1. What is a Robot? Definition of Robot Webster:
“An automatic apparatus or device that performs functions ordinarily ascribed to human beings or operates with what appears to be almost human intelligence”
2. Robot Institute of America
“A robot is a re-programmable, multifunctional manipulator designed to move material, parts, tools or specialized devices through variable programmed motions for the performance of variety of tasks”

2. Technologies that go to make up a robot
• Mechanical Engineering
Design of the mechanism.Understanding of the kinematics and
dynamics of the system.
• Electronic Engineering
Design of the actuator and sensor systems.
• Systems Engineering
Analysis and integration of the overall system. Signal conditioning and Control.
• Computer Science
Design of the logic, intelligence or adaptability, networking and
interface.

3. Robot Characteristics
The following definition are used to characterized robot specification
Payload
Reach
Precession
Repeatability

4. Robot Characteristics (cont)
Payload
Payload is the weight a robot can carry and still remain within its other specifications
E.g. A robot maximum load capacity may be much larger than its specified payload, but at maximum level it may become less accurate, may not follow its intended path accurately, or may have excessive deflections

5. Robot Characteristics (cont)
Reach
Maximum distance a robot can reach within its work envelope
Precision (validity)
Defined as how accurately a specified point can be reached.
Most industrial robot can have precision of inch or better

6. Robot Characteristics (cont)
Repeatability (variability)
Repeatability is how accurate the same position can be reached of the motion repeated many times.
Repeatability is more important than precision
If a robot is not precise, it will generally show a consistent error, which can be predicted and thus corrected using programming.
If the error is random, it cannot be predicted and thus cannot be eliminated.
Most industrial robots have repeatability in the inch range

7. Advantages & Disadvantages of Robots
Robotics and automation can, in many situations increase productivity, safety,efficiency, quality and consistency of product
Robot can work in hazardous environments without the need of life support, comfort or concern about safety
Robot needs no environmental comfort, such as lightning, air conditioning, ventilation and noise protection
Robots work continuously without experiencing fatigue or boredom, do not get mad, do not have hangovers and need medical insurance or vacation

8. Advantages & Disadvantages of Robots (cont)
Robots have repeatable precision at all times, unless something happens to them or unless wear out
Robots can be much more accurate than human. E.g. New wafer handling robots have micro inch accuracies
Accessories and sensor can have capabilities beyond humans
Can process multiple stimuli or tasks simultaneously.

9. Advantages & Disadvantages of Robots (cont)
Robots replace human workers creating economic problems. E.g. lost salaries, social problems (dissatisfaction and resentment among workers)
Robots lack capability to respond in emergencies, unless the situation is predicted and the response is included in the system. Safety measures are needed to ensure that they do not injured operators and machine working with them

10. Advantages & Disadvantages of Robots (cont)
This includes:
Inappropriate or wring responses
A lack of decision making power
A loss of power
Damage to the robot and other devices
Human injuries

11. Advantages & Disadvantages of Robots (cont)
Robots have limited capabilities in
Degree of freedom
Dexterity
Sensors
Vision systems
Real time response

12. Advantages & Disadvantages of Robots (cont)
Robots are costly due to
Initial cost of equipment
Installation cost
Need of peripherals
Need for training
Need for programming

13. Robot Components
A Robot as a system consists of the following elements which are integrated together to form a whole:
Manipulator (or rover)
End effectors
Actuators
Sensors
Controller
Processor
Software

14. Robot Components (cont)
Manipulator
Is the main body of the robot and consists of links, the joints and other structural elements
End Effectors
The part that is connected to the last joint (hand) of a manipulator.
In most cases the action of the end effector is either controlled by the robot’s controller or the controller communicates with the end effector’s controlling device such as (e.g. PLC)

15. Robot Components (cont)
Actuators
Are the “muscles” of the manipulator that move or create mechanical action
Common types
Servomotors – power driven mechanism that help main controller operates using low force
Stepper motors – a rotating motor in a small step and not continuous
Pneumatic cylinders – relating to air or other gases
Hydraulic cylinders – moved by, or operated by a fluid, especially water, under pressure.

16. Robot Components (cont)
Actuators (cont)

17. Robot Components (cont)
Actuators (cont)
Multiplication factor
E.g
Left piston = 2 inches in diameter (1-inch radius)
Right piston = 6 inches in diameter (3-inch radius)
Area = r2
Answer
Area of the left piston = (1)2 = 3.14
Area of the right piston =
The piston on the right is 9 times larger than the piston on the left. What that means is that any force applied to the left-hand piston will appear 9 times greater on the right-hand piston. So if you apply a 100-pound downward force to the left piston, a 900-pound upward force will appear on the right. The only catch is that you will have to depress the left piston 9 inches to raise the right piston 1 inch.

18. Robot Components (cont)
Sensors
Sensors are used to collect information about the internal state if the robot to communicate with outside environment
E.g. Vision system, speech, and touch/tactile
Controller
Similar to cerebellum (controls motions)
Receive data from computer, control actuators motions and coordinates the motions with the sensory feedback information
E.g. Controls angle, velocity, force

19. Robot Components (cont)
Processor
The brain
Generally a computer but dedicated to a single purpose
E.g. Calculates motions, how much/fast joint must move
Software
Three group of software
Operating system
Robotic software – calculates necessary motions of each joint based on kinematics equations
Collection of routines and application programs – to use peripheral devices (e.g. vision routines, specific task)

20. Types of Robot – Function & Application
Classification of Robot
Japanese Industrial Robot Association (JIRA)
Class 1: Manual Handling Device: A device with multiple DOF that is actuated by an operator
Class 2: Fixed-Sequence Robot: A device that performs the successive stages if a task according to predetermined, unchanging method and is hard to modify
Class 3: Variable–Sequence Robot: Same as 2 but easy to modify
Class 4: Playback Robot: A human operator performs the task manually and records the motions for later playback. The robot repeats.

21. Types of Robot – Function & Application
Classification of Robot (cont)
Japanese Industrial Robot Association (JIRA)
Class 5: Numerical Control Robot: The operator supplies the robot with a movement program rather than teaching them manually
Class 6: Intelligent Robot: Robot with means to understand its environment and the ability to successfully complete a task despite changes in the surrounding.

22. Types of Robot – Function & Application
Classification of Robot (cont)
Robotics Institute of America (RIA) only consider class 3-6 as robots
The Association Francaise de Robotique (AFR)
Type A: Handling devices with manual control to telerobotics
Type B: Automatic handling devices predetermined cycles
Type C: Programmable, servo controlled robot with continuous point-to-point trajectories
Type D: Same as type C, but with the capability to acquire information from its environment

23. Types of Robot – Function & Application
Robot Application
4A tasks
Automation
Augmentation
Assistance
Autonomous
4D Application
Dangerous
Dirty
Dull
Difficult

24. Degree of Freedom (DOF)
Six degree of freedom is needed to fully place the object in space and also oriented it as desired (move & rotate along x-, y- and z-axes)
If fewer than six, the robot’s capabilities are limited
E.g.
Robot with three DOF can only move along x-, y- and z-axes. No orientation can be specified (only parallel to axes)
Robot with five DOF capable of rotating about three axes but only moving along x-, y-axes (not z-axes)

25. Degree of Freedom (DOF) (cont)
A system with seven degrees of freedom does not have unique solution. There are infinite number of ways it can position a part and orientate it at desired location. There must be additional decision making routine (for the controller) that allows it to pick the fastest or shortest path to the desired destination.
Due to this which take much computing power and time no seven DOF is used in industry
Human arms have seven DOF. (Shoulder – 3 DOF, Elbow – 1 DOF, wrist - 3 DOF)
In robot end effectors never consider as on of DOF
½ DOF - if movement is not fully controlled (e.g only can fully extended or retracted, can only at 0, 30, 60 or 90 degrees)

26. Robot Coordinates
Robot configurations for positioning the hand are as follows:
Cartesian/rectangular/gantry (3P)
Cylindrical (R2P)
Spherical (2RP)
Articulated/anthropomorphic (3R)
Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm (SCARA)
P = Prismatic (linear), R = Revolute, S = Spherical

27. Robot Coordinates (cont)

28. Robot Workspace
Robot workspace is the ability of a robot to reach a collection of points (workspace) which depends on the configuration and size of their links and wrist joint.
The workspace may be found mathematically by writing equations that define the robot’s links and joints including their limitations, such as ranges of motions for each joint
Alternatively can be found by subtracting all the space it can reach with what it cannot reach.

29. Robot Workspace (cont)

30. Arm Configuration
A Point for a Cartesian-coordinates Robot

31. Arm Configuration (cont)
A Point for a Cylindrical-coordinates Robot

32. Arm Configuration (cont)
A Point for a Cylindrical-coordinates Robot (cont)

33. Arm Configuration (cont)
A Point for a SCARA Robot

34. Arm Configuration (cont)
A Point for a SCARA Robot (cont)

35. Arm Configuration (cont)
A Point for a Polar-coordinates Robot

36. Arm Configuration (cont)
A Point for a Polar-coordinates Robot (cont)

37. Arm Configuration (cont)
A Point for a Jointed-arm Robot

38. Arm Configuration (cont)
A Point for a Jointed-arm Robot (cont)