Robots

1. Robots What is a Robot? Source = Classroom Activities for the Busy Teacher by Damien Kee

2. Q & A • What is a robot? • Where did the term ‘robot’ come from? • Name some types of robots. • Why do we have robots / what function do they perform in society? • What are the main components of a robot?

3. Robot - Defined • There is no single definition for what a robot is. The list below shows some different dictionary definitions. • American Heritage Dictionary • “A mechanical device that sometimes resembles a human and is capable of performing a variety of often complex human tasks on command or by being programmed in advance.” • Oxford Dictionary • “A machine capable for carrying out a complex series of actions automatically, especially one programmable by a computer.”

4. Common Characteristics • While there is no universally accepted definition of what a robot is there are a few characteristics that apply to the vast majority of robots. • Artificial – It has been manufactured and does not occur naturally. • Controlled – Actions/behavior is controlled by a computer(s). • Sensing – Has the ability to sense it’s surroundings. • Movement – Can perform actions / movements.

5. Robots – Yes or No? • Washing Machine • Railway Boom • Printer

6. Why do we have robots? • Robots are generally built to serve the 3 D’s. • Dull • Dirty • Dangerous

7. Different types of Robots • Industrial– welding, Pick and Place, factory automation • Medical – Remote surgery, minimally invasive surgery • Exploratory – Mars rover, deep sea ROV’s • Entertainment – Fun for people. (Mindstorms, ASIMO) • Household – Perform basic tasks. (Roomba, automatic lawn mowers) • Military – Bomb disposal, searh and rescue

8. Main Components of Robots • Robots can be broken down into three distinct components: • Sensors • Computation • Actuators

9. Sensors • ‘Feel’ the surrounding environment. • Take in information about where it is and what it is doing. • Think about what senses a human has and how a robot replicates them. • Sensors are classed as inputs. That means they take in information and feed it to the robot’s brain. • Mindstorm sensors are: • Ultrasonic – Sight (distance) • Touch – Feel • Sound – Hearing • Light – Sight (color)

10. Computation • Computer used to process information coming from sensors. • This can be small (a few computer chips) or large (full blown computer). • The level of complexity of the required tasks will dictate the amount of computational ability needed by the robot.

11. Actuators • Think of actuators as a fancy way of saying ‘bits that move’. • It would probably be easiest for you to think of them as motors. • These may be motors in the wheels, or engines that make arms go back and forth. • Are a form of outputs. • The robot’s brain tells these outputs to do different tasks.

12. Where did the term robot come from? • Was first used by a Czech writer in his play ‘Rossum’s Universal Robots’ in 1920. • The word is derived from the Czech word ‘robota’ which means ‘forced work’, ‘slave’, or ‘servitude’. • Most exposure to robots has been through movies or books.

13. Your Task • Create a report on robotics. • Use the handout provided by your teacher (me) to help you stay focused. • Make sure to get your choice approved by your teacher (me), before you start. • Please check out the rubric BEFORE you begin working.

14. A list of some real world robots • ASIMO, QRIO, AIBO, • Spirit Rover / Opportunity Rover • Pathfinder Sojourner • SCARA arm.