There are 3 major categories in robot parts. The first one is the Sensors category, that allows the robot to see and observe its environment, a camera does a great job as a sensor. The second category is the Effectors, they do most of the actual work, because they are the body the computer is put into, wheels, legs, arms, and a body would do the trick here. The last, but not least category, is the Control Systems, or the brains. They are quite self-explanatory, they control the robot. A pre-programmed robot repeats its actions over and over again, the simplest to program. Top-Down robots are built starting from the brain, it produces an intelligent robot. Bottom-Up robots are built starting from the effectors and sensors, it produces a somewhat unintelligent robot, but if built with much skill, the robot could be somewhat intelligent.
I like robots because, to me, they are the future of technology helping man in everyday tasks. So everyone can live 'labor-free'. I don't think that a robotic revolution could happen,because people are not going to be smart enough to make technology with a mind of its own. I also like robots because they can be great companions, and useful at times, too.
Many different robots have different purposes. The Roomba is a robot vacuum cleaner, it drives around the room vacuuming everything.
It started in ancient times, when people created a machine, like a computer. People in Greece believed that there was a man or bull, made of bronze, with lead blood. Then Archimedes created more mathematics, as well as many more components that are used in robotics today. In medieval times, there were automatons, which made peasants believe that there were beings much stronger than man. Blaise Pascal invented the Pascaline to help with taxes. Westinghouse created ELEKTRO, which is a robot that could walk, talk, and smoke. Science fiction writer, Isaac Asimov, first used the term Robotics to describe the technology of robots. W. Gray Walter then created his first robots Elmer and Elsie, also known as the turtle robots, they could even find their charging station when their battery was low.
A robot is a device that you can manipulate and command. The word robot comes from an old show, in which mechanical men were being referred to as robots. Three laws of robots were then created:
1.A robot shall not injure a human being or allow a human to be harmed unless it means breaking the 2nd and 3rd law. 2.A robot must obey the orders a human being gives it unless it means breaking the 1st and 3rd law. 3.A robot must not let itself be hurt unless it means that means breaking the 1st and 2nd law is needed. People made robots thousands of years ago, in Egypt, they made human figurines that could strike a bell, get the emperor bread, and much more! Now, there are robots as companions for lonely people, and robot cooks! |