©2006 CSUC Institute for Research in Intelligent Systems

Introduction to Robotics

June 12, 2006

©2006 CSUC Institute for Research in Intelligent Systems

Robotics History

"A reprogrammable, multifunctional manipulator designed to move material, parts, tools, or specialized devices through various programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks."

Robot Institute of America, 1979

Where did the word 'robot' come from?

What is the definition of a 'robot'?

In fact, the term ‘robot’ was first used in 1920 in a play called "R.U.R." or "Rossum's Universal Robots”, by the Czech writer Karel Capek. The plot was simple: man makes robot then robot kills man! Many movies that followed continued to show robots as harmful, menacing machines.

©2006 CSUC Institute for Research in Intelligent Systems

Robotics History

More recent movies, however, like Star Wars (1977), portray robots such as "C3PO" and "R2D2" as man's helpers. "Number Five" in the movie Short Circuit (1986) and “C3PO” actually take on a human appearance. These robots, which are made to look human are called “androids”.

©2006 CSUC Institute for Research in Intelligent Systems

Robotics History

Robotics Terminology

The term 'robotics' refers to the study and use of robots. The term was coined and first used by the Russian-born American scientist and writer Isaac Asimov (born Jan. 2, 1920, died Apr. 6, 1992). Asimov wrote prodigiously on a wide variety of subjects, though he was best known for his many works of science fiction and the three “Laws of Robotics”.

The most famous include I Robot (1950), The Foundation Trilogy (1951-52), Foundation's Edge (1982), and The Gods Themselves (1972), which won both the Hugo and Nebula awards.

©2006 CSUC Institute for Research in Intelligent Systems

Robotics History

However, the robots of today are not the walking, talking intelligent machines of movies and stories. Today, we find most robots working for people in factories, warehouses, and laboratories. In the future, robots may show up in other places: our schools, our homes, even our bodies.

©2006 CSUC Institute for Research in Intelligent Systems

Robotics History

Today, fully-functioning androids are many years away due to many problems that must be solved. However, real, working, sophisticated robots are in use today and they are revolutionizing the workplace. These robots do not resemble the romantic android concept of robots. They are industrial manipulators and are really computer controlled “arms and hands”.

©2006 CSUC Institute for Research in Intelligent Systems

Robotics History

Robots have the potential to change our economy, our health, our standard of living, our knowledge, and the world in which we live. As the technology progresses, we are finding new ways to use robots.

Each new use brings new hopes and possibilities, but also

potential dangers and risks.

©2006 CSUC Institute for Research in Intelligent Systems

Robotics History

Benefits of RobotsRobots offer specific benefits to workers, industries and countries. If introduced correctly, industrial robots can improve the quality of life by freeing workers from dirty, boring, dangerous and heavy labor.

©2006 CSUC Institute for Research in Intelligent Systems

Robotics HistoryRobots for Bio-Production

Many robots for bio-production have been developed in the world and it is predicted that they will be commercialized in the 21st century, since some of them were already commercialized by some companies in Japan and some European countries. A tomato and cherry harvesting robot, strawberry harvesting robots, a multi-operation robot to work in grapevine yard, and a chrysanthemum cutting robot.

©2006 CSUC Institute for Research in Intelligent Systems

Robotics History

Robots for EMT HAZBOT III is part of JPL's Emergency Response Robotics Project, a five-year effort begun in 1991 to apply robotics technology to the safe handling of hazardous materials. Robots such as HAZBOT also hold potential for use in mining and law enforcement. "It's almost standard now to have robots on bomb squads in major cities, but it took several years for the idea to catch on." said Richard Welch, task manager of Emergency Response Robotics at JPL.

©2006 CSUC Institute for Research in Intelligent Systems

Robotics History - The Future

Future missions to space will include many robotic vehicles designed to perform specific tasks both autonomous and remote controlled.

The Mars 2003 Rover Project was designed to have two scientific rovers going to Mars in 2003. Each rover searched for evidence of liquid water that may have been present in Mars past. The rovers are identical to each other, but landed at different regions of Mars.

©2006 CSUC Institute for Research in Intelligent Systems

Robotics History - The FutureThe planet Saturn, with its famous icy rings, and its enigmatic moon, Titan, are the prime scientific targets of the international Cassini mission, the most ambitious and far-reaching planetary exploration ever mounted.

NASA's Cassini spacecraft successfully launched on October 15, 1997. It’s robotic rover is currently in a wide orbit around Saturn.

©2006 CSUC Institute for Research in Intelligent Systems

Robotics History - Jobs

Enter the exciting world of robotics here! Learn how NASA is using robotics and telerobotics to learn more about Earth and other planets.

NASA Programs: JPL's Robotics Program Intelligent Mechanisms Group (IMG) NASA Space Telerobotics Program

Other Careers: Automation Animatronics Bioscience Mechanical Engineer

©2006 CSUC Institute for Research in Intelligent Systems

Robotics History - TerminologyArticulated - Jointed arm. End Effector - Device at the end of a robot arm

that is used to grasp or engage objects. Degrees of freedom - Each plane in which a

robot can maneuver. Robot - Mechanical device that performs human

tasks, either automatically or by remote control. (From the Czech word robota.)

Robotics - Study and application of robot technology.

Telerobotics - Robot that is operated remotely.

an-droid n.

A machine or automaton in the form of a human being.

An automation that is created from biological materials and resembles a human being. Also called a humanoid.

Possessing human features. adj.

©2006 CSUC Institute for Research in Intelligent Systems

Robotics History - Terminology

Au-ton-o-mous adj.

1. Not controlled by others or by outside forces; independent: an autonomous judiciary; an autonomous division of a corporate conglomerate.

2. Independent in mind or judgment; self-directed.

a. Independent of the laws of another state or government; self-governing.

1. Of or relating to a self-governing entity: an autonomous legislature.

2. Self-governing with respect to local or internal affairs: an autonomous region of a country.