What is robotics
Robotics is a branch of computer science that incorporates the design, construction and operation of robots
What is a robot
mechanical device that can carry out tasks normally done by humans
3 places robots can be found
factories
homes
drones
Where can robots be found in factories
– welding parts together
– spray-painting panels on a car
– fitting windscreens to cars
– cutting out metal parts to a high precision
– bottling and labelling plants
– warehouses (automatic location of items)
Where can robots be found in homes
– autonomous floor sweepers
– autonomous lawn mower
– ironing robots
– pool cleaning
– automatic window cleaners
– entertainment
Define autonomous
able to operate independently without any human input
Where can robots be found in drones
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are drones that are either remotely controlled or totally autonomous using embedded systems
– can be used in reconnaissance (eg taking aerial photographs)
– can be used to make parcel deliveries
Adv of robots in industry
robots are capable of working in conditions that may be hazardous
to humans
robots work 24/7 without the need to stop
robots are less expensive in the long run
more productive
more consistent
better suited to boring repetitive tasks
Disadv of robots in industry
robots can lead to higher unemployment amongst manual labour tasks
Deskilling labour
Expensive to buy
Maintenance
Adv of autonomous vehicles
Safer
Better for environment
Stress free parking - self parking
increased lane capacity due to better braking and acceleration responses together with optimized distance between vehicles
Disadv of autonomous vehicles
Expensive to set up
Maintenance
cyber attacks
unemployment - less taxis needed
Adv of autonomous trains
Improved punctuality
reduced costs
safety improves
minimises energy consumption
it is possible to increase the frequency of trains
it is easier to change train scheduling
Disadv of autonomous trains
Cyber attacks
Expensive to set up initially
unemploment
Adv of autonomous planes
improved passenger comfort
reduced running costs
improved safety - less human error
less fuel consumption because of the improved aerodynamics
Disadv of autonomous planes
hacking
software glithces could lead to death
5 areas in agriculture where robots can play a large role
»harvesting/picking of vegetables and fruit
»weed control
»phenotyping (plant growth and health)
»seed-planting and fertiliser distribution
»autonomous labour-saving devices.
how can robots be used for harvesting
More accurate - only pick ripe fruit
pick fruit without damaging it
Higher yields and reduced waste
How does a weed control robot stay on path
why is a drone used
GPS tracking
used first to do an aerial view of the vineyard, so that a programmed course of action can be produced, which is then sent to the weed control robot’s memory.
What is phenotyping
the process of observing the physical characteristics of a plant to assess its health and growth
how do robots phenotype
»robots designed to do phenotyping are equipped with sensors (including spectral sensors and thermal cameras) that can create a 3D image/model of the plant, thus allowing it to be monitored for health and growth
What actions do microprocessors do in autonomous cars
»change gear
»apply the brakes
»turn the steering wheel.
How are robots used for seed planting and fertilisier distribution
drones can produce an aerial image of a farm sending back a ‘bird’s eye view’ of the crops and land. they allow seed-planting to be done far more accurately
»they also allow for more efficient fertiliser-spreading to reduce waste and improve coverage
cloud seeding
what are the autonomous agriculture devices
»grass mowers/cutters
»weeding, pruning and harvesting robots
»seeding robots
»fertiliser spraying
How are robots used in medicine
»robots are used in surgical procedures, which makes the operation safer and also makes the procedures quicker and less costly
» robots can be used from monitoring patients to doing actual minor surgery
»robots can take blood samples from patients:
– less painful to patients since the robot is better at determining a ‘good vein’
– safer to doctors and nurses if the patient has an infectious disease
– doctors and nurses can be freed up to do more skilled work
where are robots used in entertainment
theme parks are now using autonomous robots to entertain visitors to the park
music festivals are much more immersive for the audience
»humanoid robots can perform ‘stunt’ action in movies/ television
3 characteristics of robot
- a mechanical structure or framework
– electrical components, such as sensors, microprocessors and actuators
– programmable
3 domestic robots
autonomous vacuum cleaners
autonomous grass cutters
personal assistants
