| Understanding Robotics and Robotic Arms |
| Written by Mike Brown |
| Tuesday, 10 November 2009 09:13 |
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Robot is a Czech word meaning "forced labor". What your parents thought of as science fiction is now becoming a reality in the 21st century. What seemed like fantasy 30 years ago is becoming a reality today.
Robot is a Czech word meaning "forced labor". What your parents thought of as science fiction is now becoming a reality in the 21st century. What seemed like fantasy 30 years ago is becoming a reality today. People are dictated by fear and so a fear of robots is a natural part of the human condition. In reality, such a fear is silly. Robots are nothing more than computers or machines. Being afraid of a robot is sort of like being afraid of a dishwasher or lawn mower. While such fears are justified to a certain extent, most of the fear comes from the fact that robot machines are made to look human and so the lay man assigns human characteristics to these machines. In order to calm peoples fears, silly Robot laws were developed. These laws are theoretical in that they really do not apply to anything in a strictly scientific sense. It is sort of like assigning laws to a dishwasher. Nevertheless, the first law, actually called law zero (I know stupid) states that a robot may not harm humanity. The second law states that a robot may not harm a human. The third law states that a robot must obey a human unless it is ordered to harm a human. The forth law states that a robot must protect its own existence unless doing so would bring harm to a human. I know, stupid. These laws were created by a science fiction author and were never meant to be taken literally. Nevertheless, these laws actually exist to appease paranoid, anti-technology people. According to The Robot Institute of America a robot is a reprogrammable, multifunctional manipulator designed to move materials, parts, tools, or specialized devices through various programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks. This is a scientific sounding description however most people just think of robots as a machine that mimic their counterparts. In practical usage, a robot is a mechanical device which performs automated tasks. The most developed robot in practical use today is the robotic arm and it is seen in applications throughout the world. We use robotic arms to carry out dangerous work such as when dealing with hazardous materials. We use robotic arms to carry out work in outer space where man can not survive and we use robotic arms to do work in the medical field such as conducting experiments without exposing the researcher. Advanced robotic arms usually have a pivoting shoulder, pivoting elbow, rotational wrists, a rotational base, and even fingers for fine motor skills. These features let a robot arm do the work of a human without risking human life. About the Author: Hot deals on robots including the Lego Mindstorms NXT for less than $100 at buy lego mindstorms nxt and for the best, jaw dropping prices on hundreds of the most popular robots at prices you can compare from all the major robot retailers, go to where to buy robots |