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A robot is a machine that performs a task or a variety of tasks automatically (without the direct control of a person) following a program.

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A program is a list of orders (commands). Robots perform their tasks by following that list

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The commands are written in a programming language that the processor of the robot can understand

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Control is the part of the robot which is dedicated to regulating and governing the actions of the robot according to real-life situations

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Most robots are "robotic arms" which work in production lines. The actuator has a "manipulator" and a system of articulations.

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The manipulator acts on the product which passes along the production line

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The system of articulations moves the manipulator to the correct place

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Electric power systems are the most common way to power robots.

There are 3 types of electric motors.

1-AC motor

2-DC motor

3-Step-by-step motor

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AC and DC motors require constant control. The sensor must constantly give information, and the controller must constantly tell the motor if it should move or not

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Step-by-step motors don't require sensors for position control, they move a number of steps forward or backwards and the controller has a memory to remember how many steps they have moved.

Step-by-step motors don't have a lot of force, and they aren't energy efficient, so we use them for small applications where we need precise control of movement and position.

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Pneumatic power systems use compressed air as energy.

A compressor (powered by an electric motor) compresses the air into a tank

The compressed air travels from the tank through a system of pipes and valves to the cylinders

The compressed air moves a piston inside the cylinder, which moves an actuator

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Hydraulic power systems use the pressure in oil as energy.

An oil pump (powered by an electric motor) adds pressure to the oil from a tank.

The oil travels through a system of pipes.

The oil moves the actuators and then returns to the tank.

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Position sensors are linear or angular. We use them to measure the position of an object, its size or its shape.

Position sensors can be onductive sensors, limit switches, LDRs, etc

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Different kinds of force sensors detect different Forces

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Temperature sensors are very common. Temperature sensors are also used as safety devices in machines which have a risk of overheating

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We can classify robots in various ways

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Cartesian coordinates

The robot moves in a line along the X, Y and/or Z

The robot needs to know the distance to move from the origin of coordinates in cach direction.

Polar coordinates

The robot rotates around the X, Y and/or Z axis

The robot needs to lenow how many degrees to rotate

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The degrees of freedom are the number of axis along which the robotic arm can move, or around which the arm of the robot can rotate

The minimum is one, and the maximum is 6

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Hydraulic

Pneumatic

Electric

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There are many different examples of the ase and applications of robots in production lines: metal welding, sticking labels, etc

Robots are generally used if they have one or more of the following advantages

More economical than a person

Faster than a person

Can work 24 hours a day

Produce better quality

Can work in dangerous places

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It's hard to say exactly when robotics began

Some historians date the beginning of robotics to the middle ages, when machines were first used without direct human control

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In the first half of the 20th century, robots that worked with relays were first used. These

automatisms were simple but functional. For example, in lifts, someone had to press a button to indicate the desired floor.

The lift would stop automatically at the correct floor thanks to a relay

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Modern robotics started with the development of microchips in the second half of the 20 century.

Thanks to the microchips:

Logic can be more complex

Robots are programmable a programmer can change the logic (software) or the parameter

Microchips are cheaper and more durable.

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Artificial intelligence is the capacity of the microprocessor to "learn from experience". It also knows from "experience" that in the afternoon most people call the lift from the upper floors

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The microprocessor can decide that:

In the morning, the lift will "wait" on the ground floor

In the afternoon, the lift will "wait" on the 5th floor

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Nano means "one million times smaller than the unit"

1 mm 1/1,000 m

1 nm1/1,000,000 m

The name "nano robots" refers to their very small size

These robots have many potential applications, particularly in the field of medicine. Nano robots could, for example, travel along human veins and un-block a blocked vein.

They could also travel through the blood stream to a particular area of the body, and release a medicine there