What are Robots?
Robots are a constructed replication of something that uses Robotics for the purpose of mimicking something else or achieving a task. Robots can be guided by an external control device or the control may be embedded within.
The invention of the First-Ever Robot
The first humanoid robot was likely built by the Muslim inventor Al-Jazari around 1200 AD. His robot was an automated serving girl that, every seven minutes, would come out of a door and serve a cup of water.
The invention of the First Digital Robot
The first digital and programmable robot was invented by George Devol in 1954 and was named the Unimate. It was sold to General Motors in 1961 where it was used to lift pieces of hot metal from die-casting machines at the Inland Fisher Guide Plant in the West Trenton section of Ewing Township, New Jersey.
Types Of Robots
There are six main types of industrial robots: Cartesian, SCARA, Cylindrical, Delta, Polar & Vertically Articulated. However, there are several additional types of robot configurations. Each of these types offers a different joint configuration. The joints in the arm are referred to as axes.
Educational Robot’s
They are used as educational assistants to teachers. From the 1980s, robots such as turtles were used in schools and programmed using the Logo language.
There are robot kits like Lego Mindstorms, BIOLOID, OLLO from ROBOTIS, or BotBrain Educational robot’s can help children learn about mathematics, physics, programming, and electronics. Robotics have also been introduced into the lives of elementary and high school students in the form of robot competitions with the company FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). The organization is the foundation for the FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST LEGO League, Junior FIRST LEGO League, and FIRST Tech Challenge competitions.
There have also been devices shaped like robots such as the teaching computer, Leachim (1974), and 2-XL (1976), a robot-shaped game/teaching toy based on an 8-track tape player, both invented by Michael J. Freeman.
TOP 5 ROBOT’S-MAKING COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD
1. Korea
Density: 347 robots per 10,000 workers
South Korea leads the way in robot density in 2011, with 347 robots per 10,000 workers in the manufacturing industry. What’s more impressive is how long South Korea has managed to keep its top position among the best countries in robotics.
2. Japan
Density: 339 robots per 10,000 employees
Japan is a leader in robotics innovation where there are different types of robots like entertainment robots, humanoid, animal (four-legged) robots, androids, social robots, guard robots, and many more. Robots are employed in many sectors and the robotic industry is very important in Japan compared to the other 11 Best Countries in Robotics. It is expected that Japan will increase the presence of industrial robot workers to over one million in the next 15 years.
3. Germany
Density: 261 robots per 10,000 employees
As one of the largest EU economies, Germany offers a great environment to produce innovative technologies including robots for various applications. In fact, Germany is the largest market for multipurpose industrial robots in Europe. Moreover, this country is characterized by the highest robot density in Europe.
4. Italy
Density: 159 robots per 10,000 employees
Recent trends show that Italy is Europe’s second-largest user of industrial robots. Indeed, the density of robots for every 10,000 persons employed in the Italian manufacturing industry is 159. The highest number and density are present in the automotive industry where there are as many as 1,400 robots per 10,000 production workers.
4. Sweden
Density: 157 robots per 10,000 employees
Sweden has a well-developed robotics industry and the largest installed base of industrial robots. The country has a number of companies that are well known in the robotics industry and also provide the software and other important components like peripheral equipment and modular manufacturing cells for tasks such as assembly, painting and finishing, and machine maintenance.
Benefits Of Robots
They can work in hazardous conditions. They are capable of lifting heavy loads without injury. Robots increase worker safety by preventing accidents while humans are not performing risky jobs.
Advantages Of Robots
- The robots can perform the tasks that humans find dangerous, boring, or difficult, they can do the work with constant speed and precision and they continue and finish the work without feeling sick.
- The robots can be programmed to perform a simple task, they repeat that task more times, the robots work in the factory with a high degree of accuracy and they work with constant velocity.
- The robots help increase the number of manufactured products and decrease the production of defective goods, they can produce the same quality products during the production process, they do not get exhausted and they work for a long period of time.
- Robots can be used in the computer industry, they are used in all kinds of electronics from radios to microwaves, they are used in packaging, and they are used in producing food, textiles, and drugs.
- The robots help in doing dangerous jobs. They can work at a constant speed without sleep, breaks, vacations, and salaries and they can produce more than human workers.
- The robots can perform dangerous applications in hazardous settings, minimize material waste, can save time and effort and their movements are always exact.
- Intelligent robots help increase productivity in the factories, they made businesses achieve more benefits, they can reduce the company’s loss, they are used in dangerously polluted environments such as chemical spills and radioactive in nuclear power plants and they are used in the radioactive waste clean-up.
- The robots have more precise guidance in doing the tasks, they are linked to powerful computers or controllers, and they contain machine vision sub-systems acting as their visual sensors so, they are more flexible to the orientation of objects that they can perform the tasks on them.
Disadvantages Of Robots
- Industries prefer utilizing robots to human workers, So, the unemployment rate will increase, and many people who can not get work will become poorer while the company owners will get richer.
- Companies should calculate the cost of robotic automation in light business, It sometimes costs a lot of money greater than the financial budget and they need regular maintenance which costs a lot of money.
- The robots can work in the factory with limitations, The human does the tasks that require creativity, decision-making, adaptation, and job learning.
- If the employees have no experience to deal with the robots, they will need training programs to interact with the new robotic equipment, it will take time and cost a lot of money in the financial output.
- The robots can protect human workers from some hazards, The robots can create other safety problems and they can cause new dangers which must be taken into consideration.
- The companies must plan before using industrial robots as using the robots without planning in the factories does not guarantee the results so the companies will have difficulty achieving their goals.
- Do you know that robots can produce lots of electronic waste? They can not do something which they do not design to do and they make the people lazy.
A quick FAQ:
Why do we need a robot?
We need robots for dangerous, repetitive, and high-precision work. Robots perform tasks in hostile environments that are impossible for humans, while also carrying out repetitious tasks with speed and accuracy.
Without robots, our modern industrialized world would not be possible.
Is it possible to build your own robot?
RobotShop provides a detailed step-by-step tutorial and all the necessary tools to build your own robot.
You can master building simple robots with a basic knowledge of robotics and mechanics, for less than $100, in 2015 with more experience and education you can complete larger, complex robots that typically cost much more to make. You can build robots for many purposes including household tasks, surveillance, and competitions.
RobotShop provides robotics kits, partially- and fully-completed robots, and drones. Scientific Direct also provides robot-building kits, magnetic robot kits, and completed robots.
