1. Introduction to Robots

2. History of Robots

3. What is a Robot? Many different definitions for robots exist:
Many devices with varying degrees of autonomy are called robots.
Some consider machines wholly controlled by an operator to be robots.
Others require a machine be easily reprogrammable.

4. What is a Robot? Many different definitions for robots exist:
A machine design to carry out a specific task.
A machine capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically, especially one programmable by a computer.

5. Robot Classes
Manipulators: robotic arms. These are most commonly found in industrial settings.

6. Robot Classes
Mobile Robots: unmanned vehicles capable of locomotion.

7. Robot Classes
Hybrid Robots: mobile robots
with manipulators.

8. Robot Classes
Bipedal Robots: its body shape is built to resemble the human body.

9. A cyborg (short for "cybernetic organism") is a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts.

10. Robot Components Body End Effectors Actuators Sensors
Computer hardware
Computer software
Networking and communication
Power source

11. Robot Body
Typically defined as a graph of links and joints

12. Types of Joints
A ball joint allows rotation around x, y, and z axis.

13. Types of Joints
A hinge joint allows rotation around x or y axis.

14. Types of Joints
A slider joint, which allows translation along y or x axis.

15. Robot End Effectors
An end effector is the device at the end of a robotic arm, designed to interact with the environment. The exact nature of this device depends on the application of the robot.

16. Robot End Effectors

17. Robot End Effectors
End effectors accomplish some desired physical functions or task.
Examples:
Hands: griping
Tools: drill, torch, arc welder
Wheels: lateral movement
Legs: lateral movement and climing

18. Robot Actuators
An actuator is a mechanism for activating process control equipment by the use of pneumatic, hydraulic, or electronic signals
Actuators are the “muscles” of the robot.
Actuators provides propulsion and gives physical strength to the robot.

19. Robot Actuators
These can be electric motors, hydraulic systems, pneumatic systems, or any other system that can apply forces to the system.

20. Robot Actuators

21. Robot Sensors

23. Human sensing and organs
Vision: eyes (optics, light)
Hearing: ears (acoustics, sound)
Touch: skin (mechanics, heat)
Odor: nose (vapor-phase chemistry)
Taste: tongue (liquid-phase chemistry)

24. Definition
Sensor: A device which provides information about the physical world.
Note use of word “information”. In other words, sensors are usually thought of as being the interface between a information processing system and the physical world.

25. Definition
Transducer: A device which converts energy from one form to another.
Sensors are based on a transduction principle - conversion of energy from one form to another
Note use of word “information”. In other words, sensors are usually thought of as being the interface between a information processing system and the physical world.
Sensors are transducers.

26. Robot Sensors Why do Robots Need Sensors? What can be Sensed?
What Sensors are Out There?
What can They do?

28. Sensors - What Can Be Sensed?
Light
Presence, color, intensity, content (mod), direction
Sound
Presence, frequency, intensity, content (mod), direction
Heat
Temperature, wavelength, magnitude, direction

29. Sensors - What Can Be Sensed?
Chemicals
Presence, concentration, identity, etc.
Object Proximity
Presence/absence, distance, bearing, color, etc.
Physical orientation/attitude/position
Magnitude, pitch, roll, yaw, coordinates, etc.

30. Why Do Robots Need Sensors?
Provides “awareness” of surroundings
What’s ahead, around, “out there”?
Allows interaction with environment
Robot lawn mower can “see” cut grass
Protection & Self-Preservation
Safety, Damage Prevention, Stairwell sensor
Gives the robot capability to goal-seek
Find colorful objects, seek goals

31. Why do robots need sensors?
What is the angle of my arm?
Internal information

32. Why do robots need sensors?
Were am I?
location

33. Why do robots need sensors?
Will I hit anything?
obstacle detection

34. Types of Sensors Sensors can be Active or Passive: Active Sensors
sends signal into the environment and measure the interaction of the signal with environment.
Example: radar & sonar
Passive Sensors
record signals already present in the environment.
Example: video cameras

35. What Sensors Are Out There?
Feelers (Whiskers, Bumpers) – Active
Next we are going to look at what’s out there to make these measurements. In a word “LOTS”. There are sensors you can build out of cannibalized parts, junk, or whatever. There are also many sensors that you can buy, ready to interface to a robot’s controller. The next couple slide cover a lot of them.

36. Feelers - Whiskers
Pictures of feelers or whiskers.

37. Feelers - Bumpers & Guards
Pictures of bumpers.

38. What Sensors Are Out There?
Feelers (Whiskers, Bumpers) – Active
Photoelectric (Visible) – Active & Passive
Infrared (light) – Active & Passive
Next we are going to look at what’s out there to make these measurements. In a word “LOTS”. There are sensors you can build out of cannibalized parts, junk, or whatever. There are also many sensors that you can buy, ready to interface to a robot’s controller. The next couple slide cover a lot of them.

39. Photoelectric – Active Sensor
Picture of an active IR sensor system.

40. What Sensors Are Out There?
Feelers (Whiskers, Bumpers) – Active
Photoelectric (Visible) – Active & Passive
Infrared (light) – Active & Passive
Ultrasonic (sound) – Active & Passive
Next we are going to look at what’s out there to make these measurements. In a word “LOTS”. There are sensors you can build out of cannibalized parts, junk, or whatever. There are also many sensors that you can buy, ready to interface to a robot’s controller. The next couple slide cover a lot of them.

41. Ultrasonic – Active Sensor
$27
Picture of components and sub-systems for ultrasonic ranging systems.
$134
$49

42. END