Types of Robots Handout-2

Name Class _ Sec _

What is a Robot?
A robot is only a “human-shaped toy or remote-controlled vehicle”; this type of definition for a robot
is far too narrow and inaccurate.

Robot is not necessarily limited to “human form”, anything that can be used to simulate “human
thought” and “behavior” and is programmable can be called as such.

We know that humans can use “eyes” to see the objects, “ears” to listen to the sounds; but the robots
have neither eyes nor ears, then how should they simulate the human thought and behavior, and
thus be able to assist the human in dealing with complex problems?

In reality, a “robot” is a computer (simulating the human brain); it has computer controller
(including central processing units and memory units), and has an input port, used for connecting
sensors (simulating human sensory organs), and an output port, used for connecting the motor
(simulating human limbs).

Types of Robots
Robots perform different types of task in different fields. Thus, the robots can be classified
according to their applications in various fields.

1. Industrial Robots:
Industrial robots are the ones used in the
industrial manufacturing for the applications
such as

welding, pick and place, painting, etc.

2. Domestic Robots:

Domestic robots are also called as household robots since they are used at home for various
tasks such as robotic vacuum cleaners, sweepers, gutter cleaners, lawn mowers, etc.

3. Medical Robots:

The robots used in medicine and medical

institutions. First and foremost were the surgery robots.

4. Service Robots:
Service robots are the ones designed for
performing the useful tasks for the human
beings such as data gathering, research, or
some
repetitive tasks.

5. Military Robots:

The robots used for the military purposes such as

search and rescue. This type of robots include many
different transportation robots, bomb disposal
robots, drones, etc.
6. Entertainment Robots:

These are the robots used for the entertainment. It has a broad
category. It starts with toy robots or the running alarm clock
and ends with real heavy weights such as articulated robot
arms.

7. Hobby and Competition robots: The robots

that we create such as line followers, sumo-bots, and the
robots made for fun and activities.
 Uses of Robots:

Because people do not like to do the jobs that are “dangerous” or “repetitive”, there is a motivation
to invent robots of all kinds of uses, with the objective of substituting or helping humans with many
types of complex work.

Common Uses:

1. Industrial: Mechanical arms used for welding (e.g. for car manufacturing) or production-line
packaging.

2. Military: Defusing explosive objects (e.g. bombs)

3. Space: Autopilot (e.g. detecting airplanes, exploration vehicles)

4. Medical: Home care (e.g. reporting situations with the elderly)

5. Everyday Life: Automatic house cleaning (e.g. automatic vacuum cleaner)

6. Exercise: Automatic serving machines(e.g. automatic table tennis serving machine)

7. Transportation: Driverless vehicles(e.g. Google’s research and development in driverless cars)

8. Safety testing: Car Collision testing

9. Entertainment: Takes place of traditional single-feature toys

10. Educational: trains students’ critical thinking and general application capabilities, with the main
goal of helping students learn the general application of robots’ mechanical principles, sensors,
hosts, and service motors. Thus, it develops a variety of robotic programs and practical applications.