A Study Of The Recent Advances In Robotics Engineering

1.1                                           BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The robotic history has its roots since ancient myths and legends. Modern concepts began when industrial revolution allowed the use of complex mechanics. After 1920s human sized robots were developed with the capacity for near human thoughts and movements. Robots were first used in industries for manufacturing tasks without the need of human assistance. Digitally controlled robots and robots making use of artificial intelligence started to develop since 1960s.

Can we ever imagine that the origin of robotics have begun from 200 BC? Archytas built a mechanical wooden bird “The Pigeon” propelled by steam around 350 BC. In 1921, Karel Capek came up with word robot for his intelligence, artificially created person for the first time in his play. Though the concept of robot was around since ancients, modern day robot was born with the arrival of computers in 1940s. The robot became a popular concept from late 1950 onwards. Industrial robots do not have human like appearance. They are computer controlled manipulators. Robots were created to help humans. Robots can do even those tasks which human cannot do. Engleberger modified the earliest robots invented by George C. Devol into industrial robots and formed a company called Unimation to produce and market the robots. For his efforts and successes, he is known as “the Father of Robotics” in the industry.

Robots can be of various types like autonomous, remote controlled or semi autonomous. Robots have replaced humans in the assistance to perform those repetitive and dangerous tasks which humans prefer not to do, or are unable to do due to size limitations, or even those such as in outer space or at the bottom of the sea where humans could not sustain the extreme environments. Robots in earlier ages were used primarily for entertainment purpose. In today’s modern life, technology has contributed in many ways to comfort people’s lives. Especially robotic systems with an artificial intelligence have many industrial applications and have become increasingly important for some people. From 20^th century onwards the development of industrial robots changed the structure of society and allowed for safer conditions for labor. Industry has benefited drastically from the robotic work force. Automated machines have taken the dangerous jobs from humans and allowed greater productivity. Farmers have taken advantage of this new robotic technology with automated harvesters, the medical industry benefits from advancements in assisted surgical robotics. IBM runs a “lights off” factory in Texas, USA with an idea of a factory without human workers, which is staffed by fully autonomous robots making keyboards. Among the various programs launched by the currently military in the field of robotic technology, the most successful one was the predator and Reaper unmanned aerial reconnaissance vehicles which allowed only a pilot to control the robot from vast distances. The major advantage of these vehicles being high-altitude surveillance for long periods with no support to a live pilot, and during emergencies the planes can launch with small strikes on targets in zones which couldn’t be operated by normal aircrafts.

As a result of artificial intelligence development as well as advances made in the robotics field the interaction between robots and humans is becoming stronger as they have become an absolutely essential tool in ensuring the quality in our lives. The advent of robots is quickly becoming an intrinsic part of our daily lives. Understanding the advancements in the current scenario of robotic technology, which is not just a subject but a vast field that is exploring within its colossal innovations. This paper tries to make an effort in the current advancements of various applications of robotic technology.

1.2                                                     AIM OF THE STUDY

The main of this work is to highlight and discuss an effort in the current advancements of various applications of robotic technology.

1.3                                               OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

At the end of this study, students involved shall be able to understand:

1. Various field of application of robotic technology.
2. Impact of robotics engineering on our daily lives

• The enormous improvement in robotic technology

1. terrestrial applications of robots
2. challenges of research in the domain of robotics.

1.4                                                   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Robots made its place in the pre 20th century era as a part of an entertaining tool who never thought it could have any sensational role in today’s life. From the baby’s toy to the current sensor bots and much more advanced innovations as such have made man’s life much easier, luxurious and accurate outcomes. Thus this field is currently expanding and enormously growing in the way nobody can just estimate. This field has shown much of profit zone and promising outcomes which have benefited many colossal arenas. This successive generation of Robots has challenged the current scientists and is welcoming the new ideologies and technologies to improve the functioning for a better tomorrow.

This current review tries to put an effort in understanding the advancements that has taken place in the past few decades to the date. It tries to bridge up the gap and helps the current budding scientists to understand the present scenario who can challenge the enormously improving technologies and make much more advancements in this field.

1.5                                            APPLICATION OF THE STUDY

The study of advancement of robotics technology is not only useful to student involved of the study but also to everyone experiencing the advancement of technology at large. This is because almost all field of study are now applying robotic technology for accuracy and fast result of their works.

1.6                                           SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is important in that it helps the reader understanding the advancements that has taken place in the past few decades to the date in robotics engineering by knowing all the area of application of robotic engineering.

1.7                                               ADVANTAGES OF ROBOT

Based on this study, the advantages of robot are as follow [6]:

1. The robots can go far down into the unknown places where the humans would be crushed, they can give us the information that the humans can’t get, and they can work at places 24/7 without any salary and food.
2. The robots can perform the tasks faster than the humans and much more consistently and accurately, they become more common each and every day.

• Most of robots are automatic so, they can move without any human interference.

1. The robots do anything which we need to be precise and accurate.
2. The robots can endure the hostile environment of the interplanetary space, they are made that the planetary atmospheres do not affect their physical state and performance, they can replace the human beings in many areas of work, they can shoulder greater responsibilities and they can be programmed to manage themselves.
3. The robots can be used in carrying out the repetitive and time-consuming tasks efficiently, they are used to do dangerous tasks, they can adjust their parameters like their speed and time, they can act quickly, unaffected by the factors that affect the humans.

• The robots do not require sleeping or taking breaks, they are able to function without stopping, when employed to carry out dangerous tasks, the risk to the human health and safety is reduced, they can work long time without service or maintenance and they can be more productive than the people.
• The robots are designed to work in harsh environments like in space, without the air, underwater and in the fire, they can be used instead of the people when the human safety is a concern, they can come in any size, whatever size needed for any task can be created.

1. The robots can do the jobs that the people are unwilling to do, many robotic probes have been sent throughout the solar system to never return back to Earth, They can be stronger than the people, robot in the warfare eliminate putting more people at risk.

1.8                                            DISADVANTAGE OF ROBOTS

Robots used in agricultural sector and breweries are limited to the following points [6]:

Robots need a supply of power, The people can lose jobs in factories, They need the maintenance to keep them running, It costs a lot of money to make or buy the robots, The software and the equipment that you need to use with the robot cost much money.

Robots can take the place of many humans in factories, So, the people have to find new jobs or be retrained, They can take the place of the humans in several situations, If the robots begin to replace the humans in every field, They will lead to unemployment.

Robots cost much money in maintenance and repair, the programs need to be updated to suit the changing requirements, the machines need to be made smarter, In case of breakdown, the cost of repair may be very high, the procedures to restore lost code or data may be time-consuming and costly.

The robots can store large amounts of data but the storage, access, retrieval is not as effective as the human brain, they can perform the repetitive tasks for a long time but they do not get better with experience such as the humans do.

The robots are not able to act any different from what they are programmed to do, With the heavy application of robots, the humans may become overly dependent on the machines, losing their mental capacities, If the control of robots goes in the wrong hands, the robots may cause the destruction.

The robots are not intelligent or sentient, they can never improve the results of their jobs outside of their predefined programming, they do not think, They do not have emotions or conscience, This limits how the robots can help and interact with people.