Robotics

Background

Robots are programmable machines that can perform tasks autonomously (self-controlling) through interaction with their surroundings by means of sensors (sense external effects) and effectuators (allow the manipulation of the surroundings e.g. motors).

Some types of sensors include:
• Light sensors e.g. photo resistances;
• IR distance detectors;
• Pyrometers and cameras;
• Sound sensors, e.g. sonar, microphones and speak recognition circuits;
• Position and orientation sensors, e.g. revolution counters, compasses, gyro compasses and gradient sensors.

Uses in industry

Robots are used in many different industrial areas, they are applied particularly in sectors that are considered hazardous to humans, work which requires more precision, quality and repeatability than can be provided by a human. They can also provide a continuous process (don’t create errors associated with employees due to fatigue as well as the requirement for shift changes) this can increase yield productivity and in the long-run reduce manufacturing costs and product prices.

Some applications include:

Industry(e.g. manufacturing)
• Welding applications (e.g. automotive industry)


• Spray painting (robots are reliable and consistent in their motion which provides quality and can uniformly distribute the paint to minimise losses and cut costs)
• Polishing applications
• Drilling
• Packaging
• Assembly operations (e.g. electronic)
• Food processing e.g. meat factory, in order to improve work conditions/safety and maintain hygiene regulations

Medical Applications
• Surgical robots (e.g. heart bypass surgery, have been known to significantly reduce the pain and trauma of patients leading them to require shorter hospital stays and recovery periods)
• Development of robots to assist the elderly and the disabled as robot guides for the blind and as autonomous robot wheelchairs e.g. ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility).

Entertainment
• Some are used in movies/film production.
• Can process light sensitive photographic films that require near darkness
• Toy robots are used as construction toys and electronic pets.

Military and law enforcement
• Unmanned vehicles to sense targets or as surveillance devices (e.g. areal UAVs, robotic unmanned tanks, mini-submarines or ocean-bed explorers)
• Buildings structure analysis (e.g. the remote controlled Pioneer robot for analysis of the Chornobyl Unit 4 reactor building)
• Extinguish fires
• Disarm bombs
• Load and unloading of explosives and toxic chemicals.



Research
• Exploration of unknown or very inaccessible areas (e.g. mining areas, the core of nuclear reactors, submarine areas).
• Exploration of hazardous environments on the planet (e.g. volcanoes, seabed…).
An example of an 8 legged robot named Dante II was used to explore the crater of the active Alaskan volcano Mt Spurr. This robot operated by a remote control, travelled across rough terrain to collected sample readings without putting vulcanologist's in harm’s way.
Robotic underwater rovers are also used explore and gather information about marine environment e.g. Project Jeremy which gathered data, video images about a whaling fleet lost in the Arctic waters.
• NASA uses in: Space exploration, science payload maintenance and on-orbit servicing



Advantages
• Can replace human labour.
• Can move materials and manipulate objects faster, cheaper than humans.
• They increase workspace safety and decrease floor space. Humans can supervise production but are not directly involved in potentially hazardous roles and settings (saving lives and expenses on health care or insurance).
• Can drastically improve product quality as they can be reproduced more precisely with higher repeatability and consistency than by human workers (accuracy ranges from millimetres to micrometers).
• Due to their speed robots can produce a higher yield per given cycle than human employees (stabilising production and increasing profit). They can work at a consistent speed throughout the day without pausing for lunch, breaks, sleep or require holidays.
• Increase Manufacturing Flexibility as well as reducing costs associated with wastage
• They can be re-programmed for different tasks
• Cluster Machining in One Cell



Disadvantages
• Initial investment in robots and robotic systems is significant as well as maintenance and automation costs
• Investment in extra workspace or technologies for these robotic systems
• Action planning needs to be properly implemented as robots alone do not guarantee effective yield production
• Employees will require training (programming and interfacing) which effects time scale but are required to avoid future problems
• Robots are limited to the select tasks they have been programmed to do, they may not respond properly in times of emergency or when unexpected variation occurs (human presence would be required)
• Workers need to be aware of new dangers/hazards when working with robots (mechanical, electrical...)

Sources:
http://www.robotics.utexas.edu/rrg/learn_more/low_ed/types/industrial.html
http://www.robodays.com/site/robots/robotics.aspx
http://www.allbusiness.com/public-administration/justice-public-order/477155-1.html
http://robotechno.us/advantages-of-robotics.html
http://www.learnaboutrobots.com/aboutthissite.htm
http://prime.jsc.nasa.gov/ROV/types.html

posted by Sandra Donohoe