Robots

A robot is an automatic mechanical device often resembling a human or animal. They are machines that assist humans in everyday tasks.

The History of Robots

c. 270 BC: Ctesibius, a Greek physicist and inventor made organs and water clocks with movable figures.

            1495:  The anthrobot, a mechanical man, is designed by Leonardo da Vinci.

            1890's:  Nikola Tesla designs the first remote control vehicles. He is also known for his invention of the radio, induction motors, Tesla coils.

The Industrial Revolution allowed for the use of complex mechanics and the subsequent introduction of electricity. Digitally controlled industrial robots and robots making use of artificial intelligence have been built since the 1960s.

            1961: The first industrial robot was online in a General Motors automobile factory in New Jersey. It was Devol and Engelberger's Unimate.

            1963: The first artificial robotic arm to be controlled by a computer was designed. The Rancho Arm was designed as a tool for the handicapped and its six joints gave it the flexibility of a human arm.

            1964: Artificial intelligence research laboratories are opened at M.I.T., Stanford Research Institute (SRI), Stanford University, and the University of Edinburgh.

            1969: The Stanford Arm was the first electrically powered, computer-controlled robot arm.

            1980: The robot industry starts its rapid growth, with a new robot or company entering the market every month.

1997: NASA’s PathFinder lands on Mars and the Sojourner rover robot captures images.

            2004: The humanoid, Robosapien is created by US robotics physicist and BEAM expert, Dr. Mark W Tilden.

Types of Robots

Industrial

Industrial Robots are used in workplaces such as factories. Industrial robots have made work in places such as car factories a lot easier and faster, making the industries boom.

Agricultural

Agricultural robots complete a farmer’s job of cutting grass. They can navigate themselves using GPS, cameras, and sensors to find any weeds that maybe nearby.

Robotic Arms

       Robotic arms are usually used in assembly lines. The Robotic arm is a very useful in factories.

Domestic

Domestic Robots are robots that are used in the home. These types of robots mostly perform repetitive tasks on a daily basis.

Vacuum Robots

 These robots clean the floors on a daily basis, just like a human would do with a regular vacuum. It has motion sensors so it can avoid running into any objects.

Auto-lawnmower

This robot is similar to a vacuum robot, except it mows the lawn instead.

Entertainment

These types of robots are basic robots that can be used around the home for entertainment.

iDog

The iDog is a robotic dog that can connect with any Mp3 Player, including the iPod (hence its name). It plays music while its connected and has flashing lights on its head.

*I own this and it is indeed very entertaining.*

Robosapien

·    The Robosapien is a remote controlled robot that can do many different things, like walking, dancing and throwing.
*I also had this robot. It's not as fun (probably because i broke it).*

The Purpose of Robots

Repetitive Tasks

A robotic arm in a car manufacturer does repetitive tasks, mainly welding car parts together. A robot arm may be expensive, but it does its job quicker and more efficiently than a person.

Dangerous Tasks

A bomb disposal robot is one with a dangerous task to do. It is programmed to dispose of bombs and make them harmless to anyone. This robot is very useful in case of a terrorist threat ever occurred. Bomb disposal robots are equipped with a video camera and are remote controlled, so the operator knows what is occurring.

Maintenance and Repair 

The Dextre Robot. It is a giant, repair robot that has used to repair the International space station with fewer risks. It can manipulate objects of any size.

Use of Robots

These technologies deal with automated machines that can take the place of humans in dangerous environments or manufacturing processes, or resemble humans in appearance, behavior, and/or cognition.

Robots in Society

As robots have become more advanced and sophisticated, experts and academics have increasingly explored the questions of what ethics might govern robots' behavior.

The social impact of intelligent robots is subject of a 2010 documentary film called Plug & Pray.

Vernor Vinge has suggested that a moment may come when computers and robots are smarter than humans a.k.a. The Technological Singularity (refer to old post).

Vernor Vinge

Robotics

Robotics deals with the design, construction, operation, and application of robots as well as computer systems for their control, sensory feedback, and information processing.

Robots in Literature

In 1818, Mary Shelley writes "Frankenstein" about a frightening artificial life form created by Dr. Frankenstein.

            In 1921, the first reference to the word robot appears in a play opening in London, entitled Rossum's Universal Robots. The word robot comes from the Czech word, robota, which means drudgery or slave-like labor. Czech playwright Karel Capek first used this term when describing robots that helped people with simple, repetitive tasks. Unfortunately, when the robots in the story were used in battle, they turn against their human owners and take over the world.

            In 1941, science fiction writer Isaac Asimov first uses the word "robotics" to describe the technology of robots and predicts the rise of a powerful robot industry. Then a year later, Asimov writes a story about robots, Runaround, which contains the "Three laws of robotics". The three laws are:

1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

2) A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.

            In 1948, Wiener, a professor at M.I.T., publishes his book, Cybernetics, which describes the concept of communications and control in electronic, mechanical, and biological systems.

Works Cited

http://arnoldzwicky.org/2013/06/10/rosenbergs-laws-of-robotics/

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/robotics.aspx

http://robotics.megagiant.com/history.html

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/technology/historyofrobotics.html