Robo-Revolution: Exploring the Future of Robotics

Written and edited by Aaron Borrego

he word robotics refers to the design and creation of robots. Robots are complicated machines made up of different mechanical parts that are meant to complete tasks, usually done by humans, as efficiently as possible. It is important to note that robots are also different from other machines because of how they interact with the world. They can sense and respond to the world around them and make changes to their surroundings based on their actions. In order to do this, robots must have some level of automation, and in some cases they have full autonomy. Due to the wide range of structures for these systems many types of robots have been designed, each with their own special uses.

Robotics is flourishing today and is at its zenith, however it will only become better and the future contains some amazing things. There are many tools that aid people in both of these actions, allowing for accurate and detailed instructions, and the production of more complicated parts, as well as a more rapid construction of robots. In order for this to be achieved, a complex system must be maintained which involves computer science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and in some cases artificial intelligence (we will talk about this one in more detail later). ideal for repetitive and predefined tasks. The second type, Humanoid, have human-like features and are ideal for service related jobs. The third, Autonomous, are able to analyze their surroundings and make decisions without human intervention. The fourth type, Teleoperated, are human remote controlled and are ideal for risky/ extreme environments. Finally, the fifth type is Augmenting. This refers to robotic technology that is able to be combined with human bodies to increase or replace lost abilities.

While there are many different types of robots, there are some characteristics that are common to all of them. One is that all robots have a physical structure that includes mechanical and processing parts. They also have some form of software programming that contains the instructions and logic needed for accomplishing their intended purpose. And finally, all robots also require some form of electricity to run their software processing and to power their movement.

It is becoming commonplace to find some form of robots in most industries. There are, however, several more prevalent applications for robots. Industrial applications for tasks that require speed and precision, such as cutting, welding, and packing. Similarly, robotechnology is becoming more mainstream in the Medicine field. It is being used to transform the medical industry and is found in many areas including surgery, nanomedicine, prosthetics, recovery of senses, physiotherapy, rehabilitation and laboratory automation.

Robots are also being used to expand the footprint of what humans are able to accomplish. Applications related to extreme environments are a great example. Robots in this field offer a great solution for hostile, inaccessible or hazardous situations that prove to be dangerous for humans, such as

The field of robotics is constantly evolving and expanding, yet most robots fall into one of five common types. The first type is Pre-Programmed. These robots are are one of the most common ways robots are used. This typically entails using robotic technology for repetitive tasks in manufacturing and assembly lines, especially disaster areas, chemical or radiation spills and underwater recovery. Military applications are another example. There is a global trend for armed forces to rely more and more on the use of robot technology, such as unmanned ground and aerial vehicles (UGVs and UAVs). Applications in Space Exploration dispensing food and cleaning, to sophisticated technologies, such as interactive customer service robots. One final application critical to improving robots’ ability to collaborate with humans and interact with the world. Thanks to advances in AI, robots are also fall into this category. Robots such as the Mars rover offer amazing robotic technology that is literally taking us where no human has gone before. Kalind Carpenter, lead scientist at NASA at the Mars project explains the innovation acceleration in this space, saying

The emergence of novel robot applications continues. One noteworthy growth area is the personal and customer Services industry. The use of robotic technology in this space spans from simple manual tasks, such as worth mentioning is in the field of Entertainment. There are countless examples of toy robot variants available for personal purchase, as well as an ever-growing number of sophisticated, jaw-dropping and rapidly evolving robotic creations found in a wide range of commercial entertainment and art venues. Innovations in this area continue to fuel people’s fascination with robots.

It is important to mention the important role that Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays when it comes to robotics. AI has become now better able to react to their surroundings and more closely mimic human behavior. Four of the most significant advances in AI that robots are leveraging are: computer vision, manipulation, navigation and natural language processing (NLP).

It is helpful to understand a bit about each of these advancements. Computer vision enables the ability to recognize and identify objects. Further, according to Kalind Carpenter, “computer vision will allow robots to see the stars and nebula in a way human eyes are not able to”. Advanced manipulation refines a robot’s motor control skills and allows for fine-tuned grasping. More sophisticated navigation technology has been critical to improving robotic self-navigation, balance, mobility and adaptive best-path analysis. Finally, NLP equips robots with speech and pattern recognition capabilities. Each of these innovations on their own are significant, but combined together are exponentially more impactful.

So

What

does

The

future

Of

robotics

hold?

By continuing to take advantage of the many advances in technology, it will be possible for the robotics industry to further innovate and expand the realm of the possible. The ever growing range of applications span from the simple to the remarkable. We can expect