ROBOTICS A robot is a reprogrammable, multifunctional manipulator designed to move material, parts, tools, or specialized devices through variable programmed

motions for the performance of a variety of tasks. (Robot Institute of America) A robot is a one-armed, blind idiot with limited memory and which cannot speak, see, or hear. Types of robots Pick and place Moves items between points (e.g. SCARA robot)

Continuous path control Moves along a programmable path Sensory Employs sensors for feedback

SCARA robot The SCARA acronym stands for Selective Compliant Assembly Robot Arm or Selective Compliant Articulated Robot Arm. A SCARA robot is an assembly machine that installs parts or carries items. It is designed to mimic the action of a human arm and can be used in jobs from automobile factories to underwater construction. This tool is frequently utilized because of its speed, efficiency and low cost. A SCARA robot has a full range of motion on its X and Y axis but is bolted down and unable to move in the Y axis. It can be programmed to perform precise jobs repetitively, such as installing a pin or carrying items from one location to another within its range of motion. In the field of robotics, the SCARA is considered more affordable than many of its competitors and is one of the most popular methods of automated assembly. A cartesian coordinate robot (also called linear robot) is an industrial robot whose three principal axes of control are linear (i.e. they move in a straight line rather than rotate) and are at right angles to each other. Among other advantages, this mechanical arrangement simplifies the Robot control arm solution. Cartesian coordinate robots with the horizontal member supported at both ends are sometimes called Gantry robots. They are often quite large.

A popular application for this type of robot is a computer numerical control machine (CNC machine). The simplest application is used in milling and drawing machines where a pen or router translates across an xy plane while a tool is raised and lowered onto a surface to create a precise design. Telepresence means "feeling like you are somewhere else" Telerobotics is the area of robotics concerned with the control of robots from a distance, chiefly using wireless connections (like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, the Deep Space Network, and similar), "tethered" connections, or the Internet Control Control theory is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering and mathematics that deals with the behavior of dynamical systems. The external input of a system is called the reference. When one or more output variables of a system need to follow a certain reference over time, a controller manipulates the inputs to a system to obtain the desired effect on the output of the system. The usual objective of control theory is to calculate solutions for the proper corrective action from the controller that result in system stability, that is, the system will hold the set point and not oscillate around it. An open-loop controller, also called a non-feedback controller, is a type of controller that computes its input into a system using only the current state and its model of the system. A characteristic of the open-loop controller is that it does not use feedback to determine if its output has achieved the desired goal of the input. This means that the system does not observe the output of the processes that it is controlling. Consequently, a true open-loop system can not engage in machine learning and also cannot correct any errors that it could make. It also may not compensate for disturbances in the system. A typical example would be a conventional washing machine, for which the Length of machine wash time is entirely dependent on the judgment and estimation of the human operator. In a closed-loop control system, a sensor monitors the system output (the car's speed) and feeds the data to a controller which adjusts the control (the throttle position) as necessary to maintain the desired system output (match the car's speed to the reference speed.) Kinematics and dynamics In mechanics, degrees of freedom (DOF) are the set of independent displacements and/or rotations that specify completely the displaced or deformed position and orientation of the body or system. This is a fundamental concept relating to systems of moving bodies in mechanical engineering, aeronautical engineering, robotics, structural engineering, etc.

In statistics, the number of degrees of freedom is the number of values in the final calculation of a statistic that are free to vary. The concept of what forces are transmitted and consequently what loads and restraints can be applied is known as degree of freedom (DOF). Actions Simple joints prismatic sliding joint, e.g., square cylinder in square tube revolute hinge joint

Compound joints ball and socket = 3 revolute joints round cylinder in tube = 1 prismatic, 1 revolute

Mobility Wheels multipedal (multi-legged with a sequence of actions)

Work areas rectangular (x,y,z) cylindrical (r,U,z) spherical (r,U,N)

Coordinates World coordinate frame Everything that you draw in AutoCAD is exact. It will be more accurate than you will ever need it to be.All objects drawn on the screen are placed there based on a simple X,Y coordinate system. In AutoCAD this is known as the World Coordinate System (WCS) End effector frame How to get from coordinate system x to x to x

Dynamics Velocity, acceleration of end actuator power transmission actuator solenoid two positions , e.g., in, out motor+gears, belts, screws, levers continuum of positions stepper motor range of positions in discrete increments Problems

Joint play, compounded through N joints Accelerating masses produce vibration, elastic deformations in links Torques, stresses transmitted depending on end actuator loads Control and Programming

Position of end actuator multiple solutions

Trajectory of end actuator how to get end actuator from point A to B programming for coordinated motion of each link problem sometimes no closed-form solution Feedback control

Rotation encoders, Cameras, Pressure sensors, Temperature sensors, Limit switches, Optical sensors and Sonar (originally an acronym for SOund Navigation And Ranging) is a technique that uses sound propagation (usually underwater, as in submarine navigation) to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels)

New directions Haptics--tactile sensing

Haptics technology that takes advantage of a user's sense of touch by applying forces, vibrations, or motions to the user. tactile sensors that measure the pressure or force exerted by the user to the interface Other kinematic mechanisms, e.g. snake motion Robots that can learn Shared Challenges Configuring sensors and actuators in running system Coordinating sensors and actuators asynchronously (state of not being synchronized.) Monitoring/Interacting/Debugging running system Development when access to robot is limited Re-use of components across hardware platforms and devices Architecture of Robotic System
Perceive Sensors (Touch, Light, Ultrasonic, etc) Make Decisions Logic (Computation) Take Action Actuators Interact User Interface and Communication Power Unit

Applications
Automotive industry Assembly Medical laboratories Medicine Nuclear energy Agriculture Spatial exploration Underwater inspection Customer service Arts and entertainement