Robotics is a domain of artificial intelligence that deals with the study of creating intelligent and efficient robots.
What are robots?
Robots are artificial agents operating in real-world environments.
Objective
Robots are focused on manipulating objects by sensing, picking, moving, modifying the object's physical properties, destroying it, or are tasked with freeing human power from performing repetitive functions without becoming bored, distracted, or exhausted.
What is robotics?
Robotics is a branch of AI that consists of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and computer science for the design, construction, and application of robots.
Aspects of robotics
1. Robots have a mechanical structure, form, or shape designed to perform a specific task.
2. They have electrical components that drive and control machinery.
3. They contain some level of a computer program that determines what, when, and how the robot does something.
AI programs Robots
They usually operate in computer-stimulated worlds. They operate in the real physical world
The entry to the AI program is in symbols and rules. Inputs to robots are analog signals in the form of speech or images
They need a general-purpose computer to operate. They need special hardware with sensors and effectors.
Robot movement
Locomotion is the mechanism by which a robot can move in its environment. There are different types of locomotion −
1. Leggy
2. Wheeled
3. A combination of foot and wheel locomotion
4. Tracked slip/skid
Legged movement
This type of locomotion consumes more energy when performing walking, jumping, trotting, hopping, climbing or descending, etc.
Multiple motors are needed to perform the movement. It is suitable for both rough and smooth terrain, where an irregular or too smooth surface consumes more energy to move the wheels. Implementation is a bit difficult due to stability issues.
Comes with a range of one, two, four, and six legs. If the robot has multiple legs, leg coordination is necessary for locomotion.
The total number of possible movements (a periodic sequence of lift and release events for each of the total legs) that the robot can go through depends on the number of its legs.
If the robot has legs, then the number of possible events N = (2k-1)!.
In the case of a two-legged robot (k=2), the number of possible events is N = (2k-1)! = (2*2-1)! = 3! = 6.
So there are six possible different events −
* Raising the left leg
* Left leg release
* Raising the right leg
* Right leg release
* Lifting both legs together
* Release both legs together
In the case of k=6 sections, there are 39916800 possible events. The complexity of robots is therefore directly proportional to the number of legs.
Wheeled locomotion
It requires less number of motors to perform the movement. It is not easy to implement because there are fewer stability problems with more wheels. Compared to leg locomotion, it is energy efficient.
1. Standard Wheel – Rotates around the wheel axis and around the contact
2. Swivel wheel − Rotates around the axis of the wheel and the offset steering joint.
3. Swedish 45o and Swedish 90o Wheels − The Omni-wheel rotates around the contact point, around the wheel axis, and around the rollers.
4. Ball or spherical wheel − Omnidirectional wheel, technically difficult to implement.
Skid/shear locomotion
This type of vehicle uses tracks like a tank. The robot is controlled by moving along tracks at different speeds in the same or opposite direction. It offers stability thanks to the large contact surface of the track and the terrain.
Robot parts
Robots are constructed with the following −
1. Power - Robots are powered by batteries, solar energy, and hydraulic or pneumatic power sources.
2. Actuators − Convert energy into motion.
3. Electric motors (AC/DC) − They are needed for rotary motion.
4. Pneumatic Air Muscles − Contract by nearly 40% when air is drawn into them.
5. Muscle Wires − Contract by 5% when an electrical current passes through them.
6. Piezo motors and ultrasonic motors - Best for industrial robots.
7. Sensors − Provide knowledge of real-time information about the task environment. The robots are equipped with vision sensors to calculate depth in the environment. The tactile sensor mimics the mechanical properties of the touch receptors of human fingertips.
Computer vision
This is AI technology with which robots can see. Computer vision plays a critical role in the fields of safety, security, health, access and entertainment.
Computer vision automatically extracts, analyzes, and understands useful information from a single image or series of images. This process involves developing algorithms to achieve automatic visual understanding.
Computer vision system hardware
This includes −
* Power source
* A device for taking pictures, such as a camera
* Processor
* Software
* Display device for system monitoring
* Accessories such as camera stands, cables, and connectors
Computer vision tasks
OCR − In the computer field, this is Optical Character Reader, software for converting scanned documents into editable text that accompanies the scanner.
Face Detection - Many state-of-the-art cameras are equipped with this feature that allows you to read your face and capture a picture of the perfect expression. It is used to allow the user access to the software if the match is correct.
Object recognition - They are installed in supermarkets, cameras, and high-end cars such as BMW, GM, and Volvo.
Position estimation – It is an estimation of the position of the object relative to the camera as in the position of a tumor in the human body.