Robotics

And Its
Applications

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 UNIT I

Robotics| Introduction
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

Robotics is a branch of engineering and science that includes

electronics engineering, mechanical engineering and computer science and so on.
This branch deals with the design, construction, use to control robots, sensory
feedback and information processing.
These are some technologies which will replace humans and human
activities in coming years. These robots are designed to be used for any purpose
but these are using in sensitive environments like bomb detection, deactivation
of various bombs etc. Robots can take any form but many of them have given the
human appearance. The robots which have taken the form of human appearance
may likely to have the walk like humans, speech, cognition and most importantly
all the things a human can do. Most of the robots of today are inspired by nature
and are known as bio-inspired robots.
Robotics is that branch of engineering that deals with conception,
design, operation, and manufacturing of robots.
There was an author named Issac Asimov, he said that he was the first
person to give robotics name in a short story composed in 1940’s. In that story,
Issac suggested three principles about how to guide these types of robotic
machines. Later on, these three principles were given the name of Issac’s three
laws of Robotics. These three laws state that:
 Robots will never harm human beings.
 Robots will follow instructions given by humans with breaking law one.
 Robots will protect themselves without breaking other rules.

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Advantages of Robots
 Robots can work in hazardous environments such as radiation,
darkness, hot and cold areas even in ocean bottoms without life
support, comfort.
 Robot usage can increase productivity, safety, efficiency, quality
and consistency of products.
 Robots need no environmental comforts like lighting, air
conditioning, ventilation and noise protection.
 Robots can work continuously without tiring or boredom
 Robot have repeatable precisions at all times.
 They can work more accurate than humans in every environment.
 Robots can perform multiple tasks at a time but human can
perform single task at a time.
Disadvantages of Robots
 Though it is more accurate than humans but it lacks the capability
in responding to emergency situations
 Inappropriate or wrong responses may cause several loss to the
work environment.
 The replacement of human workers with robots may cause
economic hardship in the society
 Its initial installation, training, and other peripherals were very
costly.
 Only trained personnel were able to operate this.
 Robots have very limited capability in real-time response because
they will work with the stored programs it can’t work beyond that.

History of Robotics :

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Much of the work in robotics, however, was done in the 20th century both in
fiction and in real life. In 1921, a Czech writer Karel Capek coined the term
"Robot" in his play "R.U.R" (Rossum's Universal Robots). The word robot is of

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Czech origin meaning “forced work”. Rossum’s Universal Robots is the first time
the term “robot” is used officially.

Isaac Asimov gave us the three laws of robotics which can also be used to define
what is a robot and what is not. As surprising as it might seem, he wasn’t a
scientist by any standards, he was a writer who wrote numerous short stories on
robots in 1940s and 1950s. He is also admired for coining the term “Robotics”.
The "Three laws of robotics", which is defined by Isaac Asimov is:

A Robot may not harm a human being..

A Robot must obey a human being...
A Robot must protect its own existence...

In 1948 and 1949, William Grey Walter working in Burden Neurological

Institute in Bristol, was able to create two autonomous robots
named Elmer and Elsie. Both of them were shaped like tortoise and they used
three wheels to move around. And whenever they ran low on battery, they would
rush towards the nearest recharge station. That was one of the most impressive
works on intelligent robots that can take care of themselves.
A “relative” of the robotic manipulator, the teleoperator or telecheric, was
developed during World War II to permit an operator to handle radioactive
materials at a safe distance.
Just after the conclusion of this war, George Devol, the acknowledged
“father of the robot,” developed a magnetic process controller that could be used
as a general-purpose playback device for controlling machines.
In the same year (1946), Eckert and Mauchly built the ENIAC, the first
large-scale electronic computer, and at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) a general-purpose digital computer (Whirlwind) solved its first
problem.
It is generally acknowledged that the “robot age” began in 1954 when
Deyo] patented the first manipulator with a playback memory. This device was
Capable of performing a controlled motion from one point to another (i.e., point-
to-point motion). In addition, Devol also coined the phrase universal
automation. (This was to be shortened later to.unimation.)
Five years after this, the first commercia| robot was sold by the Planet
Corporation. However, in 1960 Devol chose to sel] his original robot patents
(approximately 40 in all) to Consolidated Diesel Corporation (Condec), which
actually developed the Unimate robot at its newly formed subsidiary, Unimation,
Inc.t

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 The design of the Unimate combined the playback features of numerically
controlled devices (e.g., milling machines) with the servocontrolled capabilities of
the telecherics developed by Goertz.
Two years later, in 1962, General Motors installed the first Unimate on one
of its assembly lines in a die-casting application.

By the mid 1960s, the new field of robotics sparked the formation of several
centers of research into this area and the related topic of artificial intelligence (AI)
at such institutions as MIT, Stanford University, Stanford Research Institute
(SRI) International, and the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. In 1967,
General Electric Corporation produced a four-legged vehicle (under a
Department of Defense contract) that required simultaneous control of the
appendages by a human operator.
A year later, SRI demonstrated an “‘intelligent” mobile robot that had
some vision capability (using a TV camera), an optical range finder, and touch
sensors . The device also had the ability to understand and react to verbal
commands in English. Because it moved in a highly irregular and jerky
manner, it was given the name “Shakey.”
Through history of robotics, the 1970s, other intelligent robots
emerged. Freddy and Freddy II were able to assemble wooden blocks and put
rings on pegs using its video camera 3-DOF and 5-DOF mechanisms. Assembling
the parts using manipulators was not that impressive, but the use of cameras to
identify objects was fascinating.

Genghis was created by scientists at MIT in 1989.It was one of the first
examples of cheap robots. Another great feature of it was its behavioral algorithm
which makes the robot behave like a real insect.

Self-driving cars arrived in the 21st century, but they still have a long
way to go due to some legal and ethical issues.The new generation of robots
like Robonaut 2 are the first humanoid robots in the history of robotics, that are
used in space to help astronauts.
The French shipbuilding company of Chantiers du Nord et de la
Méditerranée successfully tested a marine mobile robot in early 1984. Intended
for cleaning the sides and bottoms of large ships, this remarkable device has
already been used by Renault to paint the walls of a large gas tank. Although it
would appear from this brief chronolog that the Japanese are ‘“Johnny-come-
latelies,” such is not the case. In fact, as early as 1968, Kawasaki Heavy
Industries was granted a license from Unimation to manufacture their robots.
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The robot industry grew so rapidly that in 1971, the Japan Industrial Robot
Association (JIRA) was founded. It is interesting to note that despite all of the
research activity in the United States, the Robotic Institute of America (RIA),
now called the Robotic Industries Association, an organization primarily for
manufacturers and users of robots, was begun only in 1975.
An even more revealing Statistic is found in Joseph F. Engelberger’s
excellent book entitled Robots In Practice [3]. At the time of its publication
(September 1980), the author listed nine Japanese, nine European, and only
four American companies manufacturing robots.

Components of Robot
Four major components in common: (1) a manipulator or arm (the
“mechanical unit”), (2) one or more sensors, (3) a controller (the ‘“‘brain’’), and
(4) a power supply. Let us briefly describe each of these in turn.

Components of Robot
A robot as a whole consists of the following elements which are
integrated together to form a whole.

 Manipulator
 End effector
 Actuators
 Sensors
 Controller
 Processor
 Software
 Power Supply

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Manipulator
The manipulator is the main body of the robot which consists of the
links, the joints, and other structural elements of the robot.

Simply a manipulator is a structure where all other important parts are

fixed. Without any other elements manipulator alone is not considered as
a robot.

End Effector
This part is connected to the last joint (Hand) of a manipulator that
generally handle objects, lift parts, makes connections to other
machines, or performs the required tasks.

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Generally, the hand of a robot has provisions for connecting speciality
end effectors specially designed for a purpose. The end effector is not to
be same for all applications, depends on the need designs of end
effectors may get vary.

A welding torch, paint spray gun, glue laying device, parts handlers are
some of the end effectors used in robots.

Actuators
Actuators are the energy conversion device used inside a robot. The major function of
actuators is to convert energy into movement.

Actuators are known as the muscles of the manipulators. Robot joints,

and links are moved by the actuators only through the signals received
from the controllers.

o Electric motors (DC/AC)- Motors are electromechanical component used for

converting electrical energy into its equivalent mechanical energy. In robots
motors are used for providing rotational movement.

Servomotors, Stepper motors, Pneumatic actuators, and Hydraulic

actuators are some common types of actuators used in robots.

Mainly Actuators are under the control of the controller only.

Sensors
Sensors provide real time information on the task environment. Robots are equipped with
tactile sensor it imitates the mechanical properties of touch receptors of human
fingerprints and a vision sensor is used for computing the depth in the environment.

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Sensors are used to collect information about the internal state of the
robot or to communicate with outside environment.

The robot controller needs to know the location of joints or needs to

move the actuators depends on the input signal, mainly the input signals
were given by the sensors.

These sensors are integrated with robots every part where the actuations
need to be done depends on the signal, feedback or process.

Every action for outside environment is by the signal of the sensors only.
It may be touch, tactile, vision and so on.

Mostly these sensors will get information and sends that to controller
that will make required process to do

Controller
Controller is like human cerebellum; it does not have the power of brain
but it controls all the motions. Through controller only all the motions of
the robot were processed.

This controller gets the necessary inputs from all sensory items do the
motions of the coordination, actuator or joints links. Without controller,
we cannot do the exact robot operations.

For example, we want to move a robot arm for picking and placing an
object from one place to other in that we need to change the motion of
the arm from 90⁰ to 45⁰, controller sends the signal to actuator for
rotation of 45⁰ after reaching the point it picks the object as the sensor
sends the feedback signal to the controller so again it will move to home
position of 90⁰. Like this controller makes every action in the robots.

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Processor
Processor is considered as the brain of robots. It calculates all the
motion, it calculates how much speed was needed for moving to the
destination point, checks the coordination points for the function.

The processor is generally a computer which is specially made for

the desired robots. It requires operating system, monitor and other
peripheral for controlling the operation.

In some systems both controller and processor were integrated as

one but in some systems, they will be separated. Depends on the user
requirement the processor is chosen.

Software
Mainly three group of software are used in robots. They are
Operating system, robotics software and applications-oriented programs.
Operating system is used to operate the processor.

Robotic software is used to calculate the necessary motion of each

joint based on the kinematic, inverse kinematic equations of the robot.
This information is sent to the controller.

This robotic software has different levels from machine level

language to high level language used by high tech robots.

Power Supply
The working power to the robot is provided by batteries,
hydraulic, solar power, or pneumatic power sources.

Classification of robots
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 Based on coordinate system
Based on control system
Co-ordinate System
A coordinate system defines a plane or space by axes from a fixed point
called the origin. Robot targets and positions are located by measurements along
the axes of coordinate systems. A robot uses several coordinate systems, each
suitable for specific types of jogging or programming.

The Robots are mostly divided into four major configurations based on their
appearances, sizes, etc. such as:

Cylindrical Configuration,
Polar Configuration,
Jointed Arm Configuration, and
Cartesian Co-ordinate Configuration.

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Cylindrical Configuration:

This kind of robots incorporates a slide in the horizontal position and a

column in the vertical position. It also includes a robot arm at the end of the slide.
Here, the slide is capable of moving in up & down motion with the help of the
column. In addition, it can reach the work space in a rotary movement as like a
cylinder.

Example: GMF Model M1A Robot.

Advantages:
 Increased rigidity, and

 Capacity of carrying high payloads.

Disadvantages:

 Floor space required is more, and

 Less work volume.

Polar Configuration:

The polar configuration robots will possess an arm, which can move up and
down. It comprises of a rotational base along with a pivot. It has one linear & two
rotary joints that allows the robot to operate in a spherical work volume. It is also
stated as Spherical Coordinate Robots.

Example: Unimate 2000 Series Robot.

Advantages:
Long reach capability in the horizontal position.
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Disadvantages:
Vertical reach is low.

Jointed Arm Configuration (Articulated configuration)

The arm in these configuration robots looks almost like a human arm. It gets
three rotary joints and three wrist axes, which form into six degrees of freedoms.
As a result, it has the capability to be controlled at any adjustments in the work
space. These types of robots are used for performing several operations like spray
painting, spot welding, arc welding, and more.
DOF is related to robotics arms , is an independent joint that can provid
freedom of movement for the manipulator either in a rotational or
translational(linear) sense.

Example: Cincinnati Milacron T3 776 Robot

Advantages:
 Increased flexibility,
 Huge work volume, and

 Quick operation.
Disadvantages:
 Very expensive,
 Difficult operating procedures, and
 Plenty of components.

Cartesian Co-ordinate configuration ( Linear Robots)

These robots are also called as XYZ robots, because it is equipped with three
rotary joints for assembling XYZ axes. The robots will process in a rectangular
work space by means of this three joints movement. It is capable of carrying high
payloads with the help of its rigid structure.The joints are perpendicular to one
another. It is mainly integrated in some functions like pick and place, material
handling, loading and unloading, and so on. Additionally, this configuration adds a
name of Gantry Robot.

Example: IBM 7565 Robot.

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Advantages:
 Highly accurate & speed,
 Fewer cost,
 Simple operating procedures, and
 High payloads.
Disadvantages:
 Less work envelope, and
 Reduced flexibility.

Classification by Control Method

As mentioned above, the second method of classification looks at the
technique used to control the various axes of the robot. The two general
classes are
(1) non servo controlled, and
(2) servo controlled.

Non Servo Control

The non-servo-controlled or limited-sequence robot is the simplest type. It also describe
such a manipulator are end point robot, pick and place robot or bang-bang robot. The major
characteristic of such devices is that their axes remain in motion until the limit of travel or “end
stop” for each is reached [3]. Thus only two positions for the individual axes are assumed. The
non-servo nature of the control implies that once the manipulator has begun to move, it will
continue to do so until the appropriate end stop reached.

The controller is operating in open-loop mode, where there is no monitoring of the

motion, the position or the velocity, via external sensors, at any intermediate points [3]. The
robot motion is then controlled by limit switches and mechanical stop. The simple control
method enables this type of robots 10 to provide relatively high-speed operation with high degree
of reliability and accuracy, but they are limited to performing only simple pick and place
operations

– implemented by setting limits or mechanical stops for

each joint and sequencing the actuation of each joint
to accomplish the cycle

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 – end point robot, limited sequence robot, bang-bang robot
– No control over the motion at the intermediate points,
only end points are known

Servo Control
The motion of robotic arm is controlled according to the feedback given
to the controller. The servo control robots are classified further as follows :

– Point to point Control

– Continuous Path Control

– Controlled path

Point-to-point: these robots are most common and can move from one specified point to another
but cannot stop at arbitrary points not previously designated.

Controlled path: is a specialized control method that is a part of general category of a point-to-
point robot but with more precise control. The controlled path robot ensures that the robot will
describe the right segment between two taught points. Controlledpath is a calculated method and
is desired when the manipulator must move in the perfect path motion.

Continuous path: is an extension of the point-to-point method. This involves the utilization of
more points and its path can be arc, a circle, or a straight line. Because of the large number of
points, the robot is capable of producing smooth movements that give the appearance of
continuous or contour movement

Closed Loop control used to monitor position, velocity

(other variables) of each joint .The sequence of moves is controlled by a
“squencer”, which uses feedback received from the end stops to index to next
step in the program.
Advantages :
• Low cost and easy to maintain, reliable
• relatively high speed
• repeatability of up to 0.01 inch
• limited flexibility
• typically hydraulic, pneumatic drives

Point-to-Point Control
• Only the end points are programmed, the path used to

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 connect the end points are computed by the controller
• user can control velocity, and may permit linear or piece wise linear motion
• Feedback control is used during motion to ascertain that
individual joints have achieved desired location
• Applications
• pick and place type operations
• hole drilling
• spot welding
• component insertion
• machine loading
Continuous path control:

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 The Workspace of a Robot
By definition, the workspace of a robot is a specification of the reachable
configurations of the end-effector. The workspace of a robot has nothing to do with a
particular task.

Example: Suppose a planar robot arm below where the lengths of two links are not equal:

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The robot arm has two revolute joints, and the lengths of the links are as follows:

l1=15.6cm
l2=9.2cm
The workspace of this robot, if we do not impose any limitations on the joint angles
(both angles can be freely changed from 0 to 360 o), can be visualized like the figure
below:

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This figure shows the workspace of a 2R planar robot arm with no limits on the joint angles. The lengths of the links

are not equal.

The circle with a radius of l1 – l2 is the area that the robot end-effector cannot reach.

If the lengths of the two links are equal, that is l 1 = l2 then the robot’s workspace
can be visualized as follows

This figure shows a 2R planar robot arm’s workspace with no limits on the joint angles. The lengths of the links are

equal.

Note: The workspace is the reachable configurations of the end-effector of the robot.

If we put constraints on the joint angles as:

θ1∈[0o,180o]
θ2∈[0o,150o]
Then the workspace of the 2R planar robot with limitations on the joint angles will be as
the following figure:

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The shaded area shows the space that the end-effector of the robot can reach.

The Dexterous Workspace vs. the Reachable

Workspace
The workspace concept defined above is the reachable workspace of the robot that are the
configurations that the robot end-effector can reach.

There is another workspace concept known as the dexterous workspace. By definition,

the dexterous workspace is the set of all positions that can be reached with all possible
orientations. Let’s see these two concepts with an example:

Think about the farthest points that you can reach with your fingertips. Those points are
the outer boundary of your reachable workspace (points you can reach with at least one
orientation). However, the dexterous workspace is a subset of the reachable workspace
that are points that you can reach while you are able to move your joints as usual (you
can reach those points with all orientations).

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Work envelope
It is the shape created when a manipulator reaches forward, backward, up and down.
These distances are determined by the length of a robot's arm and the design of its axes.
Each axis contributes its own range of motion.
work envelope is the range of motion achieved by the robot manipulator. The
shape and volume of the work envelope are determined by the robot arm’s length and
what type of joints it possesses. Each joint contributes its own range of motion, whether
in a linear movement along one or two axes or a rotary or revolutionary movement in
three-dimensional space. As a result, work envelope shapes may be rectangular, cubic,
cylindrical, polar, or revolute, among others.

A work envelope is generally defined as how far the robot arm’s end-effector
mounting plate can reach vertically, horizontally, and backward. The dimensions do not
include the additional reach granted by tools attached to the robot wrist. Any
unreachable area beyond the work envelope is referred to as a dead zone.

Why Does the Work Envelope

Matter?
A robot’s work envelope is a critical consideration because it defines the space in which
the robot can operate. You want to select a robot that can cover the work area required
and perform the tasks you have in mind.

For instance, do you need a robot that can handle large components? If so, you need a
large-scale machine with a longer manipulator. On the other hand, your operation may
require tasks in a contained space involving tiny objects. This calls for a more diminutive
robot able to work with greater dexterity.

Keep in mind that 6-axis robots offer the most complex range of motion of any industrial
robot. This makes them a popular choice for manufacturing automation across various
industries.
Robot Working Envelopes

Different Robot configurations generate characteristic working envelope shapes. This working
envelope is important when selecting a Robot for a particular application since it dictates:-

Care should be exercised when interpreting the working envelope of a Robot, for a number of
reasons.

a. the working envelope refers to the working volume which can be reached by some point
at the end of the Robot arm, this point is usually the centre of the end effector mounting
plate. It excludes any tools or workpiece which the end effector may hold.
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 b. There are often areas within the working envelope which cannot be reached by the end of
the Robot arm. Such areas are termed dead zones.

c. The maximum quoted payload capacity can only be achieved at certain arm spans this
may not necessarily be at maximum reach.

Standard Working Envelope Shapes

1. Cartesian Configuration
The working envelope of the Cartesian configuration
is a rectangular prism. There are no dead zones within
the working envelope and the Robot can manipulate its
maximum payload throughout the working volume.

2. Cylindrical Configuration
The working envelope of this configuration is as its name suggests a cylinder. The
cylinder is hollow, since there is a limit to how far the arm can retract, this creates
a cylindrical dead zone around the Robot structure.

3) Polar Configuration
The working envelope of this configuration sweeps out a volume between two partial
spheres. There are physical limits imposed by the design on the amount of angular movement in
both the vertical and horizontal planes. These restrictions create conical dead zones both above
and below the Robot structure.

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4) Revolute Configuration
This configuration has a large working envelope relative to the floor space it occupies. The shape
of the working envelope depends on the individual design. The two most common designs are
shown below. The design in b) allows almost a true sphere to be reached, whilst the design in a)
has a complex cusp shaped envelope.

5) SCARA Configuration
The SCARA configuration has a working envelope that can be loosely described as a heart or
kidney shaped prism, having a circular hole passing through the middle. This allow a large area
coverage in the horizontal plane but relatively little in the vertical plane.

6) Spine Configuration
The envelope of the spine Robot will approximate that of a true hemisphere the size being
dependent on the number of articulations in the spine.

7) Pendulum Configuration
The working envelope of the pendulum configuration resembles that of a simple horseshoe
having a segmented shaped cross section. The limited working envelope is offset by the fact
that this Robot can be mounted in almost any position, allowing the envelope to be finely
positioned in relation to its task.

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End effectors are devices attached to the end of a robot’s arm to help
it interact with the surrounding environment. End effectors are essential to
robotic systems as they handle, manipulate, and sense objects. These devices are
the primary means by which robots interact with their environment and perform
useful work. End effectors can be customized to suit specific applications and
can be designed to perform a wide range of tasks, including gripping, cutting,
welding, painting, and more.

What are the types of end effectors used in

robots?
End effectors can be broadly classified into three categories based on their
design, construction, and application.

Grippers
Grippers are used to grasp and hold objects securely. They are one of the most
commonly used types of end effectors in robotics and are an essential
component of many automated systems. The primary function of grippers is to
provide robots with the ability to pick up, move, and manipulate objects in a
controlled and repeatable manner. Grippers come in different sizes, shapes, and
configurations. Their choice depends on the type and size of the object being
handled, the robot's environment, and the specific application.

Here is a list of some different grippers used as a robot’s end effectors:

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Mechanical Grippers: Mechanical grippers are the most basic type of grippers
and work by using jaws or fingers to grab an object. They are simple, robust,
and reliable and are often used in applications that require a firm and stable
grasp, such as pick-and-place operations or assembly tasks. Mechanical grippers
can be further classified based on the type of jaws or fingers used, such as
parallel grippers, angular grippers, or three-finger grippers.

Vacuum Grippers: Vacuum grippers use suction cups to grab and hold things.
They are primarily used in applications that require handling flat, smooth, or
porous objects, such as glass panels or printed circuit boards. Vacuum cups are
easy to use, have a fast cycle time, and are highly reliable. However, they may
not be suitable for handling irregularly shaped or heavy payloads.

Magnetic Grippers: Magnetic grippers use magnetic fields to hold

ferromagnetic items such as steel plates. They are used in applications that
require handling heavy or irregularly shaped objects that cannot be easily
managed with mechanical or vacuum grippers. Magnetic grippers are highly
reliable, require minimal maintenance, and have a fast cycle time. However,
they may not be suitable for handling non-ferromagnetic materials.

Servo Grippers: Servo grippers use motors and gearboxes to control the
gripping force and positioning of the robot precisely. They are used in
applications that require high precision and flexibility, such as quality control or
inspection tasks. Servo grippers can be programmed to adjust their gripping
force and position based on the size and shape of the object being handled,
making them highly versatile.

A pneumatically controlled magnet gripper for pick and place applications

Every gripper has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Hence, the
choice of gripper depends on the specific application it is going to be used for.

 Mechanical grippers are simple, reliable, and cost-effective but may not
be suitable for handling irregularly shaped objects.
 Vacuum grippers are easy to use, highly reliable, and have a fast cycle
time but may not be suitable for handling heavy or non-porous objects.
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  Magnetic grippers are highly reliable and require minimal maintenance
but may not be suitable for handling non-ferromagnetic materials.
 Servo grippers are highly precise and flexible but may be more expensive
and require more complex control systems.

Sensors
Sensors are essential components of robotic systems, providing robots with the
ability to gain a perception of their environment. Sensors gather data about the
robot's surroundings, including the position and orientation of objects around it
and the robot itself. The robot's control system then uses this information to
decide how to interact with its environment. Here are some of the most
commonly used sensors in end effectors:

Proximity sensors: Proximity sensors are used to detect the presence or

absence of objects in the proximity of the end effector. These sensors can detect
various targets, including metal, plastic, and even liquids.

Force/torque sensors: Force/torque sensors measure the amount of force or

torque being applied to the robot or to the objects it interacts with. These
sensors are often used in robotic grippers to measure the force required to grip
an object or in robotic arms to measure the force required to move an object.

Cameras: Vision sensors use cameras and other imaging technologies to

provide visual feedback on the position, orientation, and movement of the end
effector and the objects it interacts with. These sensors are often used in
applications requiring precise positioning and manipulation. Cameras are also
used for object recognition, tracking, navigation, and obstacle avoidance.
Cameras for end effectors can even have 3D and thermal imaging capabilities if
the application demands.

Light sensors: Light sensors can detect the presence or absence of light and are
used to provide feedback on the position of objects in low-light environments.

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Magnetic sensors: Magnetic sensors or hall effect sensors are used to detect the
presence of magnetic fields. They can detect the position and orientation of
objects that contain magnets.

Range Sensors: Range sensors are used to measure the distance between the
robot’s end effector and objects near it.

The advantages of sensors include increased accuracy, efficiency, and

flexibility. They provide robots with the ability to perceive their environment
and make decisions based on that information, making them ideal for
applications that require precision or that operate in dynamic or complex
environments. However, sensors and cameras can also be expensive, and their
accuracy can be affected by lighting and environmental conditions.

Process Tools
Process tools in robot end effectors are attachments or devices used to perform
specific tasks. They work in coordination with the robotic arm, providing
additional functionalities to the robotic system. They can be as simple as a
screwdriver or as complex as a whole robot. Here are some examples of process
tools used in end effectors:

Welding guns: Welding guns deliver a massive amount of electric current to

the workpiece/workpieces on which welding is to be performed. After it cools
down, a strong and permanent bond is formed.

Painting Spray Guns: Painting spray guns are used as end effectors in robotic
painting systems. They are designed to apply a precise and consistent amount of
paint to a workpiece. The spray gun can be programmed to adjust the angle and
distance of the spray to achieve the desired coverage and finish.

Cutting Tools: Cutting tools are used to cut and shape workpieces. They can be
designed for a variety of materials and thicknesses, including metal, plastic, and
wood. Cutting tools can be mounted on the robotic arm as an end effector and
programmed to cut the workpiece to a specific size and shape.

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Grinding and Sanding Tools: Grinding and sanding tools are used to smooth
and finish surfaces on a workpiece. These tools can be mounted on the robotic
arm as an end effector, and the arm can be programmed to move the tool over
the surface of the workpiece to achieve the desired finish.

Deburring Tools: Deburring tools remove burrs or rough edges from a

workpiece after it has been cut or machined. Deburring tools can be mounted
onto a robotic arm as an end effector and programmed to deburr the edges of the
workpiece to a specific size and shape.

Dispensers: Dispenser end effectors are a process tool used in robotics designed
to dispense various materials, such as adhesives, sealants, and lubricants, onto a
workpiece or component. These are used in 3D printing systems too.

What is service robot?

According to the International Federation of Robotics, the classification
of robot can be divided into industrial robot and service robot based on
the specific application. The industrial robot mainly applies for
manufacturing applications, whilst the service robot refer to the robot service
for mankind activities and can be split into personal and professional service
robot.

As the service robot will face relatively complex group and environment,
thus it will equip with sensors that imitate human’s five senses. That is,
vision, hearing, smell, taste and touch. Besides, it will also contain facial/body
posture recognition and voice recognition systems to enhance communication
capabilities. In addition, the combination of artificial intelligence and cloud
network system empower AI service robot timely response to environmental
conditions, own more autonomy in operation and easier to integrate into
society and used by human beings.

What are the applications of service robot?

Now a days, we can see service robot gradually applied at various

scenes. The following are some classic applications.

1. Hotel

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The strong reception and communication skill enable service robots suitable
to be used at the hotel lobby to interact with guests, understand their
requirements and guide them solve problem. For important VIP guests, the
service robot can even provide hospitality and exclusive VIP services in
response to improve the image and influence of the hotel.

2. Government affairs

Powerful AI capabilities empower the AI robot a new role. Namely, it can play
the part of a supplementary government staff and assist to handle a certain
amount of daily business, which is good to relieve the labor shorten pressure
and optimize the working efficiency.

3. Hospital

Hospital guide, health consultation and other services can be provided by the
service robot at the guide desk to show the core strength of medical care.
Besides, it can make circular introduction to made patients better understand
the hospital, including hospital introduction, department guidance, medical
knowledge and expert information.

4. Tourist attractions

The superior AI explanation ability makes AI robot available to act as the tour
guide at the tourist attractions. It is conducive to provide tourists all-in-one
service and elevate their travel experience through intelligent guidance and
explanation and be a bright spot to attract more tourists.

5. Enterprise

In addition to welcoming guests, the service robot can also be used in the
annual meeting of the enterprise. It can help to push the annual meeting to a
climax with vivid interaction with the host, detonate the atmosphere of the
scene and mobilize the emotions of the audience.

What is Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial Intelligence is defined as the branch of Computer Science & Engineering, which
deals with creating intelligent machines that perform like humans. Artificial Intelligence
helps to enable machines to sense, comprehend, act and learn human like activities.

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There are mainly 4 types of Artificial Intelligence: reactive machines, limited memory,
theory of mind, and self-awareness.

In the world of robotics, AI has proven to be a valuable asset in a variety of

applications. From customer service to manufacturing, AI has made its mark and
continues to revolutionize the way we think about and interact with robots. Let’s take a
closer look at some of the

key areas where AI is being used alongside robotics today.

Customer Service: AI-powered chat bots are becoming increasingly common

in customer service applications. These automated service agents can handle
simple, repetitive requests without the need for human involvement. The more
these systems interact with humans, the more they learn. And as AI systems
become more sophisticated, we can expect to see more and more robots
being used in customer service in both online and brick-and-mortar
environments.

Assembly: AI has proven to be an invaluable tool in robotic

assembly applications, especially in complex manufacturing industries such
as aerospace. With the help of advanced vision systems, AI can enable real-
time course correction and can be used to help a robot automatically learn the
best paths for certain processes while in operation.

Packaging: AI is used in the packaging industry to improve efficiency,

accuracy and cost-effectiveness. By continuously refining and saving certain
motions made by robotic systems, AI helps make installing and moving robotic
equipment easier for everyone.

Imaging: Across many industries — including assembly and logistics —

accurate imaging is crucial. With the assistance of AI, robots can achieve
enhanced visual acuity and image recognition competencies, enabling greater
accuracy in even the smallest of details.

Machine Learning: Machine learning is a powerful tool for robots. By

exploring their surroundings, robots can learn more about their environment,
find ways around obstacles and solve problems to complete tasks more
efficiently. From home robots like vacuum cleaners to manufacturing robots in
factories, machine learning is helping robots become more intelligent and
adaptable in their work.

AI technology used in Robotics

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Computer Vision
Robots can also see, and this is possible by one of the popular Artificial Intelligence
technologies named Computer vision. Computer Vision plays a crucial role in all
industries like health, entertainment, medical, military, mining, etc.

Computer Vision is an important domain of Artificial Intelligence that helps in extracting

meaningful information from images, videos and visual inputs and take action
accordingly.

Natural Language Processing

NLP (Natural Languages Processing) can be used to give voice commands to AI robots.
It creates a strong human-robot interaction. NLP is a specific area of Artificial
Intelligence that enables the communication between humans and robots. Through the
NLP technique, the robot can understand and reproduce human language. Some robots
are equipped with NLP so that we can't differentiate between humans and robots.

Similarly, in the health care sector, robots powered by Natural Language Processing may
help physicians to observe the decease details and automatically fill in EHR. Besides
recognizing human language, it can learn common uses, such as learn the accent, and
predict how humans speak.

Edge Computing
Edge computing in robots is defined as a service provider of robot integration, testing,
design and simulation. Edge computing in robotics provides better data management,
lower connectivity cost, better security practices, more reliable and uninterrupted
connection.

Complex Event Process

Complex event processing (CEP) is a concept that helps us to understand the processing
of multiple events in real time. An event is described as a Change of State, and one or
more events combine to define a Complex event. The complex event process is most
widely used term in various industries such as healthcare, finance, security, marketing,
etc. It is primarily used in credit card fraud detection and also in stock marketing field.

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For example, the deployment of an airbag in a car is a complex event based on the data
from multiple sensors in real-time. This idea is used in Robotics, for example, Event-
Processing in Autonomous Robot Programming.

Transfer Learning and AI

This is the technique used to solve a problem with the help of another problem that is
already solved. In Transfer learning technique, knowledge gained from solving one
problem can be implement to solve related problem. We can understand it with an
example such as the model used for identifying a circle shape can also be used to
identify a square shape.

Transfer learning reuses the pre-trained model for a related problem, and only the last
layer of the model is trained, which is relatively less time consuming and cheaper. In
robotics, transfer learning can be used to train one machine with the help of other
machines.

Reinforcement Learning
Reinforcement learning is a feedback-based learning method in machine learning that
enables an AI agent to learn and explore the environment, perform actions and learn
automatically from experience or feedback for each action. Further, it is also having
feature of autonomously learn to behave optimally through hit-and-trail action while
interacting with the environment. It is primarily used to develop the sequence of
decisions and achieve the goals in uncertain and potentially complex environment. In
robotics, robots explore the environment and learn about it through hit and trial. For
each action, he gets rewarded (positive or negative). Reinforcement learning provides
Robotics with a framework to design and simulate sophisticated and hard-to-engineer
behaviours.

Affective computing
Affective computing is a field of study that deals with developing systems that can
identify, interpret, process, and simulate human emotions. Affective computing aims to
endow robots with emotional intelligence to hope that robots can be endowed with
human-like capabilities of observation, interpretation, and emotion expression.

Mixed Reality

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Mixed Reality is also an emerging domain. It is mainly used in the field of programming
by demonstration (PbD). PbD creates a prototyping mechanism for algorithms using a
combination of physical and virtual objects.

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