What Do We Use Robots For?
Robots are powerful machines that give us access to places that are otherwise inaccessible to the human population. They protect us from danger by performing tasks that are harmful to our health. They enhance the quality of our lives by performing tedious jobs and providing assistance to people with disabilities.
Some of the first robots were used in the 1940s to handle radioactive materials. In the early 1960s, the first industrial robot was used to pick up an object and set it down in a new location. The explosion in robotic innovation started in Japan during the 1970s. Since then robots have become permanent members of the industrial workforce, including parts handling, welding, and painting. Initially robots were used almost exclusively for mass production, performing the three Ds: dirty, dangerous, and dull jobs.
Robots simulate many human functions. They can move, sense their surroundings, and respond to changes in the environment. Many robots are mechanical arms attached to a base. Robotic arms use flexible joints to perform tasks that require very precise movements. A robot’s degree of freedom is its ability to move in a particular direction. Most robots have at least six degrees of freedom and can have many more. The space within which a robotic arm can move is called its work envelope. The size and shape of the work envelope is determined by the size of the robot and its degrees of freedom. Some robots are independent and can be controlled by a computer and wireless radio.
Computers are the brains of a modern robotic system. A robotic system has five main parts: a controller serves as the robot’s brain; a computer program provides instructions for the robot to follow; a manipulator that resembles a human arm or torso provides movement; an end effector serves as a robot’s hand; and a power supply provides electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic power to the robot.
Part 1: Topics
For this project, you will be working with a partner. Below is a list of example robots. You and your partner will first need to choose one of the robots below.
Military Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
Robonaut
Boston Dynamics "BIG DOG"
Baxter Factory Worker
MH-2 Shoulder Robot
Toyota Human Support Robot (HSR)
Honda ASIMO
da Vinci Surgical System
Roomba
VGo Robot
Part 2: Research Questions
Each group will research the following information about the use of their assigned robot in today’s society. Your group will have two days to conduct research and complete your presentation. All research questions should be answered in complete sentences. You should create a digital presentation that can be shared with your partner, and presented to the class. You may use the links above to begin your research, but your research should not stop there!
Be sure to FULLY EXPLAIN each question, answer in COMPLETE sentences, and do NOT answer with a yes/no!
- What specific task does the robot perform (what was it designed to do)?
- What human function does this robot simulate? Is the robot multi-functional?
- Where and how is the robot used? Be specific!
- Is this robot programmed to work independently, or remotely controlled?
- Describe the impact that this robot has had or could have on the people who use it.
- What jobs will no longer be available because of this robot, and what jobs will this robot create?
- Create a list that shows the advantages and disadvantages of using a robot vs. a human to complete this task.
- Predict and explain how this robot may be altered to perform a completely different task or used in a different way in the future.