What are Robots? Definition, Meaning, Parts, Mechanism, Types in Robotics

In this article, we will learn what are robots, it’s definition, meaning, parts, mechanism, types in robotics.

Let’s explore!

What are Robots? Definition, Meaning

Robots Basics & Meaning

Let’s try to understand robots! When we talk about automation, we get into different aspects that help us in the best possible ways. Technological advancement and continuous evolution made us keep excelling. This advancement led us to try new things in which robotics acquired a prominent place.

When we get into the vicinity of robots, then defining the same can be a complex chore. However, there are numerous definitions of the robot, but one of them is pretty apt.
It is one of the things that contain a gradual level of technological sophistication.
This can range from a simple materials handling system to a humanoid.
The core understanding varies for users, such as researchers portray a different image of robots while engineers in another way. However, the use of robots for industrial purposes has gained massive popularity.

In this era, it is quite essential to understand robotics and its place in the current world. Presently numerous sectors are using robots for efficient work. The need for robots is generated due to the increasing competitiveness and the need for quality.

Here in this excerpt, we will analyze all the facts and information related to Robotics. This will help us understand the core behind robotics and help in getting the information behind the continuous growth. This growth contains a holistic approach in most of the fields but taking industrial as the foremost one.

Let’s start with the core definition and then shift towards the need to create robots or robotics.

Robots Definition – What Does Robotics Mean?

A robot is simply a machine capable of physical motion that enables them to interact with the environment. The physical motion or interactions can easily involve locomotion, manipulation, and other tasks that help change the present state of the environment of the robot’s state that is comparative to the environment.

After gaining a brief introduction to the robots, we will discuss various aspects of robotics technology right from the start. This will include the main components of the vivid applications of robotic technology.

Parts of a Robot

Robots are built to provide numerous solutions as per the desired need. Due to this, robotics makes a difference as it needs numerous sets of specialized components for completing a specific task.

Some of the essential components remain at the core of the robot’s construction, such as,

the central processing unit,
power source,
actuators, etc. the following are some of the core parts that are pretty essential, or without them, we cannot think of any robot.

Central Processing Unit or Control System

What is Central Processing Unit or Control System in Robots?

Every robotic component or robot needs a control system which is also known as a central processing unit. It is similar to a human’s brain that sends signals to the body that helps in completing any task.

With this, the robots can perform any robotic takes right from assembly line packing to medical surgery.

Function of Central Processing Unit or Control System

This component effectively helps in the core process of computation which is the main process.
The central processing unit is designed to provide an idea to the robot how it can use specific components.

Sensors or Signifying Devices

What are Sensors or Signifying Devices?

Sensors are the components that exactly work for providing electrical signals to the controller and control units. This process is as same as the stimuli for the brain. With this, the robot can interact with the outside environment. Commonly, these sensors include video cameras that act as sensory devices as same as the eyes for the body.

Function of Sensors or Signifying Devices

Photoreceptors are the sensors that react to light like eyes, and the presence of microphones acts as the ears for the whole robot.
The core functions of these sensors are to get a hold of the surroundings.
In addition to that, it also processes the control unit, which is specifically based on the moment.
These sensors allow the robot to provide a series of commands to the other subsidiary components.

Power Source or Supply

Like the food supply, which transforms into energy for the human body, power sources act as robots’ energy suppliers. It requires power to function correctly.

Function of Power Source

The industrial stationary robots runs on AC power while most of the robots use lead batteries.
These are comparatively safer and provide maximum life with the help of an internal battery.
Others use compact battery types, such as silver cadmium batteries.
While designing a robot power supply, some parameters such as safety, reliability, replaceability, weight, and life should be considered without fail.

Actuators

We know that any of the robots is not properly a robot until and unless it has a movable body or structure.

Function of Actuators

Some components are specifically responsible for the movement of the robot.
Actuators are constructed with the help of motors that catches the signals from the control system and also helps in transferring the same to the other subsidiary components to attain the movement.
This can helps in completing the specific task.
These are either made up of plastic or metals and have the functionality of a pneumatic machine.
These pneumatic actuators work with the help of compressed air.
There are some other kinds of actuators also present which works with the help of oil.
These varieties of actuators are pretty effective for fulfilling the specific tasks assigned.

End effector Components

These are the external components that are attached to the robots for finishing the designated tasks.

Function End effector Components

These are basically the dynamic components that can easily be changed as needed, such as drills, brushes, tightening equipment, etc. these are specifically used in industrial setups for performing numerous tasks.

Mechanism of Robot

The mechanism of robots critically depends upon the above components. Apart from the components, there are some basic programming languages and ways these robots work.

Without these programming and critical parts, the work of robots cannot be attained. It is quite vital to get the idea clear that robot operators are not the maker of robots.

These robotic programs are quite intricate and need lots of coding.

Here are some of the ways through which robots can become easily operational:

Pendant for Teaching

Most of the manufacturing industries use robots which are to be operational through teach pendant. The number of robots based on the teach pendant for core operations can go up to 80-90%.

The continuous development in the types of teaching pendant makes it quite suitable for continuous use.
With the teach pendant, the operator moves them as per the desire by making them move with the help of buttons.
This is among the easiest to operate any of the robots.
The core advantage of this mechanism is the precise positioning which can be done through acquiring numerical coordinates.
For places with a need for simple movement, this can be the key to maximum efficiency.
The main cons of the teach pendant mechanism are the shift from core operation to teach mode while changing movement of the same.

Offline or Simulation Programming

In the research field, robots are pretty popular, but they need to understand advanced algorithms can only be attained through offline programming or simulating the whole operation.

The core reason for using offline or simulation programming mechanisms is to improve the overall efficiency and reduce downtime.
Offline programming doesn’t only make the robots fluent in working but also helps in increasing production.
For mass production, this simulation programming mechanism is used in the robots.
The core advantage of this mechanism is the reduction in downtime.
It needs to be halted whenever there is a change in the programming language.

Demonstrative Teaching

This mechanism is quite similar to the teach pendant one, but the core difference is robot involvement. It uses a force sensor or a remote controller that is attached to the end effector.

Where there is a different set of robots attached to each other, this mechanism is used.
This kind of mechanism in the whole programming makes it suitable for efficient works.
The operators can effectively use it after the demonstration happens.
The core advantage of demonstrative teaching over the normal teaching pendant is the faster user interface.
In this, the availability of buttons and other complicated things is removed.
This mechanism is adopted in those places where we have to work on detailed tasks.

With these mechanisms, it is quite easy to operate a robot. The whole of robotics depends on these mechanisms as these are the core of the same. It includes programming language as well as the other essential subsidiary components.

Types of Robots

When we learn about robotics and robots, it is necessary to get an idea about the types of robots available.

Here we are discussing five crucial kinds of robots that are being used widely:

Humanoid Robots

These are the robots that are just like a human. They can easily mimic human behavior.

These robots are fluent in performing all the activities such as carrying objects, jumping, running, etc. there are numerous robots available that look like a human.

Numerous robots look just like humans and also have the same expressions. Nowadays, these are used in the hospitality industry.

Pre-Programmed Robots

The pre-programmed robots are the robots that are operational in a controlled environment.

These are apt for simple and monotonous tasks.
These are specifically used in manufacturing industries such as automotive uses this kind of robots.
These robots are quite effective for performing different functions such as welding, connecting parts through tightening, etc. these processes can be achieved by robots more efficiently.

Autonomous Robots

Some robots have to be operated by humans, but autonomous robots are the ones that are independent of the human operators.

These robots are specifically designed for those places where there we cannot input human supervision.

They are pretty effective as well as AI-enabled, which helps them to provide effective support to humans.
One of the best approaches in this field is using vacuum cleaners that are autonomous and equipped with proper AI.
There is another robotic advancement also that uses sensors for effective results.

Teleoperated Robots

There are different kinds of robots available, but the teleoperated robots and the whole teleoperated robotics section hold the crux.

These are the robots equipped with a wireless network that enables them to be controlled by humans from a distance. This distance makes them quite safe to use.

These robots are preferred for optimal conditions such as extreme terrain and geographical conditions.
There are places where the weather is extreme; we can use these teleoperated robots effectively in those places.
Nowadays, teleoperated robots are gaining popularity due to their extensive usage under different circumstances.

Augmenting Robots

The need for automation and augmentation in different aspects is increasing day by day.

One of the core reasons for the use of augmenting robots is to enhance human capabilities to the optimal level.
The medical and healthcare industry uses these augmenting robotics techniques for providing different parts of the body to the human.
This acts as a boon for humankind, and we are getting the maximum out of this robot.

Applications of Robotics or Robot in Daily Life

In the present time, the applications of robots or in whole robotics has gained much popularity. Most of the things use robots with par level automation for attaining maximum efficiency.

There are different sectors such as agriculture, entertainment, manufacturing, exploration, and many more that uses robotics. These works are equipped with monotonous chores that require accuracy as well as precision.

For those chores, robots are critically suited due to their comparatively effective qualities than humans, such as preciseness, intelligence, and capability of doing the same work for a long time. Apart from these, some of the sectors where the works can be hazardous and unsafe. With the help of robotic techniques and robots, one can get the best fit of r those works.

These advantages of robots over humans make them quite suitable. The following are some of the specific sectors where the use of robots is prominent and increasing rapidly.

Entertainment industry

The entertainment industry is using robotics for different processes. Behind the set, activities are largely getting dependent upon the robot and robotics setting. The special effects of the movement of cameras are quite a big thing. The monotonous nature of this industry effectively helps the same to engage different robotics advancements in this field. Numerous parks also use robotic for most of their attractive works. This effectively helps in attracting customers for a surreal experience.

The agricultural aspect of the robotics

Being the base of civilization, the agricultural sector holds a massive place. The continuous advancement in the technology sector also enables it to cater towards agriculture. As we know, agriculture is a seasonal sector that critically depends upon the weather conditions and other parameters that depend on soil and other effective ones. Some of the common works are being completed with the help of robots, such as weed control, harvesting, seeding, etc. the robots used for harvesting make the process quite easy. There is certain robotics advancement that works on solar energy, which is an optimal level sustainable approach.

Safety and security

With the increase in theft and burglary around the globe, it is quite essential to secure the resources. For this reason, it is quite mandatory to use these robots to protect kinds of stuff and humans. Numerous companies are now using robotics technology for different purposes. This enables us to take proper safety measures. Apart from these, the industries that deal in precious things such as diamonds, databases, or technological goods are also shifting towards using robots.

Astronomical or space research

Whether it is sea or space, we are not aware of these genres. Space is the most dangerous for humankind; it is now preferred to use Robotics at large. We have collected different things from other planets just with the help of robots only. These are the fundamental choices for some institutions such as NASA that use robots and autonomous vehicles for exploration. If this work is dependent upon the man, then it will be a costly and unsafe practice. With the inclusion of robotics, we can easily get a hold of space and achieve that positively.

Medical and healthcare industry

The grab of healthcare and medical industry is growing rapidly worldwide. It is getting changed continuously. Robotics and robots are being used for all sorts of work and operations. The operations which need utmost precision can be easily operated with the help of robots. These robots help in therapy to patients, providing prosthetic limbs and surgeries effectively. Certain surgeries are quite intricate and complex related to the head, neck, heart, and other sensitive areas. These robots are made up of exoskeletons that can also provide adequate support for those injured critically.

Exploration Industry

The tourism and exploration sector is also getting strengthened due to the gaining popularity, though there are numerous places where humans cannot reach easily. For these places, we use different kinds of robots. Underwater exploration is a massive area that needs to be explored fully, but 75% of the sea has not been explored. With this robot and other AI technology, we can now collect critical data from places that are quite intricate and deadly. The robots that are designed for underwater exploration are remote-controlled and can go to massive depths. This is one of the most effective innovations that are getting quite popular.

Food industry

Whether it is a specific restaurant or mega food factory, the use of robots is quite popular. Some robots can easily prepare a full meal. Apart from that, the food packaging industries also use different kinds of robots for different tasks. At this time, restaurants and food joints are using robotics, AI, and robots for cooking. Apart from these, the packaged food industry also uses robots for different manufacturing purposes. Now a robot can cook a portion of delicious food that can be finger-licking.

Industrial manufacturing plants

This sector is one of the large sectors that use robotics and robots for most of the work. This is because these industries use common and numerous repetitive tasks that are pretty important to be precise. These works are assembly, welding, tacking, packaging, etc. in these industries, the robots are trained for attaining the end results. Though the creative and challenging tasks are not their forte, they can be of utmost help for the monotonous and repetitive tasks under the guidance of humans. This is among the best options for increasing the end product’s productivity, operational efficiency, and quality. It is also preferable in these industries as it is capable of performing dangerous tasks also.

Defense and Military purposes

The defense and military team are equipped with numerous chores that can be attained with perfection by Robots. Robotics is critically getting acclaimed in this sector. Drones and robots are used to keep surveillance of the enemy. They can also use effectively armed equipment to attack the opposition. These are also used for providing medical assistance to military personnel on the battlefield. MAARS (Modular Advanced Armed Robotic System) is a popular robot used in the military sector that looks like a tank. This robotic equipment holds lethal equipment such as lasers and grenades that can be quite useful on the battlefield. There are also tactical combat robots equipped with cameras and arms for catering to emergency situations on the battlefield.

Customer-centric services

Customer satisfaction is gaining much popularity, and the use of innovative things is increasing day by day. The use of robot for this purpose is gaining popularity. In this, the cosmetic industry also uses the same. Those industries which need high visibility for their products need robotics at large. The use of humanoid robots is quite prevalent in these industries. Most of the developed areas such as Japan and Singapore are using these humanoid robots. These robots are capable of chatting, shaking hands, and even making specific poses. These are also used for different tasks that are based upon movement.

Summary

The use of robot and the whole of robotics is increasing continuously. This is not only because of the aesthetics, but it also provides efficiency and productivity. Here we have discussed all robotics as well as the related information. With this much information about robotics and robot, it is easy to understand the value of automation and AI in our day-to-day life. The vivid applications of robotics in almost all sectors make it quite popular. We have tried our best to cover all the topics related to robotics, but there is a plethora of information available about robot. We will surely try to correlate some of the topics in our next article.