Robotics Tutorial
Robotics is a branch of engineering that deals with the study of design, construction, operation, and applications of robots and intelligent machines. The primary goal of robotics is to develop intelligent machines that can assist human workers or perform low-value, repetitive tasks autonomously.
- Robotics involve multiple engineering disciplines like mechanical engineering, electrical and electronics, computer science, control engineering, communication, and material engineering to develop robots or autonomous machines.
- Robots play a vital role in accomplishing the tasks which are hazardous to people such as mines operations, exploring space, etc.
- Robots are also used to perform boring, tedious, and repetitive tasks such as cleaning, assembling, transporting, and many more.
Today, robotics is one of fastest growing field, bringing technological advancements in various industries.
This tutorial has been designed to explain the basics to advanced concepts of Robotics for both beginners and professionals.
What is Robotics?
Robotics is an interdisciplinary engineering branch that deals with the study, design, manufacturing, operation, and applications of intelligent machines, called robots. Robotics help us develop machines that can replicate human actions and perform tasks. These machines are relatively faster, more efficient, and accurate as compared to human workers.
In modern days, robotics is being empowered by artificial intelligence (AI) and other cognitive technologies to handle more complex processes and functions in different industries.
What is a Robot?
A robot is nothing but a combination of mechanical machine and a digital computer. We can define a robot as an intelligent machine that can be programmed to perform a specific task. The level of programming defines the degree of autonomy in the robot. Today, various fully-autonomous robots are available to perform tasks without any human involvement. The term "Robot" was derived from the Czech word "Robota" which means "forced labor".
Components of a Robot
The components of a typical robot are classified into the following three categories, and they work together to perform specific tasks.
1. Mechanical Components
It is the physical structure or design of the robot. It includes frame and physical components of the robot. The mechanical structure of the robot is responsible for converting instructions into actions or motions.
2. Electrical Components
The electrical components of a robot are responsible for powering and controlling the robotic functions. These components act as a bridge between software part and mechanical construction of the robot. Electrical components construct the nervous system of the robot.
The key electrical components of a robot are as follows −
- Motors − These components are provided to convert electricity from battery into motion to move the mechanical components and perform actions.
- Sensors − These components are responsible for measuring environmental parameters like position, temperature, sound, etc. They create senses in the machine.
- Power Sources − Batteries are the main sources of power in robots that provide electricity to motors and sensors to work.
3. Software Components
Software acts as the brain of the robot. It issues instructions based on inputs and makes the robot to act accordingly. Software is entirely responsible for defining behavior and actions of the robot.
Types of Robots
Depending on the design and purpose, robots are classified into the following three types −
1. Pre-Programmed Robots
Those robots which are programmed to perform specific, repetitive jobs in a controlled environment are called pre-programmed robots. These robots perform actions by following specific set of instructions in their programming. The robotic arms used in factories on assembly lines are common examples of pre-programmed robots.
2. Autonomous Robots
Robots which are designed to operate on their own, without any human intervention are called autonomous robots or self-operated robots. These robots can understand and interpret the external environment around them. For this, they are equipped with various types of sensors and computing technologies.
Autonomous robots are primarily designed for unpredictable environments to handle unexpected situations. Robotic vacuum cleaner, self-driving cars, agricultural robots, etc. are common examples of autonomous robots.
3. Teleoperated Robots
Teleoperated robots, also known as telerobots, are those types of robots which are operated and controlled by a human operator from a remote location. These robots have a separate control station associated with them to monitor and control the robots operations.
Telerobots are mainly designed to perform tasks in dangerous and hard-to-reach areas. These robots allow people to accomplish tasks from a safe distance without going near or into hazardous areas. Underwater robots, drones, robotic arms on space shuttles, etc. are common examples of teleoperated robots.
Advantages of Robotics
Robotics offer a whole lot of benefits, some of which are listed below −
- Robotics provide technologies and systems that help creating safer work environment in industries. Robotics automates tasks involving risk of danger to human workers and reduce the exposer of employees to unsafe areas.
- Robotics improve the efficiency and productivity by automating complex processes.
- Robotics also increases the production rate and improves the business outcomes.
- Robotics can perform delicate operations accurately which are otherwise very difficult for humans. It also reduces human errors in processes.
- Robotics help reduce operational costs significantly by reducing labor cost, human errors, and streamlining processes. Robotic systems are more efficient and less expensive as compared to human workers.
- Robotics allow to develop versatile and flexible machines that can be programmed or re-programmed to perform different tasks or adapt changes.
Disadvantages of Robotics
Despite its long list of benefits, robotics also has its limitations, which are highlighted below −
- Robotics involve high initial cost for development and implementation of systems. This cost is primarily involved in research, conceptualization, design, and production.
- Robotics can displace many jobs by automating repetitive tasks. This can create economic concerns for people working in those specific areas.
- Robotic systems are highly complex and require technical expertise for maintenance.
- Despite technological advancements, robotics can never automate various processes that require creativity, human empathy, or advanced research.
- Robotics is subjected to hacking or cybersecurity issues. This can create ethical and security concerns, especially in sensitive areas like defense, surveillance, etc.
- Robotics also has a significant impact on the environment, as the robotic systems consume energy, from manufacturing to operation.
Industries That Use Robots and Robotics
The following table highlights a list of industries that apply robotics to perform a variety of jobs autonomously −
| Industry | Applications of Robotics |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | Automating assembly lines, welding, packaging, material management, quality control, etc. |
| Healthcare | Hospital automation, robotic surgery, drug delivery, rehabilitation therapies, etc. |
| Agriculture | Planting, harvesting, monitoring crops, weeding, precision farming, etc. |
| Logistics | Product sorting, goods transportation, picking and packing, inventory management, goods delivery, etc. |
| Automotive | Production line automation, welding, painting, material management, etc. |
| Aerospace | Automate assembling of aircraft parts, inspection, precision drilling, etc. |
| Defense and Military | Robotic surveillance, drone-based bomb disposal, etc. |
| Construction | 3D printing of structures, inspection, demolition, welding, safety improvement, bricklaying, etc. |
| Food and Beverage | Packaging, sorting products, certain food preparation, cooking, baking, quality control, etc. |
| Retail | Inventory counting, customer service, cashier-less store, tracking checkout process, etc. |
Important Terms Related to Robotics
The following terms are important and very helpful to grasp the concepts covered in this tutorial −
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI or Artificial Intelligence is a technology that simulates human intelligence in machines. It is being widely used in robotics to implement learning, problem solving, decision-making, creativity, and autonomy capabilities in robotic systems.
Machine Learning in Robotics
Machine Learning (ML) is a subset of AI that makes machines self-learning by doing. It enables machines to learn from actions and data it is dealing with, without any explicit programming. In robotics, machine learning helps in developing robots that can handle unpredictable situations and evolve over time.
Humanoid Robots
Humanoid robots are the robotic systems having human-like shape and can interact with the same equipment or environment as humans.
Collaborative Robots (Cobots)
Cobot, also known as collaborative robot or companion robot, are the robotic systems designed to work safely with human workers in a shared and collaborative workspace.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
Robotic Process Automation, also known as software robotics, is a type of business process automation (BPA) that uses software bots to perform business processes autonomously. It uses pre-defined sets of rules and instructions to perform specific tasks.
Industrial Robotics
Industrial robotics is a robotics technology used for developing and manufacturing industrial robots to automate intensive production tasks like moving assembly lines, welding, etc.
Swarm Robotics
Swam robotics is a technique in which multiple simple physical robots are coordinated together as a system.
Robot Sensors
Robot sensors are those components of a robot that allow it to see and feel (or understand) the environment around it. Robot sensors function in the same way as the sensory organs in a human body. Examples of robot sensors include camera, mica, encoder, potentiometer, LVDT, GPS, etc.
Robot Operating System (ROS)
Robotic operating system (ROS) is an open-source robotic middleware suite. However, ROS is not exactly an operating system, but it is a set of software framework that helps developers to build robot software.
Robotic Arm
A robotic arm is a mechanical arm that can be programmed to perform a specific function autonomously. It can be a single arm mounted on a base or a part of a complex robot. It is used in industrial automation.
Mobile Robots
Mobile robots are those that can move around in their environment and are controlled by software and technologies like artificial intelligence.
Drone Robotics
A robotics technology that focuses on development of flying robots and their control using remote systems or software is termed as drone robotics.
Ethics in Robotics
Ethics in robotics is nothing but the study of ethical problems associated with robots. It gives guidelines to design robots that work ethically, without posing any threat to humans or environment.
What You Will Learn in This Robotics?
This comprehensive tutorial on Robotics will cover the following essential topics and concepts related to Robotics −
- Introduction to Robotics − This chapter of tutorial will explain the basic definitions and fundamentals of robotics along with its importance in various modern industries.
- Types of Robots − In this chapter, we will discuss the classification of robots and their functions.
- Sensors and Control Systems − This chapter will explain different types of control systems used in robots to control their operations.
- Robot Operating System − In this chapter, we will learn about Robot Operating System.
- Robotics Programming Languages − This chapter will explain the basics of some popular robotic programming languages and their applications in real-world robots.
Who Should Learn Robotics?
This tutorial can be equally useful for both beginners and experienced professionals working in the field of robotics.
Readers who fall in any of the following categories can benefit from this tutorial −
- Students learning mechanical, electronics, electrical, or any related engineering field.
- Anyone who is interested in developing robots as a project or hobby.
- Professionals like engineers or developers who want to make their career in robotics.
- Trainers, teachers, or instructors can use this tutorial as a reference, etc.
Prerequisites to Learn Robotics
This tutorial on Robotics has been designed for absolute beginners who are interested in learning the fundamentals of robotics and robots. It is not mandatory, but a basic understanding of concepts like algebra, trigonometry, calculus, mechanics, kinematics, C++, Python, ROS, basic electronics and circuits, etc. will be very helpful to get most out of this tutorial.
FAQs on Robotics
In this section, we have collected some most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to Robotics, followed by their answers.
The working steps of a typical robot are explained below −
Step 1 − Use sensors to measure and analyze the surrounding environment.
Step 2 − Send input signals to control systems for processing and issuing instructions.
Step 3 − Control signals (instructions) are sent to actuators like motors to perform actions or movements.
A robot is an automated machine programmed to perform a specific task or a set of tasks, whereas AI (artificial intelligence) is a technology that simulates human intelligence in machines and gives decision-making capabilities to the machines.
Robots can receive electric power to operate from various sources like batteries, photovoltaic cells, or direct electric connection with the supply mains.
The most commonly used programming languages in robotics are Python, C++, Java, MATLAB, and Lisp.
Robotics is one of the fastest growing fields. In the near future, it is expected to get fully automatic robots powered by AI and cognitive technologies to perform a series of tasks independently and collaborate with human workers to help them in completing more complex tasks.