Page 326 - Concise Encyclopedia of Robotics

Telechir
Rather than allowing us more free time, our technological miracles seem
to devour our time and attention.
To avoid the less desirable effects of technocentrism, humanity must
adopt a balanced outlook. Humans must be, and must always remain, the
masters of machines.
See also UNCANNY VALLEY.
TELECHIR
See TELEOPERATION and TELEPRESENCE.
TELEMETRY
Telemetry is the transmission of quantitative information from one point
to another, usually by wireless means, and particularly by radio. Telemetry
is used extensively to monitor conditions in the vicinity of remote devices
such as robots, weather balloons, aircraft, and satellites. Telemetry is used
in space flights, both manned and unmanned, to keep track of all aspects
of the equipment and the physical condition of astronauts.
A telemetry transmitter consists of a measuring instrument or set of
instruments, an encoder that translates the instrument readings into
electrical impulses, and a modulated radio transmitter with an antenna.A
telemetry receiver consists of a radio receiver with an antenna, a demodu-
lator,and a recorder.A computer is often used to process the data received.
Data conversion might be necessary at either the transmitter end (the
remotely controlled device or system), the receiver end (usually the station
attended by a human operator), or both.
See also DATA CONVERSION, REMOTE CONTROL, TELEOPERATION, and TELEPRESENCE.
TELEOPERATION
Teleoperation is the technical term for the remote control of autonomous
robots. A remotely controlled robot is called a telechir.
In a teleoperated robotic system, the human operator can control the
speed, direction, and other movements of a robot from some distance
away. Signals are sent to the robot to control it; other signals come back,
telling the operator that the robot has followed instructions. The return
signals are called telemetry.
Some teleoperated robots have a limited range of functions. A good
example is a space probe, such as Voyager, hurtling past some remote
planet. Earthbound scientists sent commands to Voyager based on the
telemetry received from it, aiming its cameras and fixing minor problems.
Voyager was, in this sense, a teleoperated robot.
Teleoperation is used in robots that can look after their own affairs most
of the time, but occasionally need the intervention of a human operator.

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