Page 23 - Robots Androids and Animatrons : 12 Incredible Projects You Can Build

Since Karel Capek’s play, robots have become a staple in many
science fiction stories and movies. As robots evolved, so did the
terminology needed to describe the different robotic forms. So, in
addition to the old “tin-man” robot, we also have cyborgs, which
are part human and part machine, and androids, which are spe-
cially built robots designed to be humanlike.
Many people had their first look at a real robot during the 1939
World’s Fair. Westinghouse Electric built a robot they called Elek-
tro the Moto Man. Although Elektro had motors and gears to move
its mouth, arms, and hands, it could not perform any useful work.
It was joined on stage by a mechanical dog named Sparko.

Why build robots?
Robots are indispensable in many manufacturing industries. The
reason is that the cost per hour to operate a robot is a fraction of
the cost of the human labor needed to perform the same function.
More than this, once programmed, robots repeatedly perform func-
tions with a high accuracy that surpasses that of the most experi-
enced human operator. Human operators are, however, far more
versatile. Humans can switch job tasks easily. Robots are built and
programmed to be job specific. You wouldn’t be able to program a
2 welding robot to start counting parts in a bin.

Today’s most advanced industrial robots will soon become “dinosaurs.”
Robots are in the infancy stage of their evolution. As robots evolve,
they will become more versatile, emulating the human capacity and
ability to switch job tasks easily.
While the personal computer has made an indelible mark on soci-
ety, the personal robot hasn’t made an appearance. Obviously
there’s more to a personal robot than a personal computer. Robots
require a combination of elements to be effective: sophistication of
intelligence, movement, mobility, navigation, and purpose.

Purpose of robots
In the beginning, personal robots will focus on a singular function (job
task) or purpose. For instance, today there are small mobile robots
that can autonomously maintain a lawn by cutting the grass. These
robots are solar powered and don’t require any training. Underground
wires are placed around the lawn perimeter. The robots sense the
wires, remain within the defined perimeter, and don’t wander off.
Building a useful personal robot is very difficult. In fact it’s beyond
the scope of this book, or for that matter, every other contemporary
book on robotics. So you may reasonably ask, “What’s the purpose of
Team LRN
Chapter one