Page 129 - Concise Encyclopedia of Robotics

To boat
Drop cable
Thruster Food-Service Robot

Camera

Launch
box
Lamp
Thruster
Flying eyeball

from the television camera, and guide the robot around as it examines
objects on the sea floor.
In some cases, the tether can be eliminated, and radio-frequency (RF),
infrared (IR), or visible beams can be used to convey data from the robot
to the launcher. This allows the robot to have enhanced freedom of
movement, without the concern that the tether might get tangled up in
something. However, the range of the RF, IR, or link is limited, because
water does not propagate these forms of energy for long distances.
FOOD-SERVICE ROBOT
Robots can be used to prepare and serve food. The major applications are
in repetitive chores, such as placing measured portions on plates, assembly-
line style,to serve a large number of people.Food-service robots are also used
in canning and bottling plants, because these jobs are simple, repetitive,
mundane, and easily programmable. As a row of bottles goes by, for
example, one robot fills each bottle. Then a machine checks to be sure
each bottle is filled to the right level. Rejects are thrown out by another
robot. Still another robot places the caps on the bottles.

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