Page 211 - Concise Encyclopedia of Robotics

MILITARY ROBOT
Whenever new technologies are developed, military experts look for ways
in which the devices and systems can be used in warfare. Military robots
have received special attention because, if machines could take the place
of human beings in combat, there would be fewer human casualties. For
example, androids could be used as robotic soldiers, as technicians, and
for many other tasks humans would otherwise have to do. Medical robots
could help in hospitals for humans who are injured. Robotic aircraft and
tanks have existed for some time. Modem
Artificial intelligence (AI) has also aroused the interest of military
minds.With the aid of supercomputers, war strategy might be optimized.
Computers can make decisions without being affected by emotions.
The following definitions concern robotic devices, computers and AI
systems that have significant potential for use in the military: ADAPTIVE
SUSPENSION VEHICLE, ANDROID, AUTONOMOUS ROBOT, BIOLOGICAL ROBOT, FLIGHT TELEROBOTIC
SERVICER, FLYING EYEBALL, INSECT ROBOT, MEDICAL ROBOT, POLICE ROBOT, SECURITY ROBOT, SENTRY
ROBOT, SUBMARINE ROBOT, TELEOPERATION, and TELEPRESENCE.
MODEM
The term modem is a contraction of modulator/demodulator. A modem
interfaces a computer to a communications link, allowing robots to
communicate with each other and/or with a central controller.
A computer works with binary digital signals, which are rapidly fluc-
tuating direct currents. In order for digital data to be conveyed over a
communications circuit, the data must usually be converted to analog
form. This is done by changing the digit 1 into an audio tone, and the
digit 0 into another tone with a different pitch. The result is an extremely
fast back-and-forth alternation between the two tones. In modulation,
digital data is changed into analog data. It is a type of digital-to-analog
(D/A) conversion. Demodulation changes the analog signals back to digital
ones; this is analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion.
Modems work at various speeds, usually measured in bits per second
(bps). You will often hear about kilobits per second (kbps), where 1 kbps
= 1000 bps,or megabits per second (Mbps), where 1 Mbps = 1000 kbps.The
higher the bps figure, the faster the data are sent and received through
the modem. Modems are rated according to the highest data speed they
can handle.
The illustration is a functional block diagram of a modem. The modu-
lator,or D/A converter,changes the digital computer data into audio tones.
The demodulator, or A/D converter, changes the incoming audio tones into
digital signals for the computer.

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