What is robot?

There are some definitions given as bellow

1. The Robotics Institute of America defines a robot as a "re-programmable
multi-functional manipulator designed to move materials, parts, tools, or
specialized devices through variable programmed motions for the
performance of a variety of tasks."
2. The International Organization for Standardization gives a definition of robot
as "an automatically controlled, reprogrammable, multipurpose, manipulator
programmable in three or more axes, which may be either fixed in place or
mobile for use in industrial automation applications."
3. A robot is "any automatically operated machine that replaces human effort,
though it may not resemble human beings in appearance or perform functions
in a humanlike manner".
4. It is an electric machine which has some ability to interact with physical
objects and to be given electronic programming to do a specific task. It may
also have some ability to perceive and absorb data on physical objects, or on
its local physical environment, or to process data, or to respond to various
stimuli.
5. A mechanical device that sometimes resembles a human and is capable of
performing a variety of often complex human tasks on command or by being
programmed in advance.

Classification of Robot
Robots can be classified according to various criteria such as their degrees of freedom,
kinematical structure, drive technology, work-shop geometry and motion characteristics.
[A] Classification by Degrees of Freedom: A manipulator should have 6 degrees of freedom to
manipulate an object freely in three dimensional spaces. From this point of view a robot may be
a
1. General purpose robot: if it possesses 6 degrees of freedom.
2. Redundant robot: if it possesses more than 6 degrees of freedom. It provides more freedom to
move around obstacles and operate in a tightly confined work space.
3. Deficient robot: if it possesses less than 6 degrees of freedom.
 [B] Classification by Kinematic Structure: according to kinematic structure robots can be
classified as
1. Serial Robot or Open- loop Manipulator: A robot is said to be a serial robot or an open-loop
manipulator if its kinematic structure takes the form of an open-loop chain. Example: Adept-One
Robot.
2. Parallel Manipulator: if it is made up of a closed-loop chain. In general, a parallel manipulator
has the advantages of higher stiffness, higher payload capacity, and lower inertia to the
manipulation problem than a comparable serial manipulator, at the price of a smaller workspace
and more complex mechanism
3. Hybrid Manipulator: if it consists of both open and closed loop chains. Example: Fanuc S-900
W. Many industrial robots employ this type of robot construction.

[C] Classification by Drive Technology: Manipulators can also be classified by their drive
technology. The three popular drive technologies are
1. Electric: Most manipulators use either electric DC servomotor or stepper motors because they
are clean and relatively easy to control.
2. Hydraulic: used for high speed and/or high-load-carrying capabilities. A major disadvantage
associated with this is the possibility of leaking oils. A hydraulic drive is inherently flexible, due
to bulk modulus of oil.
3. Pneumatic: Also used for high speed and/or high-load-carrying capabilities. A pneumatic drive
is clean and fast but it is difficult to control because air is a compressible fluid.

[D] Classification by Workspace Geometry: the workspace of a manipulator can be defined as

the volume of space the end of effecter can reach. The workspace can be of two types:
A reachable workspace is the volume of space within which every point can be reached by the
end effecter in at least one orientation. A dextrous workspace is the volume of space within
which every point can be reached by the end effecter in all possible orientation.
1. Cartesian robot: In this the kinematic structure of a robot arm is made of three mutually
perpendicular prismatic joints. The wrist center position of of a Cartesian robot can be
conveniently described by three Cartesian co-ordinates associated with the three prismatic joints.
The regional work-space of a Cartesian robot is a rectangular box.
When a Cartesian robot is mounted on rails above its workspace, it is called a
gantry robot.
2. Cylindrical Robot: A robot arm is called cylindrical robot if either the first or second joint of a
Cartesian robot is replaced by a revolute join. The wrist center position of a cylindrical robot can
be described by a set of cylindrical coordinate system associated with the three joint variables.
The workspace of a cylindrical robot is confined by two concentric cylinders of finite length.

3. Spherical Robot: A robot arm is called a spherical robot if either the first or second joint of a
Cartesian robot is replaced by a revolute joint. The wrist center position of a spherical robot can
be described by a set of spherical coordinate system associated with the three joint variables. The
workspace of cylindrical robot is confined by two concentric spheres.
4. Articulated Robot: A robot arm is said to be an articulated robot if all three joints are revolute.
The workspace of an articulated robot is very complex, typically a crescent shaped cross section.
Puma robot is an articulated robot.

5. The SCARA (selective compliance assembly robot arm) Robot: it is a special type of robot
consisting of two revolute joints followed by a prismatic joint. All three joint axes are parallel to
each other and usually point along the direction of gravity. The wrist has one degree of freedom
and hence the entire robot has 4 degrees of freedom. This type of robot is useful for assembling
parts on a plane.

[E] Classification by Motion Characteristics: robot manipulators can also be classified by

according to their nature of motion.
1. Planar: A manipulator is called a planar manipulator if its mechanism is a planar mechanism.
Planar manipulators are useful for manipulating an object on a plane.
2. Spherical: A rigid body is said to be under a spherical motion if all particles in the body describe
curves that lie on concentric spheres. A mechanism is said to be a spherical mechanism if all the
moving links perform spherical motion about a common stationary point. A manipulator is called
a spherical manipulator if it is made up of a spherical mechanism.
3. Spatial Manipulator: A rigid body is said to perform a spatial motion if its motion cannot be
characterized as planar or spherical motion. A manipulator is called a spatial manipulator if at
least one of the moving links in the mechanism possesses a general spatial motion. Planar and
spherical mechanisms can be considered as special cases of spatial mechanisms.
 Links, Mechanism, Machine, Machine
Tools, Equipments and Instruments
 Link: Part of a machine which moves relative to some other parts is known as link or
element. Link may be rigid or flexible or it can be a fluid link.
 Rigid Link: Link or element which is capable of transmitting the motion with negligible
deformation in it. In general we can say there is no link which is perfectly rigid. For
example: crank, piston, cylinder, etc.
 Flexible Link: this link is also capable of transmitting the power or motion with slight
deformation in it. In practical machines we can say most of them links which are used
are flexible links. For example,: spring, belt, etc.
 Fluid Link: Fluid link is just of fluid element by which power or motion is transmitted
from one element to another element.
 The basic concept for transmitting motion with the help of fluid link will be the exerted
pressure. With the help of the pressure the motion is transmitted from one point to
another point. For example: hydraulic presses, hydraulic jacks, accumulators, etc.
 Mechanism: When one link is fixed in a kinematic chain then it becomes a mechanism.
  Machine: A mechanism which is basically used to convert available energy into useful
work is known as machine.
 Each machine is a machine but all mechanisms are not machines.
 Machine tools: A machine tool is a powered mechanical device, used to fabricate metal
components or machines by machining. Examples are: broaching machine, drill
press, gear shaper, lathe, screw machines, milling
machine, shaper, saws, planer, grinding machines, etc.
 Equipment: The tools, machines, or the other things that we need for a particular job or
activity. For example: safety equipments, electrical equipments, etc.
 Instrument: A tool or implement, esp. one used for delicate work (or mild task) or for
scientific or artistic purposes. For example: scientific instrument such as microscopes,
artistic instruments such as guitar, violin, etc.

Historical development of robot:

The beginning of robot may traced to the great greek engineer Ctesibius
(270B.C.) Ctesibius applied a knowledge of pneumatics and hydraulics to
produce the first organ and water clock by moving figures. Ctesibius’s
disciple Philo of Byzantium (200B.C.) wrote Mechanical
Collection describing Ctesibius work. Building on Ctesibius’s work , Hero of
Alexandria (85 A.D.) wrote On Automatic Theaters, On Pneumatics, and On
Mechanics and is recognized as the greatest Greek engineer. Hero, famous
for invention of steam engine, presented the first well documented, workable
robot outside of mythology.
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) followed in hero’s footsteps, studying
everything he could obtain on his work. He was actively engaged in verifying
Greek reconstructions, an actively that no doubt inspired him to devise water
powered organs and clocks equipped with jacquemart for striking the hours.
Another automation that Leonardo was surely was aware of was the
famous Strasbourg cock which was in operation from 1352 to 1789.he also
developed a leaf spring powered car as proper source of actuating wings, and
probably as the propulsion system for an automation.
Nikola Tesla(1856-1943), drawing inspiration from Leonardo da Vinci, Tesla
shared his hero’s ability at spetial visualization and demonstrated a
precocious ability to build model turbines and motor powered by bugs. In
1898 Tesla demonstrated a remote controlled submersible boat. It was
controlled by coded pulses via Hertzian waves (i.e. radio controlled).
 The play RUR (Russums Universal Robots) was written by Carl Capek and
made its 1921 premier in Prague, Czecoslovakia (Capek 1973). Starting as
ideal workers, the robots, (the play introduced the word robot) have emotions
added to them to increase their productivity. A variation on the theme put
forth in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstien recurs when the robots turn on their
creators and destroy them. The play ends with an interesting twist: a robot
couple is presented as the successor of humans. The play present the duality
of technology, the threat vs the promise, through the concept of the perfect
worker – the robot. From this points on the robots have been perceived as
both a savior and a potential enemy of mankind. Since the advent of this
play , robots have achieved their own unique identity. This is reflected in the
appearance of robots built for fairs, explosions and movies. No longer made
to copy the outward appearance of man, they have become a hybrid-
functioning as a human while appearing as a machine.
The word 'robotics' was first used in Runaround, a short story published in
1942, by Isaac Asimov (born Jan. 2, 1920, died Apr. 6, 1992). I, Robot, a
collection of several of these stories, was published in 1950.

Laws of Robotics
Asimov proposed the three "Laws of Robotics", and he later added a 'zeroth
law' which are given as under below:
 Law Zero: A robot may not injure humanity, or, through inaction, allow
humanity to come to harm.
 Law One: A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow
a human being to come to harm, unless this would violate a higher order law.
 Law Two: A robot must obey orders given it by human beings, except where
such orders would conflict with a higher order law.
 Law Three: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such
protection does not conflict with a higher order law.

Comments:
♦ The MAARS (Modular Advanced Armed Robotic System) provide
machine gun
to robots which cause humans to kill. This opposes the laws given by
Asimov.
 ♦ The point here is that much of the funding for robotic research, now a days,
comes from the military, which is paying for robots that follow the very
opposite
of Asimov's laws. It wants robots that can kill, won't take orders from
just any human, and don't care about their own existences.
♦ Law number two is appropriate for robots but they are required to have as
much
judgment as an adult human to evaluate the fitness of a human who gives
them
orders. They should obey only privileged humans.
♦ We see our automobiles kill a number of people in road accidents. If we
provide
AI (Artificial Intelligence) to our automobile, it can save lives.
♦ The third law says a robot MUST be capable of self protection but not so
protective as to disobey their key holders or to corrupt their own operating
system
parameters that make them meet the “highest legal and professional standards
of
safety and ethics”. They ignore Asimov’s first law, which was the point of
the
whole thing after all.
Basic Elements of Robotics System
The basic element of a robot is given as under below:
1. Mechanical platform- the hardware base
2. Sensors
3. Motors
4. Driving mechanisms
5. Power supplies
6. Electronic controls
7. Microcontroller systems
8. Languages
9. R/C Servos
10. Pneumatics
11. Driving high-current loads from logic controllers
 Mechanical platform- the hardware base: such as a wheeled platform, arm,
or other construction, capable of interacting with its environment.

Sensors: Sensors are the parts that sense and can detect objects or things like
heat and light and convert the object information into symbols or in analog or
digital form and then robot reacts according to the information provided by
the sensory system. The sensors used in robotics are
 Vision Sensors: Camera, Frame Grabber, Image processing unit
 Proximity Sensors: distance is estimated between the robot and the object.
 Proprioceptive Sensors: are responsible for monitoring self maintenance and
controlling internal status. This includes battery monitoring, current sensing,
and heat monitoring.
 Logical Sensors
Motors: A variety of electric motors provide power to robots, making them
move with various programmed motions. AC /DC motors can be used.
Driving Mechanisms: Gears and Chains, Pulleys and Belts, Gearboxes are
used to transmit rotational motion from one place to another

Servomotors: They adjust themselves until they match the signal. A very
common use of servos is in Radio Controlled models (R/C Servos).
Power Supply: Power supply is provided by two types of sources:
 Batteries that are used once only and then discarded; and
 Rechargeable batteries: that operate from a reversible chemical reaction and
can be recharged thousand times.
Electronic controls: This uses a digital logic control circuit which controls
the mechanical system. This circuit is connected to the mechanical system
through a bridge-relay. A control signal generates a magnetic field in the
relay's coil that mechanically closes a switch.
Microcontroller systems: Microcontrollers are intelligent electronic devices
that are used inside robots. They deliver functions similar to those performed
by a microprocessor (CPU) inside a personal computer. It comprises
 Speed: is designated in clock cycles, and is usually measured in millions of
cycles per second (Megahertz, MHz).
 Size: specifies the number of bits of information the Microcontroller can
process in one step (for example, 4-, 8-, 16-, and 32-bits).
 Memory: Microcontrollers count most of their read-only memory (ROM) in
thousands of bytes (kB) and random access memory (RAM) in single bytes.
Languages: the following programming languages are used:
 VAL (Variable Assembly Language):it is the first language used in
programming.
 Robo ML (Robotic Mark-up Language)
 ROBOFORTH
 ROSSUM
 XRCL (Extensible Robot Control Language)
 Scripting language such as RoboLogics
 Visual Programming Languages is written by Labview
Pneumatics: Pneumatic system is used for actuating purposes.Pneumatics are
useful for generating linear motion.
Driving high-current loads from logic controllers: One of the most common
tasks in designing and building robots is the interfacing of logic circuitry to
high current loads such as motors, solenoids, or Nitinol wire. Logic circuitry
can sink and source loads in the range of 1 to 20 mA. The logic circuitry are
 Switch basics: interface for high-current loads can be though of as a switch.
 Relays: One of the simplest ways to accomplish high-current.
 Transistors: an semiconductor version of a relay.
 H-Bridges: Most loads such as motors need to be operated in both forward
and reverse. This requirement often leads to a circuit layout known as an H-
Bridge.