The use of robots for scientific and entertainment purposes. Photo report. What types of robots are there?
14.06.2006, 15:46NesterOff
Robot(Czech robot, from robota - forced labor, rob - slave), a machine with anthropomorphic (human-like) behavior that partially or completely performs the functions of a person (sometimes an animal) when interacting with the outside world. The first mentions of humanoid machines are found in ancient Greek myths. Term "robot" was first introduced by K. Capek in the play "R. U. R." (1920), where mechanical people were called Robots. Currently, robotics has become a developed area of industry: thousands of industrial robots work at various enterprises around the world, underwater manipulators have become an indispensable part of underwater research and rescue vehicles, space exploration relies on the widespread use of robots with different levels of intelligence. With the development of robotics, 3 types of Robots have been identified: with a strict program of action; manipulators controlled by a human operator; with artificial intelligence (sometimes called integral), acting purposefully (“intelligently”) without human intervention. Most modern Robots (of all three varieties) - Robotic manipulators, although there are other types of Robots (for example, informational, walking, etc.). It is possible to combine Robots of the first and second varieties in one machine with a division of their functioning time. It is also permissible for a person to work together with Robots of the third type (in the so-called supervisory mode). First Robots ( "androids", imitating the movements and appearance of a person) were used mainly for entertainment purposes. Since the 30s. in connection with production automation Robots - automata began to be used in industry along with traditional means of automation of technological processes, in particular in small-scale production and especially in workshops with hazardous working conditions.
From here you can get information about the term “ROBOTIZATION”:
Robotization- displacing people from the productive process, replacing them with automated and robotic machines and production lines, which frees up resources for the development of the service sector.
Industrial Robot manipulator has a “mechanical arm” (one or more) and a remote control panel or a built-in program control device, less often a computer. He can, for example, move parts weighing up to several tens of kg within the range of his “mechanical arms” (up to 2 m), performing from 200 to 1000 movements per hour. Industrial Robots - automata have an advantage over humans in the speed and accuracy of performing manual, monotonous operations. Most common Robotsmanipulators with remote control and a “mechanical arm” mounted on a movable or fixed base. The operator controls the movement of the manipulator, while simultaneously observing it directly or on a television screen; in the latter case. The robots are equipped with a “television eye” - a transmitting television camera. The robot is often equipped with a learning automatic control system. If such a Robot is “showed” a sequence of operations, then the control system records everything in the form of a control program and then accurately reproduces it during operation. Robotic manipulators used to work in conditions of relative inaccessibility or in hazardous conditions harmful to humans, for example in the nuclear industry, where they have been used since the 50s. In the 60s underwater appeared Robotic manipulators of various designs and purposes: from deep-sea guided vehicles with “mechanical arms” (in particular, for capturing rock samples from the bottom of the sea, etc.) and platforms crawling along the seabed with research equipment to underwater bulldozers and drilling rigs. Similar manipulators are also used in astronautics, on the American Shuttles.
At the end of the 60s. In robotics, a new scientific direction has emerged related to the creation of intelligent Robots. Such Robots have sensors (sensory system) that perceive information about the environment, a device for processing the received information (artificial intelligence) - a specialized computer with a set of programs - and actuators (motor system). The actions of an intelligent Robot have some signs of human behavior: sensors collect information about objects in the surrounding world, their properties and interactions; Based on this data, artificial intelligence forms a model of the external environment and makes a decision on the sequence of actions of the Robot, which are implemented by actuators. By 1975, intelligent robots were in the stage of scientific development and attempts to use them in industry. Work on artificial intelligence was also carried out at the Research Institute of the Military-Industrial Complex.
Robot is a universal machine that allows you to perform mechanical actions. Its fundamental feature is the rapid operational change from one ongoing operation to another. There are several types of robots and each of them has its own definition. Most often they talk about three generations of robots: industrial robots or manipulators, adaptive robots and robots with artificial intelligence, or as they used to say - integral robots.
The first steps of robotics
The end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries is characterized by outstanding discoveries in the field of science and technology. Various electrical devices, current generators, electric motors, batteries appeared and began to be widely used; the telegraph and telephone were invented. Electrical energy began to be used more and more widely. At the beginning of the 20th century, new sciences began to develop intensively - radio engineering, electronics. New scientific discoveries and inventions have allowed the problem of creating robots to be transferred to a new, more advanced foundation. There are real opportunities to equip a robot with vision - photocells, hearing - microphones, speech - loudspeakers. 
At the same time, the first fruits of science began to appear, which later became known as cybernetics. Scientists and engineers began to develop devices that, although modestly called cybernetic toys, were not created for entertainment. They served as an example of the practical implementation of automatic control ideas and simulated the behavior of living organisms in the simplest situations. Among these cybernetic toys, devices resembling turtles, beetles, squirrels, dogs, etc. became very famous. The first simple schemes of such devices capable of moving in the direction of light were developed by the founder of cybernetics N. Wiener.
The three most famous "turtles", created by the English biophysicist and neurophysiologist G. Walter in 1950 - 1951. These devices are self-propelled electromechanical toys capable of crawling towards or away from light, avoiding obstacles, entering a “feeding trough” to recharge dead batteries, and the like. “ Turtles” are driven by two electric motors powered by batteries. The first engine ensures the forward movement of the device, the second, located on the steering column, changes the direction of movement. Sensitive elements of the first two “ turtles” G. Walter are a photocell located on the steering column and a mechanical contact that closes when hitting an obstacle. Behavior is controlled using a simple electronic circuit with feedback. Despite the very simple device, “ turtles” exhibit funny properties. In the dark or in dim light they crawl around randomly, as if they are looking for something. When they encounter an obstacle, they swerve and try to get around it. If there is a sufficiently strong light source, they soon “notice” it and decisively move towards it (positive tropism). However, when they come too close to the light, they turn away from it (negative tropism). Now they move around the light source, finding optimal conditions for themselves and continuously maintaining them (homeostasis). Between two light sources “ turtles” travel from one to another, like Buridan’s donkey, which, as you know, died of hunger, being between two identical haystacks, not being able to choose which one was tastier. Two turtles “see” and “recognize” each other by the lit light bulb and crawl towards each other.
The most modern robots
Shanghai pharmacies are open robot pharmacists.
You just need to click on the touch screen with a description of the symptoms, and the robot will make a diagnosis and give the necessary recommendations. Then all you have to do is offer the machine a bill, and you can take the medicine.
Robot nurses.
They work in some British hospitals. The robots perform dry and wet cleaning, throw out garbage themselves, refill with cleaning products and recharge. Unlike living cleaners, they never mutter under their breath and are distinguished by their friendly attitude towards others. When they meet someone on their way, they apologize and report on what they are doing now.
South Korea has designed a guard robopsa for the protection of private estates. The dog weighs 40 kg, has a camera built into its nose, and has a cell phone in its body that immediately sends a signal to its owner if danger is detected. In critical cases, the robot is able to call the police itself.
Robot photographer.
It's called a "freeze frame" and is used to photograph people at parties and other events. The robot itself chooses the optimal angle and points the lens at the faces. Typically, 90 percent of the pictures taken by the robot are successful.
Japanese family robot.
It remembers up to 7 family members and recognizes them by their faces or voices. Vocabulary – 65 thousand phrases and 1000 individual words. He keeps in mind the habits of each family member and tries to find an approach to everyone. He blushes at the joke and turns pale in confusion.
And another Japanese invention - Robodancer.
The robot dancer is capable of alternately performing disco, punk, funk, rock, hip-hop, break, etc. The battery charge lasts for 45 minutes. During this time, the robot offers all kinds of movements for the people dancing around. He has stereo microphones in his ears that pick up the slightest sounds. At the beginning of next year, it is planned to supply such robots to the world's leading discos.
Mechanical sea anemone.
Why this is needed is unclear, but the robot accurately imitates the behavior of a sea anemone. It has a flexible silicone body, and five tentacles are sensitive to light and movement inside and outside the glass of the aquarium. The frightened sea anemone robot crawls into a corner.
Miss courtesy.
This is a robot - a personal assistant that you can take with you to symposiums and conferences. Robot Grace independently found her way to the meeting room, without knocking anyone on her way, and greeted everyone in the hall with a smile and a wave of her hand. The robot is constantly improving and expanding its vocabulary. Grace can already ride an escalator, understands simple phrases and tries to communicate.
Cyborg rats:
American scientists implanted a microchip in the brains of rats. Rats can now be controlled at a distance of 500 meters. It is assumed that cyborgs will be indispensable in searching for people trapped under rubble.
Scientists at the American Carnegie University have designed old man robot. This is a very entertaining and cute android with the features of the old wretch from Russian folk tales. A simple intelligence system allows the robot to communicate reasonably well with others. At the same time, he mumbles like an old man, mutters something under his breath, sneezes and hiccups. When questioned, he replies that he comes from a shepherd’s family, and his main invention is a chocolate bar. The robot evokes the greatest delight from the public when it asks to be forgiven for its senile insanity.
“A robot is a machine. There is no doubt about this, although, probably, some people will perceive them as pets, because such is human nature. Only the standardization of cheap, general-purpose robots will help us understand even more deeply the endless variety of types of human appearance and behavior. Let's hope this will help us be more tolerant of each other." J. Young.
Three laws of robotics for robots
First Law:
Robot cannot cause harm to a person or, through inaction, allow harm to be caused to a person.
Second Law:
Robot must obey a person's commands unless those commands conflict with the First Law.
Third Law:
Robot must take care of his own safety, since this does not contradict the First and Second Laws.
The laws for robots were formulated by Isaac Asimov in his work " Three laws of robotics".
In the modern world, we are surrounded everywhere by machines and mechanisms of various types, but robots are still quite rare guests among them. And this is not surprising, because the main difference between these units and others is intelligence, which is still not fully understood by the creators themselves. And even though modern robots are still far from the artificial humanoids from science fiction novels and films, every year they become more and more advanced.
Routine work that does not require creativity is an ideal place for intelligent machines.
The fight against routine is, of course, a current direction of development, but much more important are areas of activity associated with an immediate danger to life, which is why space flights became one of the first areas of application of robots. It was here that remotely controlled robotic stations were first fully used, and the further man sent mechanical explorers, the more important the ability of autonomous decision-making by the machine became. After all, let’s say, even to the Moon the signal from the Earth comes with a significant delay, let alone Mars or other planets.
If we look deeper, the main purpose of robots is, of course, primarily to help humans, and therefore they are finding more and more applications in our daily lives.
Ten years ago, it seemed fantastic that you could go to the nearest consumer electronics store and buy a robotic cleaner, but now robotic vacuum cleaners crawling around the apartment have already become familiar even to pets, who happily use them as attractions.
Moreover, today robotic waiters, robotic cooks in restaurants, robotic butlers, etc. are already in use - we will tell you about the most interesting models.
1. More than a toy
In 2008, the French company Aldebaran Robotics released miniature robot Nao. This almost toy-like 57-centimeter device turned out to be so successful that it was sold all over the world and became the main platform for the annual RoboCup competition.
In addition to the ability to move freely and communicate with the owner using speech commands, Nao has an interactive programming interface. Using a special program, the robot can be taught to perform the necessary operations depending on given conditions, for example, to bring an item.
2. Fun space
Oddly enough, the use of robots in space is not limited to utilitarian functions. So, the Japanese space agency launched to the ISS robot Kirobo, created for the sole purpose of entertaining people with communication.
Tomotaka Takahashi, a designer from a division of the Toyota automaker, created Kirobo based on the anime character Astro Boy, familiar to every Japanese boy. This robotic companion kept Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata busy during his flight that ended last spring.
Since then, the mechanical Astro Boy himself has been in orbit in splendid isolation. They plan to return the robonaut to Earth in 2015.
3. Robotic restaurant
A restaurant in the city of Kunshan in China boasts not only delicious food, but also very original staff: instead of the usual waiters robots deliver food to visitors. In addition, some dishes are also prepared by robot chefs.
Restaurant owner Song Yugang says he started developing robots at the request of his daughter, who asked him to make a robot helper around the house. According to him, the cost of each robot is about 40,000 yuan, which is not more than the annual salary of an ordinary employee. At the same time, robots are a great way to attract visitors to a restaurant.
4. Robot butlers
At the Aloft Hotel in Cupertino, the staff took on some of the responsibilities robots A.L.O., developed by Savioke. So, if you need an extra towel or a tube of toothpaste, a very nice electronic butler will deliver it to you. This robot communicates with the hotel's computer system using Wi-Fi and 4G, allowing it to remotely call elevators and find the right rooms.
There are many ways to define different types and types of robots. As we can see, possible disagreements vary greatly. The main reason for these differences is that different scientists and teachers often have different views on what should be taught within the framework of "robotics".
For example, some teachers who teach robotics tend to focus mainly on industrial robotics, completely ignoring service robots. Therefore, when talking about the types and types of robots, they usually talk about the types of industrial robots. There's a good reason for this: the vast majority of robotics engineers will work primarily with industrial robots in their careers.
However, industrial robots are not the only ones. Therefore, as we see, when dividing robots into types, this division must be wide enough to include everything that can be understood as a robot.
There are two possible ways this can be done. Firstly, you can divide robots into types by their application, and secondly by the way they move (or not). We acknowledge that there are other possible ways to classify robots into types, but in our opinion these two are the best. Moreover, we prefer to use both of these classifications together. Thus, two questions about the robot will already be answered: “What does it do?” and “How does this happen?”
Types of Robots in the World
Robots are now performing many different tasks in many fields, and the number of tasks assigned to robots is steadily increasing. This is why, in our opinion, one of the best ways to categorize robots into types is by application.
What types of robots are there:
Industrial robots.
Industrial robots are robots used in industrial production environments. These are typically articulated arms specifically designed for applications such as welding, material processing, painting, and others. If we are judging purely by demand, this type may also include some automated guided vehicles and other robots.
Household robots.
Household robots are robots used in the home. This type of robots includes many completely different devices such as robotic vacuum cleaners, robotic pool cleaners, sweepers, gutter cleaners and other robots that can perform different duties. Additionally, some surveillance and telepresence robots may be considered household robots if used in this environment.
Medical robots.
Medical robots are robots used in medicine and healthcare settings. First of all, surgical robots. In addition, some automated guided vehicles and possibly lifting assistants.
Service robots.
Service robots are robots that do not fall into other types of use. These could be different data collection robots, robots created to demonstrate technology, robots used for research, etc.
Military robots.
Military robots are robots used in the army. This type of robots includes bomb destroying robots, various transport robots, and reconnaissance drones. Often, robots originally created for military purposes can be used in law enforcement, search and rescue, and other related fields.
Entertaining robots.
Entertainment robots are robots used for entertainment. This is a very broad category. It starts with toy robots like the robosapien or a working alarm clock, and ends with real heavyweights like articulated robot arms used as motion simulators.
Space robots.
We would like to distinguish robots used in space as a separate type. This type would include robots used on the International Space Station, the Canadarm, which was used on the Shuttle, as well as Mars rovers and other robots used in space.
Now, as you can see, there are examples that fit into more than one of these types. For example, there may be a deep-sea exploration robot that can collect valuable information that can be used for military purposes.
Kinematics of robots and their types
As you can imagine, the robot app does not provide enough information when it comes to a specific robot. For example, an industrial robot - usually when we talk about industrial robots, we think of stationary robots in a work cell that perform a specific task. That's okay, but what if the factory has an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle)? It is also a robotic device that operates in an industrial environment. Therefore, we propose to use both of these classifications together.
So there is:
1. Stationary robots (including robotic arms with a global axis of motion)
1.1 Cartesian/gantry robots
1.2 Cylindrical robots
1.3 Spherical robots
1.4 SCARA robots
1.5 Articulated robots (robotic arms)
1.6 Parallel robots
2. Wheeled robots
2.1 Single-wheeled (ball) robots
2.2 Two-wheeled robots
2.3 Three or more wheeled robots
3. Light robots
3.1. Bipedal robots (humanoid robots)
3.2 Robot robots
3.3 four-legged robots
3.4 hexalike robots
3.5 different number of legs
4. Swimming robots
5. Flying robots
6. Mobile spherical robots (robotic balls)
7. Swarm robots
8. Others...
Want to know about others? Yes, there are others. For example, snake-like robots. There are many areas of research that are focusing on different innovative types of robots. They will be very useful someday. However, we will now use them under the "other" type.
Of course, none of this is carved in stone, especially in robotics, where things change almost monthly these days. However, in our opinion, these types of classifications do their job quite well.
Real robots began to be constructed after World War II, and they bore little resemblance to the humanoids invented by science fiction writers and filmmakers. These complex machines with mechanical arms were nothing like human beings and the beautiful mechanical dolls made in the 18th century. Nowadays, robots are no longer created for the entertainment of the public, but for hard work in factories, as is implied in the original name, invented by the Czech writer Karel Capek. Thanks to the achievements of cybernetics - a science that deals, among other things, with the creation of mechanisms that reproduce human movements - automata were created equipped with a flexible “brush” (or, rather, a metal claw) capable of grasping various objects and manipulating them. The movements of the arm and hand are controlled by a computer, which gives orders to the robot to perform certain movements and operations. Moreover, thanks to the development of computer programs, mechanisms can adapt to the environment and respond in a certain way to the influence of the outside world. They cannot think yet, but they know how to stop or change direction when encountering any obstacle.
LACK OF MEMORY
One of the problems with the first generation of robots was their memory. We humans recognize objects because we have seen them many times in our lives, we understand what they serve, and we can conjure them up in our imagination. A good robot, in theory, should do the same thing. But it is very difficult to create an artificial memory so large that it can recognize any objects that appear in front of the robot. Because of this, an industrial robot uses a limited range of objects and a limited set of operations in its work. In this case we are talking about specialized workers.
"Brave" robot
Robots are widely used in industry. These thinking machines can replace humans when a particularly tedious or dangerous task needs to be completed. In the automotive industry, for example, the robot is used in welding (where accidents often occur and flames are used) and for car body varnishing (where toxic materials are used). In addition, the robot, due to the fact that it is controlled by a computer, can exactly reproduce the same operations, and therefore it is used in the production of electronic devices - an area that requires very precise manual work. For the same reasons, an industrial robot is indispensable at nuclear power plants and in other areas where special precision is required or there is an increased danger to humans.
Modern research in the field of robotics is aimed at developing the autonomy of robots, that is, so that they can move independently, without a person controlling them. In order for a robot to gain independence, it must have an energy source contained within its body and a wide range of functions and actions that are as close as possible to human actions. Independent robots can be used in environments that are dangerous or unsuitable for humans: the depths of the sea, space, nuclear power plants. The illustration shows hypothetical robots of the future for underwater operations that are dangerous to humans. The underwater robot moves around the installation built on the bottom using suction cup feet and works with two arms growing from both sides directly from the “head”.
AFTER “SOJORNER”: FEET OR WHEELS?
Among the robots designed for space travel, there are those that move with the help of legs. We are talking about solar-powered “insect” robots that, unlike wheeled robots, can overcome low obstacles. NASA has already shown great interest in these new models. But nevertheless, today preference is still given to “old” – wheeled – robots. The success of the spacecraft called Sojourner (which was the first to photograph and collect samples from the surface of Mars) spawned its younger brother, which was named Nomad. This robot is the size of a truck and weighs 800 kg. Larger, more stable and faster (up to 2 km/h) than its predecessor Sojourner, Nomad was tested by NASA in the Atacama Desert (Chile). “Nomad” showed the highest results.
ROBOTIC SUPERMARKET: A pilot system in a European retail chain allows customers to pay for their purchases with a credit card by inserting it into a slot located directly at the retail counter. The buyer does not have a cart; all selected products will be packed right at the cash register, where it will be enough to confirm the withdrawal of the required amount from the account without any receipts.
ROBOT DIVER: It is designed to extract diamonds from the seabed. Operated from a ship on the surface, it is equipped with a suction pump capable of collecting 50 tons of rock per hour. On a ship on the surface, the rock drawn in by the pump is sorted, diamonds are selected and sand is discarded.
ROBOT GARDENER: A robotic melon picker has already been tested in Israel; it was called “Romper” (“Robotic Melon Picker* - robotic melon picker”). Rompers can be used for transplanting, growing and harvesting plants such as melon, squash, cabbage and lettuce. The romper can also determine the degree of ripening of the plant: a special sensor measures the level of the natural hormone responsible for the ripening of fruits, and can determine the degree of ripening of each fruit with an error of one day.
People began to invent the first robots already in the middle of the last century. Of course, the first cumbersome developments only vaguely resembled modern ones.
People began to invent the first robots already in the middle of the last century. Of course, the first cumbersome developments only vaguely resembled modern ones, but only thanks to their appearance was science able to advance in the study and design of robotics. The modern stage of development of civilization can offer millions of modifications of automatic devices, let's get acquainted with the most famous of them.
AsimoAsimo is a Japanese robot created by Honda Corporation. Initial technical developments were carried out by the organization from the early 80s. The finished product in the form of the Asimo robot was presented to the public at the beginning of the new millennium. It has become one of the most discussed projects of the 21st century.
At the moment, Japanese developers continue to upgrade the device. Asimo, assembled in 2014, is a robot that is 1.5 meters high and weighs 50 kg. The automatic device is capable of independently maneuvering in space, avoiding obstacles, and performing actions within the framework of its program, for example, bringing tea at a person’s request.
VGo
The robotic telepresence device VGo is controlled using a Wi-Fi network. The robot can move, speak, hear and see objects around it. The user can connect a device to the system and use it as a kind of camera.
A similar development was created for people with disabilities who cannot visit certain places. For example, a disabled child can see his school class while at home. He will be able to receive assignments and follow lessons through the VGo robot.
Boston Dynamics
This robot was introduced in 2005. BigDog is a four-legged device that can cover significant distances. The length of the BigDog model is 1.5 meters, the height reaches 1 meter. The weight of such a robot is 110 kg. With its help, a person can transport loads weighing up to 150 kg, the minimum speed of the robot is will be 6 km/h.
Roboy
Employees of the University of Zurich created Roboy. This exhibit has movable tendons, so its gestures resemble human ones. The Roboy design has a soft surface and you can feel the individual joints. The robot can express different emotions. It is believed that he would be a good helper for lonely elderly people deprived of attention, care and care.
Kuratas
This is a giant robot with a height of 4 meters. The weight of the device reaches 4.5 tons. It implies the presence of a driver who controls the car from the cab. It is possible to control the giant's actions from a distance using a remote panel. The maximum speed of movement of the Kuratas robot reaches 10 km/h.
The device was created by Japanese artist Kogoro Kurata, who designed it based on an anime design. Roboticist Wataru Yoshizaki added to the design. The cost of the robot is 1.3 million dollars.
iCub
Italian experts have developed a humanoid robot called iCub, the appearance of which almost completely replicates the structure of the human body. The device responds when its name is called. It is able to identify familiar people, remember the names and properties of inanimate objects.
The automatic iCub device can navigate in space and find a way out of complex labyrinths. He was taught to shoot a bow with perfect accuracy.
