engineers at the Stanford Research

Institute create Shakey, the first robot to use artificial

intelligence.

(1978) Hiroshi Makino, an automation researcher,

designs a four-axis SCARA robotic arm.

1980s

(1985) The first documented use of a robot-assisted

surgical procedure uses the PUMA 560 robotic surgical

arm.

(1985) William Whittaker builds two remotely-operated

robots that are sent to the Three Mile Island nuclear

power plant.

(1989) MIT researchers Rodney Brooks and A. M. Flynn

publish Fast, Cheap and Out of Control: A Robot

Invasion of the Solar System.

1990s

(1997) Sojourner lands on Mars. The free-ranging

rover sends 2.3 billion bits of data back to Earth.

(1998) Furby, a robotic toy pet developed by Tiger

Electronics, is released and eventually sells tens of

millions of units. Furbys are preprogrammed to speak

gibberish and learn other languages over time.

(1999) Aibo, a robotic puppy powered by AI hits the

commercial market. Developed by Sony, the robotic

dog reacts to sounds and has some pre-programmed

behavior.

2000s

(2000) Cynthia Breazeal creates a robotic head, called

Kismet, programmed to provoke emotions as well as

react to them.

(2002) iRobot creates Roomba. The vacuum robot is

the first robot to become popular in the commercial

sector amongst the public.

(2003) Mick Mountz and the cofounders of Amazon

Robotics (formerly Kiva Systems) invent the Kiva

robot. The robot maneuvers around warehouses and

moves goods.

(2004) Boston Dynamics unveils BigDog, a quadruped

robot controlled by humans.

(2004) The Defense Department’s Defense Advanced

Research Projects Agency establishes the DARPA

Grand Challenge. A self-driving car race that aims to

inspire innovation in military autonomous vehicle tech.

2010s

(2011) NASA and General Motors collaborate to send

Robonaut 2, a humanesque robotic assistant, into

space on space shuttle Discovery. The robot becomes

a permanent resident of the International Space

Station.

(2013) Boston Dynamics releases Atlas, a humanoid

biped robot that uses 28 hydraulic joints to mimic

human movements — including performing a backflip.

(2012) The first license for a self-driven car is issued in

Nevada. The car is a Toyota Prius modified with

technology developed by Google.

(2016) Sophia, a humanoid robot dubbed the first

robot citizen, is created by Hanson Robotics. The robot

is capable of facial recognition, verbal communication

and facial expression.

2020s

(2020) Robots are used to distribute Covid-19 tests

and vaccinations.
(2020) 384,000 industrial robots are shipped across

the globe to perform various manufacturing and

warehouse jobs.

(2021) Cruise, an autonomous car company, conducts

its first two robotaxi test rides in San Francisco

Future of Robotics
The evolution of AI has major implications for the

future of robotics. In factories, AI can be combined

with robotics to produce digital twins and design

simulations to help companies improve their

workflows. Advanced AI also gives robots increased

autonomy. For example, drones could deliver

packages to customers without any human

intervention. In addition, robots could be outfitted with

generative AI tools like ChatGPT, resulting in more

complex human-robot conversations.

As robots’ intelligence has shifted, so too have their

appearances. Humanoid robots are designed to

visually appeal to humans in various settings while

understanding and responding to emotions, carrying

objects and navigating environments. With these

forms and abilities, robots can become major

contributors in customer service, manufacturing,

logistics and healthcare, among other industries.

While the spread of robotics has stoked fears over job

losses due to automation, robots could simply change

the nature of human jobs. Humans may find

themselves collaborating with robots, letting their

robotic counterparts handle repetitive tasks while they

focus on more difficult problems. Either way, humans

will need to adapt to the presence of robots as

robotics continues to progress alongside other

technologies like AI and deep learning.