What is robotics. What is a robot? Social consequences of robotization

More than two thousand years ago, Heron of Alexandria created the “Singing Bird” water machine and a number of systems of movable figures for ancient temples. In 270, the ancient Greek inventor Ctesibius invented a special water clock, called the clepsydra (or “stealing time”), which, with its ingenious device, aroused considerable interest among contemporaries. In 1500, the great Leonardo da Vinci developed a mechanical device in the form of a lion, which was supposed to reveal the coat of arms of France when the king entered the city. In the 18th century, the Swiss watchmaker P. Jaquet-Droz created a mechanical doll called “The Scribe,” which could be programmed using cam drums to write text messages containing up to 40 letters. In 1801, the French merchant Joseph Jacquard introduced an innovative loom design at the time, which could be “programmed” using special cards with holes to reproduce repeating decorative patterns on woven fabrics. At the beginning of the 19th century, this idea was borrowed by the English mathematician Charles Babbage to create one of the first automatic computers. Around the 30s of the 20th century, androids appeared that implemented elementary movements and were able to pronounce the simplest phrases upon human command. One of the first such developments was the design of the American engineer D. Wexley, created for the World Exhibition in New York in 1927.

In the 50s of the 20th century, mechanical manipulators for working with radioactive materials appeared. They were able to copy the hand movements of the operator, who was in a safe place. By 1960, the development of remotely controlled wheeled platforms with a manipulator, a television camera and a microphone was carried out for examination and collection of samples in areas of high radioactivity.

The widespread adoption of industrial numerically controlled machine tools has stimulated the creation of programmable manipulators used for loading and unloading machine tools. In 1954, the American engineer D. Devol patented a method for controlling a loading and unloading manipulator using replaceable punched cards; as a result, in 1956, together with D. Engelberger, he created the world's first industrial company, Unimation. Unimation from Universal Automation) for the production of industrial robotics. In 1962, the first industrial robots in the United States, Versatran and Unimate, were released, and some of them are still functioning, having surpassed the threshold of 100 thousand hours of working life. While in these early systems the cost ratio between electronics and mechanics was 75% to 25%, this has now been reversed. At the same time, the final cost of electronics continues to decline steadily. The advent of low-cost microprocessor control systems in the 1970s, which replaced specialized robot control units with programmable controllers, helped reduce the cost of robots by approximately three times. This served as an incentive for their mass distribution throughout all sectors of industrial production.

There is a lot of similar information contained in the book. "Robotics: History and Prospects" I. M. Makarova and Yu. I. Topcheev, which is a popular and detailed story about the role that robots have played (and will still play) in the history of the development of civilization.

The most important classes of robots

You can use several approaches to classifying robots - for example, by area of application, by purpose, by method of movement, etc. By area of main application, we can distinguish industrial robots, research robots, robots used in teaching, and special robots.

The most important classes of general purpose robots are: manipulative And mobile robots.

Manipulation robot- an automatic machine (stationary or mobile), consisting of an actuator in the form of a manipulator having several degrees of mobility, and a program control device, which serves to perform motor and control functions in the production process. Such robots are produced in floor, hanging And portal performances. They are most widespread in the machine-building and instrument-making industries.

Mobile robot- an automatic machine that has a moving chassis with automatically controlled drives. Such robots can be wheeled, walking And tracked(there are also crawling, floating And flying mobile robotic systems, see below).

Robot components

Drives

Drives: these are the “muscles” of the robots. Currently, the most popular motors in drives are electric, but others using chemicals, liquids or compressed air are also used.
DC motors: Currently, most robots use electric motors, which can be of several types.
Stepper motors: As the name suggests, stepper motors do not spin freely like DC motors. They rotate step by step to a certain angle under the control of the controller. This allows you to do without a position sensor, since the angle at which the turn was made is known to the controller; Therefore, such motors are often used in many robot drives and CNC machines.
Piezo motors: A modern alternative to DC motors are piezo motors, also known as ultrasonic motors. The principle of their operation is very original: tiny piezoelectric legs, vibrating at a frequency of more than 1000 times per second, force the motor to move in a circle or straight line. The advantages of such engines are high nanometric resolution, speed and power, incommensurate with their size. Piezo motors are already available commercially and are also used on some robots.
Air muscles: Air muscles are a simple yet powerful device for providing traction. When pumped with compressed air, muscles can contract up to 40% of their length. The reason for this behavior is the weaving visible from the outside, which causes the muscles to be either long and thin or short and thick [ ] . Because the way they work is similar to biological muscles, they can be used to produce robots with muscles and skeletons similar to those of animals.
Electroactive polymers: Electroactive polymers are a type of plastic that changes shape in response to electrical stimulation. They can be designed in such a way that they can bend, stretch or contract. However, at present there are no EAPs suitable for the production of commercial robots, since all existing samples of them are ineffective or fragile.
Elastic nanotubes: This is a promising experimental technology in the early stages of development. The absence of defects in nanotubes allows the fiber to elastically deform by several percent. The human biceps can be replaced with a wire made of this material with a diameter of 8 mm. Such compact “muscles” could help robots in the future overtake and jump over humans.

Ways to move

Wheeled and tracked robots

The most common robots of this class are four-wheeled and tracked robots. Robots are also being created with a different number of wheels; in this case, it is often possible to simplify the design of the robot, as well as give it the ability to work in spaces where a four-wheeled design is ineffective.

Two-wheeled robots are usually used to determine the angle of inclination of the robot body and generate the corresponding control voltage(in order to ensure maintaining balance and performing the necessary movements) certain gyroscopic devices. The problem of maintaining the balance of a two-wheeled robot is related to the dynamics of an inverse pendulum. Many similar "balancing" devices have been developed. Such devices include Segway, which can be used as a robot component; for example, the Segway is used as a transport platform in the Robonaut robot developed by NASA.

Single-wheeled robots are in many ways a development of ideas associated with two-wheeled robots. To move in 2D space, a ball driven by several drives can be used as a single wheel. Several designs of such robots already exist. Examples include the spherical robot developed at Carnegie Mellon University, the spherical robot "BallIP", developed at Tohoku Gakuin University, or the Rezero ballbot, developed at the Swiss Higher Technical School. These types of robots have some advantages related to their elongated shape, which may allow them to integrate better into human environments than is possible for some other types of robots.

There are a number of prototypes of spherical robots. Some of them use rotation of the internal mass to organize movement. Robots of this type are called in English. spherical orb robots orb bot and eng.

A number of designs of mobile wheeled robots use roller-carrying wheels of the “omnidirectional” type (“omnidirectional wheels”); Such robots are characterized by increased maneuverability.

To move on uneven surfaces, grass and rocky terrain, six-wheeled robots are being developed, which have more traction compared to four-wheeled ones. Even greater traction is provided by the tracks. Many modern combat robots, as well as robots designed to move over rough surfaces, are designed as tracked vehicles. At the same time, it is difficult to use such robots indoors, on smooth surfaces and carpets. Examples of such robots are the English robot developed by NASA. Urban Robot ("Urbie"), iRobot-developed Warrior and PackBot robots.

Walking robots

The first publications devoted to theoretical and practical issues of creating walking robots, date back to the 1970-1980s.

Moving a robot using its “legs” is a complex dynamic problem. A number of robots have already been created that move on two legs, but these robots cannot yet achieve such stable movement as is inherent in humans. Many mechanisms have also been created that move on more than two limbs. Attention to such structures is due to the fact that they are easier to design. Hybrid options are also offered (such as the robots from the movie “I, Robot”, capable of moving on two limbs while walking and on four limbs while running).

Robots that use two legs tend to move well on the floor, and some designs can navigate stairs. Navigating rough terrain is a challenging task for this type of robot. There are a number of technologies that allow walking robots to move:

Servo drive + hydromechanical drive - an early technology for constructing walking robots, implemented in a number of models of experimental robots manufactured by General Electric in the 1960s. The first GE project embodied in metal using this technology and, in all likelihood, the world’s first walking robot for military purposes was the “four-legged transporter” Walking Truck (the machine has robotic limbs, control is carried out by a person located directly in the cabin).

Adaptive algorithms for maintaining balance. They are mainly based on calculating the deviations of the instantaneous position of the robot’s center of mass from a statically stable position or some predetermined trajectory of its movement. In particular, similar technology is used by the walking robot carrier Big Dog. When moving, this robot maintains a constant deviation of the current position of the center of mass from the point of static stability, which entails the need for a peculiar positioning of the legs (“knees in” or “push”), and also creates problems with stopping the machine in one place and practicing transitional walking modes. An adaptive algorithm for maintaining stability can also be based on maintaining a constant direction of the velocity vector of the system’s center of mass, however, such techniques are effective only at sufficiently high speeds. The greatest interest for modern robotics is the development of combined methods for maintaining stability, combining the calculation of the kinematic characteristics of the system with highly effective methods of probabilistic and heuristic analysis.

Other Moving Methods

Two snake-like crawling robots. The left one is equipped with 64 drives, the right one - ten

Control systems

Under robot control is understood as solving a set of problems related to adapting the robot to the range of tasks it solves, programming movements, synthesizing the control system and its software.

Based on the type of control, robotic systems are divided into:

Biotechnical:
- command (push-button and lever control of individual parts of the robot);
- copying (repetition of human movement, possible implementation of feedback that transmits the applied force, exoskeletons);
- semi-automatic (control of one command element, for example, a handle, the entire kinematic circuit of the robot);
Automatic:
- software (function according to a predetermined program, mainly designed to solve monotonous problems in constant environmental conditions);
- adaptive (solve standard problems, but adapt to operating conditions);
- intelligent (the most developed automatic systems);
Interactive:
- automated (alternation of automatic and biotechnical modes is possible);
- supervisory (automatic systems in which a person performs only goal-directive functions);
- interactive (the robot participates in a dialogue with a person on choosing a behavioral strategy, and as a rule, the robot is equipped with an expert system that can predict the results of manipulations and give advice on choosing a goal).

Among the main tasks of robot control are the following:

planning provisions;
movement planning;
planning of forces and moments;
dynamic accuracy analysis;
identification of kinematic and dynamic characteristics of the robot.

In the development of methods for controlling robots, the achievements of technical cybernetics and the theory of automatic control are of great importance.

Areas of use

The average number of robots in the world in 2017 is 69 per 10,000 workers. The largest number of robots is in South Korea - 531 per 10,000 workers, Singapore - 398, Japan - 305, Germany - 301.

Education

Robotic systems are also popular in the field of education as modern high-tech research tools in the field of automatic control theory and mechatronics. Their use in various educational institutions Secondary and higher vocational education makes it possible to implement the concept of “project-based learning”, which forms the basis of such a large joint educational program of the United States and the European Union as ILERT. The use of the capabilities of robotic systems in engineering education makes it possible to simultaneously develop professional skills in several related disciplines: mechanics, control theory, circuit design, programming, information theory. The demand for complex knowledge contributes to the development of connections between research teams. In addition, already in the process of specialized training, students are faced with the need to solve real practical problems.

Popular robotic systems for educational laboratories:

There are others too. The Moscow Center for Pedagogical Excellence compared the most popular platforms and robotic constructors.

Profession Mobile roboticist is included in the list of TOP 50 most popular professions according to the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation

It is predicted that the sales volume of robots for education and science in 2016-2019. will be 8 million units.

Industry

Robots have been successfully used in manufacturing for decades. Robots successfully replace humans when performing routine, energy-intensive, and dangerous operations. Robots do not get tired, they do not need breaks for rest, water and food. Robots do not demand higher wages and are not members of trade unions.

As a rule, industrial robots do not have artificial intelligence. It is typical to repeat the same movements of the manipulator according to a rigid program.

Great strides have been made, for example, in the use of robots on conveyors of automobile factories. There are already plans for enterprises in the automotive industry, where all processes of assembling cars and transporting semi-finished products will be carried out by robots, and people will only control them

In the nuclear and chemical industries, robots are widely used when working in radioactive and chemically hazardous environments.

A robot has been created for automated diagnostics of the condition of power lines, consisting of an unmanned helicopter and a device for landing and moving along a lightning protection cable.

In 2016, 1.8 million robots were used in industry across the world, and it is predicted that by 2020 their number will exceed 3.5 million.

It is predicted that sales of robots in 2016-2019. for use in logistics, construction and demolition will be 177 thousand units.

Agriculture

The first robots that provide automated care for crops are being used in agriculture. The first robotic greenhouses for growing vegetables are being tested.

It is predicted that sales of robots in 2016-2019. for use in agriculture will be 34 thousand units.

Medicine

In medicine, robotics finds application in the form of various exoskeletons that help people with musculoskeletal disorders. Miniature robots are being developed for implantation into the human body for medical purposes: pacemakers, information sensors, etc.

The first robotic surgical complex for performing operations in urology has been developed in Russia.

It is predicted that sales of robots in 2016-2019. for medical use will be 8 thousand units.

Cosmonautics

Robotic manipulators are used in spacecraft. For example, in the Orlets observation spacecraft, there was a so-called capsule machine that loaded small-sized descent capsules with film. Rovers, such as the Lunokhod and the Mars rover, can be considered as interesting examples of mobile robots.

Sport

The first World Robot Football Championship was held in Japan in 1996 (see RoboCup).

Transport

According to forecasts, the production of fully automated passenger cars with autopilot in 2025 will amount to 600 thousand units.

Warfare

The first fully autonomous robots for military use have already been developed. International negotiations have begun to ban them.

Fire safety

Fire robots (robotic installations) are actively used in fire fighting. The robot is capable of independently detecting a fire, calculating coordinates, and directing a fire extinguishing agent to the center of the fire without human assistance. As a rule, these robots are installed at explosive objects [ ] .

Social consequences of robotization

It is noted that hourly wages for manual labor in developed countries are increasing by about 10-15% per year, and the costs of operating robotic devices are increasing by 2-3%. At the same time, the level of hourly pay for an American worker exceeded the cost of an hour of work for a robot around the mid-70s of the 20th century. As a result, replacing a person in the workplace with a robot begins to bring net profit in about 2.5-3 years.

Robotization of production reduces the competitive advantage of economies with cheap labor and causes the movement of skilled labor from manufacturing to the service sector. In the future, mass professions (drivers, salespeople) will be robotized. In Russia, up to half of jobs may be replaced.

Every single increase in the number of robots used in US industry between 1990 and 2007 resulted in the elimination of six human jobs. Each new robot per thousand jobs reduces the average wage in the US economy by an average of half a percent.

Notes

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Everyone has heard the word “robotics” many times. But what is it essentially?

In English it sounds a little shorter - robotics - but the meaning does not change at all.

Robotics is the science of creation technical systems with automation. This means that robotics is essentially a synthesis of programming control software and mechanics (this word comes from the Greek - μηχανική ( doesn't it look nice? =)) - the art of building machines) and electronics, since robots are still still electronic mechanisms.

Spacecraft, service robots, military mechanisms, production machines - there are so many robots now that it is unlikely that anyone would undertake to list all their types at once (but not a lot). Robotics is engaged in ensuring the development of all these numerous areas.

So, for example, to create the simplest one you need:

presence of a motor (at least for leg movement),
the presence of balance support systems (gyros, position sensors, ultrasonic sensors for detecting obstacles),
control systems (can be based either on an autonomous program that operates on data from sensors, or on an external control panel).

Sensors, motors, control program, communication interface with the operator...
That is, even a simple Android requires the work of specialists in many specialties. Today there are so many robots that no one has the idea that robotics is a science only for the future. And the need to develop new solutions as efficiently as possible is what determined the separation of robotics into a separate science.

A robot is a programmable mechanical device that is capable of performing tasks and interacting with the external environment without human assistance. Robotics is the scientific and technical basis for the design, production and application of robots.

The word "robot" was first used by Czech playwright Karl Capek in 1921. His work Rossum's Universal Robots was about a class of slaves, artificially created humanoid servants fighting for their freedom. The Czech word "robota" means "forced slavery". The word "robotics" was first used by famous science fiction author Isaac Asimov in 1941.

Basic robot components

Robot components: body/frame, control system, manipulators, and chassis.

Body/frame: The body, or frame, of the robot can be of any shape and size. Initially, the body/frame provides the structure of the robot. Most people are familiar with humanoid robots used in filmmaking, but in reality, most robots have nothing in common with a human form. (NASA's Robonaft, introduced in the previous section, is an exception). Typically, a robot design focuses on functionality rather than appearance.

Control system: The robot's control system is the equivalent of the human central nervous system. It is designed to coordinate the control of all elements of the robot. Sensors react to the robot’s interaction with the external environment. The sensor responses are sent to the central processing unit (CPU). The CPU processes data using software and makes decisions based on logic. The same thing happens when you enter a custom command.

Manipulators: To complete a task, most robots interact with the external environment as well as the world around them. Sometimes it is necessary to move environmental objects without direct participation from operators. Manipulators are not an element of the basic design of the robot, like its body/frame or control system, that is, the robot can work without a manipulator. This course focuses on the topic of manipulatives, especially Unit 6.

Chassis: Although some robots can perform assigned tasks without changing their location, robots are often required to be able to move from one location to another. To perform this task, the robot needs a chassis. The chassis is a driving means of movement. Humanoid robots are equipped with legs, while the running gear of almost all other robots is implemented using wheels.

Applications and examples of robots

Today, robots have many applications. Applications fall into three main categories:

industrial robots;
research robots;
educational robots.

Industrial robots

In industry, high speed and precision are required to perform a huge number of jobs. For many years, responsibility for the implementation similar works carried by people. With the development of technology, the use of robots has made it possible to speed up and increase the accuracy of many production processes. This includes packaging, assembly, painting and palletizing. Initially, robots performed only special types of repetitive work that required compliance with a simple set of rules. However, with advances in technology, industrial robots have become much more agile and are now capable of making decisions based on complex feedback from sensors. Today, industrial robots are often equipped with systems technical vision. By the end of 2014, the International Robotics Federation predicted the use of industrial robots worldwide to be over 1.3 million units!

Robots can be used to perform complex, dangerous tasks, or tasks that humans are unable to perform. For example, robots are capable of defusing bombs, maintaining nuclear reactors, exploring the depths of the ocean, and reaching the farthest reaches of space.

Research robots

Robots have a wide range of applications in the world of research, as they are often used to perform tasks that humans are helpless to perform. The most dangerous and complex environments are found below the Earth's surface. In order to study outer space and the planets of the solar system, NASA has historically used spacecraft, landers, and all-terrain vehicles with robotic functions.

Robots Pathfinder and Sojourner

For the Pathfinder Mars mission, a unique technology was developed to deliver an equipped lander and robotic rover, Sojourner, to the surface of Mars. Sojourner was the first rover sent to the planet Mars. The Sojourner rover weighs 11 kg (24.3 lb) on the surface of Earth and approx. 9 pounds and is comparable in size to a baby stroller. The all-terrain vehicle has six wheels and can move at speeds of up to 0.6 meters (1.9 feet) per minute. The mission was launched to the surface of Mars on July 4, 1997. Pathfinder not only completed its intended mission, but also returned to Earth with a huge amount of data collected and exceeded its design life.

All-terrain vehicles Spirit and Opportunity

The Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) Spirit and Opportunity were sent to Mars in the summer of 2003 and landed in January 2004. Their mission was to examine and classify large quantities of rocks and soils in order to discover traces of water on Mars, in hopes of sending a human mission to the planet. Although the planned duration of the mission was 90 days, in reality it exceeded six years. During this time, countless geological data about Mars were collected.

Robotic arm of a spaceship

When NASA designers first began designing the spacecraft, they were faced with the challenge of safely and efficiently delivering a huge, but fortunately weightless, volume of cargo and equipment into space. The Remote Manipulation System (RMS), or Canadarm (Canadian Remote Manipulator), made its first spacewalk on November 13, 1981.

The hand has six movable joints that simulate the human hand. Two joints are located in the shoulder, one in the elbow, and three more in the hand. At the end of the hand there is a gripping device capable of grasping or hooking the required load. In zero gravity, the arm is capable of lifting 586,000 pounds of weight and placing it with amazing precision. The total mass of the arm on the surface of the Earth is 994 pounds.

RMS was used to launch and search for satellites, and also proved an invaluable aid to astronauts during the repair process of the Hubble Space Telescope. Canadarm's last mission as part of the spacecraft launched in July 2011 and was the robot's 90th mission.

Mobile service systems

The Mobile Servicing System (MSS) is a similar system to the RMS and is also known as Canadarm 2. The system was designed to be installed on the International Space Station as an object manipulator. The MSS is designed to maintain equipment and instruments installed on the International Space Station, as well as to assist in the transportation of food and equipment within the station.

Dexter

As part of the STS-123 space mission in 2008, the Endeavor spacecraft carried the last part of the Dextre special-purpose flexible manipulator.

Dextre is a robot equipped with two small arms. The robot is capable of performing precision assembly tasks previously performed by astronauts during spacewalks. Dextre can transport objects, operate tools, and install or remove equipment on the space station. Dextre is also equipped with lighting, video equipment, a tool base, and four tool holders. Sensors allow the robot to “feel” the objects it is handling and automatically respond to movements or changes. The team can monitor the work using four installed cameras.

The design of the robot resembles a person. His upper body can rotate at the waist, and his shoulders are supported by arms on either side.

Robots in education

Robotics has become a fun and accessible tool for teaching and supporting STEM, design, and problem-solving approaches. In robotics, students have the opportunity to realize themselves as designers, artists and technicians at the same time, using their own hands and heads. This opens up enormous possibilities for the application of scientific and mathematical principles.

IN modern system Education, given financial constraints, middle and high schools are constantly searching for cost-effective ways to teach complex programs that combine technology with multiple disciplines to students to prepare them for careers. Teachers immediately see the advantages of robotics and this training course, since they implement an interdisciplinary method of combining various disciplines. In addition, robotics offers the most affordable and reusable equipment.

Today, more than ever, schools are using robotics programs to bring life into the classroom. training courses and ensuring compliance with a wide range of academic standards required for students. Robotics not only provides a unique and broad basis for teaching a variety of technical disciplines, but also a field of technology that has a significant impact on the development of modern society.

Why is robotics important?

As can be seen from the section “Application possibilities and examples of robots,” robotics is a new field of technology used in many areas of human life. An important factor in the development of society is the education of all its members in terms of existing technologies. But this is not the only reason for the growing importance of robotics. Robotics uniquely combines the foundations of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines. During classroom learning, students explore different disciplines and their relationships using modern, technologically advanced, and engaging tools. In addition, the visual representation of projects required of students encourages them to experiment and be creative in finding aesthetically pleasing and workable solutions. By combining these aspects of work, students take their knowledge and capabilities to the next level.

Robotics- a relatively new and intensively developing scientific direction, brought to life by the need to develop new spheres and areas of human activity, as well as the need for widespread automation of modern production, aimed at sharply increasing its efficiency. The use of automatic programmable devices - robots - in the exploration of space and ocean depths, and since the 60s. of our century and in the production sector, rapid progress in the field of creation and use of robots in recent years has necessitated the integration of scientific knowledge of a number of related fundamental and technical disciplines in a single scientific and technical direction - robotics.

The idea of creating robots - mechanical devices, similar in appearance and actions to people or any living beings, has fascinated humanity since time immemorial. Even in legends and myths, man sought to create an image of man-made creatures endowed with fantastic physical strength and dexterity, capable of flying, living underground and in water, acting independently and at the same time unquestioningly obeying man and performing the most difficult and dangerous work for him. Even in Homer's Iliad (VI century BC) it is said that the lame blacksmith Hephaestus, the god of fire and patron of the blacksmith's craft, forged girls from gold who carried out his instructions.

The golden maids instantly ran up to meet him, similar to living maidens, in whom the Mind and voice and strength are contained in their chests, who were taught by the Immortal gods in the most varied labors...

Modern people certainly associate these “maids” with anthropomorphic, i.e. created in the image and likeness of man, automatic universal devices- robots.

Robotics theory relies on disciplines such as electronics, mechanics, computer science, as well as radio engineering and electrical engineering. There are construction, industrial, household, aviation and extreme (military, space, underwater) robotics.

Today, humanity has almost come to the point when robots will be used in all spheres of life. Therefore, courses in robotics and computer programming must be introduced into educational institutions.

The study of robotics allows you to solve the following problems that computer science faces as an academic subject. Namely, consideration of the line of algorithmization and programming, the performer, the basics of logic and the logical foundations of a computer.

It is also possible to study robotics in the course of mathematics (implementation of basic mathematical operations, design of robots), technology (design of robots, both using standard assemblies and freely), physics (assembly of designer parts necessary for the movement of the robot chassis).

Robot classes

Manipulation robot- an automatic machine (stationary or mobile), consisting of an actuator in the form of a manipulator with several degrees of mobility, and a program control device, which serves to perform motor and control functions in the production process. Such robots are produced in floor-mounted, suspended and gantry versions. They are most widespread in the machine-building and instrument-making industries.

Mobile robot- an automatic machine that has a moving chassis with automatically controlled drives. Such robots can be wheeled, walking and tracked (there are also crawling, swimming and flying mobile robotic systems.

Robot components

Drives- these are the “muscles” of robots. Currently, the most popular motors in drives are electric, but others using chemicals or compressed air are also used.

DC motors: Currently, most robots use electric motors, which can be of several types.

Stepper motors: As the name suggests, stepper motors do not spin freely like DC motors. They rotate step by step to a certain angle under the control of the controller. This allows you to do without a position sensor, since the angle at which the turn was made is known to the controller; Therefore, such motors are often used in many robot drives and CNC machines.

Piezo motors: A modern alternative to DC motors are piezo motors, also known as ultrasonic motors. The principle of their operation is very original: tiny piezoelectric

ical legs vibrating at a frequency of more than 1000 times per second cause the motor to move in a circle or straight line. The advantages of such engines are high nanometric resolution, speed and power, incommensurate with their size. Piezo motors are already available commercially and are also used on some robots.

Air muscles: Air muscles are a simple yet powerful device for providing traction. When pumped with compressed air, muscles can contract up to 40% of their length. The reason for this behavior is the weave, visible from the outside, which causes the muscles to be either long and thin, or short and thick[source not specified 987 days]. Because the way they work is similar to biological muscles, they can be used to produce robots with muscles and skeletons similar to those of animals.

Electroactive polymers: Electroactive polymers are a type of plastic that changes shape in response to electrical stimulation. They can be designed in such a way that they can bend, stretch or contract. However, at present there are no EAPs suitable for the production of commercial robots, since all existing samples of them are ineffective or fragile.

Elastic nanotubes: This is a promising experimental technology in the early stages of development. The absence of defects in nanotubes allows the fiber to elastically deform by several percent. The human biceps can be replaced with a wire made of this material with a diameter of 8 mm. Such compact “muscles” could help robots in the future overtake and jump over humans.

Ways to move

Wheeled and tracked robots

Walking robots

Other moving methods:

Flying robots (including UAVs - unmanned aerial vehicles).
Crawling robots.
Robots moving on vertical surfaces.
Floating robots.

Control systems

By controlling a robot we mean solving a set of problems related to adapting the robot to the range of tasks it solves, programming movements, and synthesizing a control system and its software.

Based on the type of control, robotic systems are divided into:

1. Biotechnical:

1.1. command (push-button and lever control of individual parts of the robot);

1.2. copying (repetition of human movement, possible implementation of feedback that transmits the applied force, exoskeletons);

1.3. semi-automatic (control of one command element, for example, a handle, the entire kinematic circuit of the robot);

2. Automatic:

2.1. software (function according to a predetermined program, mainly designed to solve monotonous problems in constant environmental conditions);

2.2. adaptive (solve standard problems, but adapt to operating conditions);

2.3. intelligent (the most developed automatic systems);

3. Interactive:

3.1. automated (alternation of automatic and biotechnical modes is possible);

3.2. supervisory (automatic systems in which a person performs only goal-directive functions);

3.3. interactive (the robot participates in a dialogue with a person on choosing a behavioral strategy, and as a rule, the robot is equipped with an expert system that can predict the results of manipulations and give advice on choosing a goal).

Among the main tasks of robot control are the following:

planning provisions;
movement planning;
planning of forces and moments;
dynamic accuracy analysis;
identification of kinematic and dynamic characteristics of the robot.

In the development of methods for controlling robots, the achievements of technical cybernetics and the theory of automatic control are of great importance.

Subtypes of modern robots:

Industrial robots

Medical robots

Household robots
Security robots
Combat robots

Robot scientists

To date, robots have been introduced into many areas of human activity and continue to complement and sometimes replace human labor both in hazardous activities and in everyday life.

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Subtitles

Today in the issue: Elon Musk showed a “mind-blowing” truck and an electric supercar, and American developers Boston Dynamics taught a robot how to do a somersault. Eternal health to all! With you Alexander Smirnov, Correct Truth and Science and Technology News. Friends, be sure to watch the video to the end, a competition with interesting prizes awaits you. Elon Musk is known for his attitude towards this world - he always dreams of more. If the beginning of the year was associated with the advent of driverless cars, then the last two months of 2017 will be remembered for the massive release of electric trucks. The head of Tesla Motors presented the long-awaited electric truck Tesla Semi Truck. At the same time, Musk posted an intriguing description on Twitter: “I can turn into a robot, fight aliens and brew a great latte.” sets it apart from any competitors. The truck looks very futuristic and looks more like a luxury tourist bus. But the main features are still under the body. Under the cabin there are four electric motors on the rear axles - one on each side. When fully loaded (36 tons), the truck can accelerate to 100 kilometers per hour in 20 seconds. And if everyone was already waiting for the show of the truck, then no one could have imagined the appearance of such a fashionable roadster. mobiles, this means Musk is on the right track. The robot needs this ability not for performing in the circus, but for a more practical task - moving and delivering goods over rough terrain. To do this, the robot was taught to use its “arms” to climb up vertical surfaces, just like mountain climbers do. As a result of its good balance, it can solve a wide range of problems while occupying very little space - i.e. standing in the same place. It is amazing to see that four-legged robots, which just a few years ago were large, clumsy and capable of moving with a funny mechanical gait, “shifting from foot to foot” even while standing still, have made such a huge leap forward.

The new vehicle, unveiled at Tesla's design center in California, is the next step in Elon's mission to make humanity forget about fossil fuels and switch to clean electricity.

So it will be if the head of Tesla manages to convince the transport industry that it is necessary to move on. In California, the heavy vehicle category accounts for 7% of total transport volume, but produces more than 20% of greenhouse gases. Any truck that uses electricity instead of diesel will no longer have a negative impact on the planet and its inhabitants. While many are just thinking about developing electric trucks, Tesla has the resources, engineers, and capacity to do so. The most important thing is that the company has the resource to attract the attention of the entire automotive industry. Musk did not seem to be exaggerating when he said that the presentation of Tesla's first electric truck would "blow everyone's minds." Tesla Semi Truck is a fully electric truck. Already alone

appearance Robotics draws on disciplines such as electronics, mechanics, telemechanics, mechanotronics, computer science, as well as radio engineering and electrical engineering. There are construction, industrial, household, medical, aviation and extreme (military, space, underwater) robotics. Etymology

The word “robotics” is based on the word “robot”, coined in the city by the Czech writer Karel Capek and his brother Josef for Karel Capek’s science fiction play “R.

U.R. "("Rossum's Universal Robots"), first staged in 1921 and was a hit with audiences. In it, the owner of the factory organizes the production of many androids, which at first work without rest, but then rebel and destroy their creators. However, some ideas that later formed the basis of robotics appeared in ancient times - long before the introduction of the terms listed above. Remains of moving statues made in the 1st century BC have been found. In Homer's Iliad it is said that the god Hephaestus made talking maidservants out of gold, giving them intelligence (i.e. modern language "Robotics: History and Prospects"- artificial intelligence) and strength. The ancient Greek mechanic and engineer Archytas of Tarentum is credited with creating a mechanical pigeon capable of flight (c. 400 BC). There is a lot of similar information contained in the book.

The most important classes of robots

The most important classes of general purpose robots are: manipulative And mobile robots.