Robotic Systems
Robots are mechanical systems that can perform a wide variety of work, from cleaning and watering plants to emptying garbage bins. These mechanical systems have been used for years in the manufacturing and delivery industries, as well as in many other industries and situations. Now, robots are becoming more popular in educational and business situations, too. While many people envision a robo-squeezing cat in a tutoring situation or a robotic assistant guiding a human being through a classroom, today’s robots can perform a wide variety of work, in more ways than just the traditional household assistant. Here are some of the more common uses for robots:
Robotic engineers are using robots to inspect and repair factories and manufacturing facilities. A robotic factory inspector may inspect a warehouse, for example, to make sure that goods being stored there are in good condition and are not damaged. The same inspectors might be called upon to assess a manufacturing facility after a disaster had damaged or destroyed the facility, to determine if rebuilding efforts were successful.
Self-driving vehicles are becoming commonplace on city streets, allowing drivers to take their vehicles off-road, where they can safely perform what used to be impossible. Robotic trucks are able to negotiate the terrain and safely pull up to a location, where they can park and leave, without any human help ever being needed. In addition to self-driving vehicles, robotic dump trucks are now available, which are able to take away materials that do not need to be disposed of properly and can transport waste materials in bulk, saving companies money on the disposal of such materials.
Although we’ve always known that animals can perform many tasks better than machines, we’ve never really taken the idea of artificially intelligent robots to the next level. Today’s robots are much smarter and more versatile than previous models. For instance, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University successfully programmed a robot to coordinate specific body actions with voice commands. The robot learned to recognize a human’s breathing and physical actions and to adapt accordingly. This ability is much better than previous versions of industrial robots that needed a person to oversee its movements.
Robotic actuators are one area in which robots are increasingly used. Instead of using a spring or other force to activate a motor, actuators are powered by sensors and programmed to respond to human actions. For instance, if someone puts a hand in front of a robotic arm, the actuator will lift the arm, depending on whether it detects that the user is touching it. In addition to helping people with daily tasks, actuators are used in medical devices such as wheelchairs.
AI robots are also starting to appear in the home environment. From shopping to taking out the garbage, many robotic assistants will make our lives easier. Home assistants will use facial recognition technology, which uses computers to analyze a person’s appearance and decide how best to schedule a service. Other robots may perform routine household tasks such as watering the plants or washing the car.
Robotic systems are currently being used to inspect electronic goods for flaws. Many new products are designed to be safe by incorporating safety measures such as fail-safe testing or sensors that stop the machine from functioning when something is wrong. Future robots may also help protect our environment by helping us reduce our consumption of resources. This includes recycling, limiting the use of landfills, and the use of robotic vacuum cleaners to extract trash.
In future robots may be able to work alongside humans to accomplish everyday tasks. Examples include an elderly person who may require assistance with grooming or performing other tasks. A robot that is programmed to provide assistance would be helpful in this case since it wouldn’t require any physical contact with the elderly person. However, electric motor actuators will most likely remain a part of artificially intelligent household machines for a very long time.
