TYPES OF ROBOTICS

Types of Robotics

Mechanical bots come in all shapes and sizes to efficiently carry out the task for which they are designed. All Robots vary in design, functionality, and degree of autonomy. From the 0.2 millimeter-long Robot, Bee, to the 200 meter-long robotic shipping vessel “Wind skip,” robots are emerging to carry out tasks that humans simply can’t. 

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There are five distinct types of robots that perform tasks depending on their capabilities. Below is an outline of these types and what they do.

Pre-Programmed Robots

Pre-programmed robots operate in a controlled environment where they do simple, monotonous tasks. An example of a pre-programmed robot would be a mechanical arm on an automotive assembly line. The arm serves one function — to weld a door on, to insert a certain part into the engine, etc. — and its job is to perform that task longer, faster and more efficiently than a human.

Humanoid Robots are robots that look like or mimic human behavior. These robots usually perform human-like activities (like running, jumping and carrying objects), and are sometimes designed to look like us, even having human faces and expressions. Two of the most prominent examples of humanoid robots are Hanson Robotics’ Sophia and Boston Dynamics’ Atlas.

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Robotics Technology

Robotics is an interdisciplinary sector of science and engineering dedicated to the design, construction, and use of mechanical robots. Our guide will give you a concrete grasp of robotics, including different types of robots and how they’re being applied across industries.

ROBOTICS OVERVIEW

robotic arm

ROBOTICS IS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY SECTOR FOCUSED ON CREATING MACHINES THAT EFFICIENTLY CARRY OUT VARIOUS TASKS. | IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK

What Is Robotics?

Robotics is the intersection of science, engineering, and technology that produces machines, called robots, that replicate or substitute for human actions. Pop culture has always been fascinated with robots — examples include R2-D2, the Terminator and WALL-E. These exaggerated, humanoid concepts of robots usually seem like a caricature of the real thing. But are they more forward-thinking than we realize? Robots are gaining intellectual and mechanical capabilities that don’t put the possibility of a R2-D2-like machine unreachable in the future.

What is a robot?

A robot is a programmable machine that can complete a task, while the term robotics describes the field of study focused on developing robots and automation. Each robot has a different level of autonomy. These levels range from human-controlled bots that carry out tasks to fully autonomous bots that perform tasks without any external influences.

As technology progresses, so too does the scope of what is considered robotics. In 2005, 90 percent of all robots could be found assembling cars in automotive factories. These robots consist mainly of mechanical arms tasked with welding or screwing on certain parts of a car. 

Today, we’re seeing an evolved and expanded definition of robotics that includes the development, creation, and use of bots that accomplish tasks like exploring the planet’s harshest conditions, assisting law enforcement, streamlining surgical procedures and undertaking rescue missions.

Robotics Defined

While the overall world of robotics is expanding, a robot has some consistent characteristics:

Robots consist of some sort of mechanical construction. The mechanical aspect of a robot helps it complete tasks in the environment for which it’s designed. For example, the Mars 2020 Rover’s wheels are individually motorized and made of titanium tubing that help it firmly grip the harsh terrain of the red planet.

Robots need electrical components that control and power the machinery. Essentially, an electric current — a battery, for example — is needed to power a large majority of robots.

Robots contain at least some level of computer programming. Without a set of code telling it what to do, a robot would just be another piece of simple machinery. Inserting a program into a robot gives it the ability to know when and how to carry out a task.

We’re bound to see the promise of the robotics industry sooner, rather than later, as artificial intelligence and software also continue to progress. In the near future, thanks to advances in these technologies, robots will continue getting smarter, more flexible and more energy efficient. They’ll also continue to be a main focal point in smart factories, where they’ll take on more difficult challenges and help to secure global supply chains.

The robotics industry is filled with an admirable promise of progress that science fiction could once only dream about. From the deepest depths of our oceans to thousands of miles in outer space, robots will be found performing tasks that humans couldn’t dream of achieving alone.

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TYPES OF ROBOTICS

Types of Robotics

Mechanical bots come in all shapes and sizes to efficiently carry out the task for which they are designed. All robots vary in design, functionality, and degree of autonomy. From the 0.2 millimeter-long “RoboBee” to the 200 meter-long robotic shipping vessel “Vindskip,” robots are emerging to carry out tasks that humans simply can’t. 

There are five distinct types of robots that perform tasks depending on their capabilities. Below is an outline of these types and what they do.

Pre-Programmed Robots

Pre-programmed robots operate in a controlled environment where they do simple, monotonous tasks. An example of a pre-programmed robot would be a mechanical arm on an automotive assembly line. The arm serves one function — to weld a door on, to insert a certain part into the engine, etc. — and its job is to perform that task longer, faster and more efficiently than a human.

Humanoid Robots are robots that look like or mimic human behavior. These robots usually perform human-like activities (like running, jumping and carrying objects), and are sometimes designed to look like us, even having human faces and expressions. Two of the most prominent examples of humanoid robots are Hanson Robotics’ Sophia and Boston Dynamics’ Atlas.

Autonomous Robots operate independently of human operators. These robots are frequently designed to carry out tasks in open environments that do not require human supervision. They are quite unique because they use sensors to perceive the world around them, and then employ decision-making structures (frequently a computer) to take the optimal next step based on their data and mission. One example of an autonomous robot is the Roomba vacuum cleaner, which uses sensors to roam freely throughout a home.

EXAMPLES OF AUTONOMOUS ROBOTS

Cleaning Bots (for example, Roomba)

Lawn Trimming Bots

Hospitality Bots

Autonomous Drones

Medical Assistant Bots

Teleoperated Robots are semi-autonomous bots that use a wireless network to enable human control from a safe distance. These robots frequently work in extreme geographical conditions, weather, and circumstances. Examples of teleoperated robots are the human-controlled submarines used to fix underwater pipe leaks during the BP oil spill, or drones used to detect landmines on a battlefield.

Augmenting Robots, also known as VR robots, either enhance current human capabilities or replace the capabilities a human may have lost. The field of robotics for human faster and stronger. Some examples of current augmenting robots are robotic prosthetic limbs or exoskeletons used to lift hefty weights.