Robotics is considered by many as “the cause of our future extinction”It is incredible how such esotericism has been created around a science that has done nothing more than provide solutions to our lives.
Thanks to her, we have fully automated production in companies, which has meant a global economic growth never seen before. And in the future it will be much kinder to all the advances that are being brewed as you read this article.
In this post we will teach you everything you need to know about robotics and how it has influenced our society in a positive way in every sense.
What is robotics and what is it for? Definition and meaning
We call robotics the science that is responsible for the design, manufacture, programming and application of robots. We define robotics as the set of practical and theoretical knowledge that makes possible the construction of mechanically articulated structural systems in order to serve the human being in the industry or in the help of various programmed tasks.
Robotics technology is composed of various applied sciences and combined with each other, as may be electronics, informatics and computation, mechanics, physics, microelectronics or anima tronic among other sciences.
A robotic system can be described, as: “One who is capable of receiving information, understanding its environment through the use of models, formulating and executing plans, and controlling or supervising its operation”.
History and evolution of robotics When did it emerge and how is it evolving?
when we review the history of roboticswe are amazed at the many fascinating inventions that have emerged over the centuries by self-taught geniuses who wanted to fulfill the dream of shaping lots of parts and circuitsgiving them movements and capabilities of human beings.
There are many inventors who have flirted with the world of roboticsbut perhaps the greatest influencer in the field of robots has been Isaac Asimov Russian writerwho with his fictional work Las three laws of robotics He conquered millions of readers captivating them with his detailed world of robots and its endless possibilities.
Below we review the greatest historical milestones in robotics chronologically:
- 3rd century BC. automata beings appear in ancient China, attributing them to the inventor Yan Shi.
- year 1495creation of the first humanoid (human-shaped) robot by Leonardo Da Vinci.
- Year 1921, The fictional work “Rossum’s Universal Robots” (RUR) written by Karel Čapek tells us about the first automaton called “Robot” from where the word “robotics” originates.
- year 1956a trading robot is manufactured by the company Unimation founded by George Devol and Joseph Engelberger.
- Year 1961the installation of the first robot with industrial functions by George Devol is possible.
- Year 1971a robot created by the Soviet Union successfully reaches the surface of the planet Mars.
- Year 2000the first humanoid robot that has the ability to move on two legs and interact with people is created.
- …. and the story continues…
What are the laws of robotics and what do they mean?
When we refer to the three laws of robotics We are talking about a series of rules written by the science fiction writer, Isaac Asimovbeing these norms or laws, dogmas to be fulfilled by the robots that are part of their futuristic stories.
These laws read like this:
- Law Number 1: No robot can harm a human being, or allow harm to be done by not acting.
- Law Number 2: A robot must obey the orders given by a human being, except if these orders conflict with the first law.
- Law Number 3: A robot must protect its own existence to the extent that this protection is not incompatible with the above laws.
What types of robots exist according to their generation?
Various types of robots have been developed throughout history.which has caused them to be classified according to the time of their invention, thus giving birth to the various generations of robotics. Below you will know each of them in detail so that you know all the models in depth of each one of her.
Robotic classification according to its chronology:
First Generation 1st Robots
are those mechanical systems capable of manipulating objectsThey usually have a very simple control system, with repetitive movements. Its main function is to carry out a series of previously programmed instructions, or, failing that, carry out those that the operator orders manually. If we get philosophical, we can consider that these are robots without conscience or soulbut a machine that can manipulate objects mainly thanks to its engineering rather than its intelligence.
Second Generation Robots
are those robots capable of “learning”, they are imitators of actions made by the human being. The operator performs a simple task and the robot memorizes them by executing those same movements, as well as learning them to be able to perform them cyclically without the need to be controlled. Unlike the previous ones, these can be considered a bit cleveralthough their actions continue to be previously programmed and learned, so they have no ability to react to any change in their environment.
Third Generation Robots
They are those that have sensors to be controlled, these robots perform ordered movements directly from a computer or computer that receives commands from a computer program.
But unlike the previous ones, these can have a slight perception of their environment, which makes them stop in case something happens. Another interesting feature is that can be reprogrammed to learn or execute other types of ordersas long as these are within the possibilities of its design.
Fourth 4th Generation Robots
The fourth generation robots are the so-called intelligent, They perform operations in real time, very similar to the third generation in terms of the way they receive and process the data and information, but with much more precise sensory endingswhich allow you to get a better idea of the world around them.
For a long time it was believed that it would be the last generation of robots and it would be impossible to create much more intelligent humanoidsdespite the fact that these are not really so.
Fifth 5th generation robots
Since 2015 it began to develop a new generation of robots equipped with artificial intelligence, so that they are able to analyze an order and determine the best way to carry it out without receiving further instructions about it. Although it sounds like science fiction, each time we get closer to this utopia.
What types of robots exist according to their structure and uses?
Another way to classifying robots is according to their architecture, which is nothing more than the method used for its programming and assembly. In this sense, there are many types of robot, and below we will tell you what they all are.
Robotic classification according to its structure:
Industrial or polyarticulated robots
Here we can include those that have broad configurations and shapes, although they have a common characteristic, and that is that they are usually static, that is, they only operate in a limited space and do not have the ability to move. We can give as examples the industrial robots or manipulators that act thanks to their mechanized robotic arms that we usually see in automobile manufacturing processes.
mobile robots
They are those who have the ability to move from one place to another thanks to their locomotive wheel systems. Their movements are guided by the information received of some sensors. They are even able to avoid obstacles while being relatively “smart” robots.
android robots
The humanoid robots, those that imitate the shape of the human being, both in appearance and in movement. Even this type of android robots have the lack of stably maintaining their bipedal position (on two legs) and being able to have real-time coordination, however, advances in this type of robots are increasing.
zoomorphic robots
When we talk about Zoomorphic robots refer to those that try to imitate animals that are part of nature. Two types of zoomorphic are usually distinguished, those that can move and those that cannot. The most evolved robots are the walkers, which try to mirror the movements of, for example, a spider in a robotic way. They are the future off-road vehicles that will explore planets and volcanoes
hybrid robots
To finish with the classification of the types of robots according to their structure, it is worth highlighting those that do not combine some of the characteristics of the above mentionedthey can already be animal-shaped and mobile robots, for example.
How does a robot really work?
A robot is mainly made up of 6 parts:
- Structure: We refer to the chassis and it is what shapes and supports all the pieces, let’s say it is the robotic skeleton.
- mechanisms: They are in charge of giving movement to the robot, the mechanisms link the parts so that the automaton can move, turn on itself or move its joints. The mechanisms can be of the pulley, belt, gear, belt or wheel type. We call actuators the mechanisms that serve as a separation between the robot and the environment that surrounds it, that is, they are the arms, hands, screens, etc.
- Energy sources: It is worth noting two clearly differentiated energy sources, the batteries, an electrical energy source and the motor, a mechanical energy source, both supply the different functions for which the robotic prototype has been designed.
- Control elements: They are the ones that allow the robot to be controlled, these systems are capable of interpreting the signals sent by the sensors and through programming the robot performs its task, it is a very important part of its design.
- Sensors: They are the “eyes” of the robot, the sensors can measure and interpret different situations and serve to give the robot information about what is around it, it communicates with the environment in which it is. The sensors can be light, temperature, touch, smell, pressure sensors, infrared rays, vision cameras, ultrasound, etc. They are the senses available to the robot to be able to know everything that surrounds it and thus make decisions based on the stimuli received.
- Programming: It is the software of the robot, which tells the control elements what to do. Depending on the programming language that has been used, it will be more or less complex. Let’s say that it is the “brain” of the robot, depending on what actions it has programmed, it will act depending on what it receives from its sensors.
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