From participating in the construction of a car to do the housecleaning. Increasingly more diversified uses of robots. The reality fiction reaches
By: Thomas Unger
Thanks to movies and television the word "robot" evokes images of science fiction. Mr. Data from "Star Trek" and the Terminator (now governor of California) are classic examples. Although still very away from the film, the robots are anthropomorphic (human form) that several Japanese factories have been built to showcase its high level of technology. Asimo, Honda, greeting visitors and serving drinks; Topio of Tosya, play table tennis and Partner, Toyota, plays trumpet. They all walk and, although they are an impressive display of technology, they differ substantially from the million robots are working today in the world. DEFINITION
The name robot comes from the Czech ("robota" = "work", "robotnik" = "worker"), invented by the writer Karel Capek in 1920 for his androids play. Since then has been used indiscriminately to describe various machines. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO, for its acronym in English) has a definition: "A multi-manipulator for industrial automatic moves in three axes, programmable and reprogrammable, and can be controlled automatically or mobile *.
simply, a machine capable of adapting their actions to the demands of their environment.
Put another way, the sensor information allows you to act under the circumstances. This concept can be extended by saying that the robot interacts with its environment "and can decide between action alternatives. Today there are a variety of devices that meet these requirements, from vacuum cleaners to Mars rovers, and on nearly a million industrial machines, all of them are robots.
simply, a machine capable of adapting their actions to the demands of their environment.
Put another way, the sensor information allows you to act under the circumstances. This concept can be extended by saying that the robot interacts with its environment "and can decide between action alternatives. Today there are a variety of devices that meet these requirements, from vacuum cleaners to Mars rovers, and on nearly a million industrial machines, all of them are robots.
INDUSTRY AND SERVICES There are presently about a million robots working in factories in various tasks, from assembling cars and package products to manufacture microchips. Industrial robots have helped to develop technologies that have been then applied to other uses, lowering the production of automated systems. A good example are the service robots like Roomba (pronounced "rumba"). Although its name evokes dance, is a vacuum which has already sold 3 million units. A disk of 34 cm in diameter by 9 cm high, Roomba walks around the house picking up trash and avoiding obstacles. When there is nothing to clean returns to its outlet to recharge.
A similar device produced by a Swedish motorcycle factory is responsible for mowing the lawn avoiding toys or objects left in the garden. To prevent it from escaping to the neighboring house, put a wire to limit its scope. Service robots more complicated and useful correspondence distributed in factories and other distributed coffee and sandwiches. Robots with varying degrees of sophistication satisfied service tasks in various activities.
In Hong Kong is made a guardian for the house, connected by Wi-Fi to your computer, which reports on what happens in the home. His camera pans around and if the cat is getting into the pantry, from the computer or the cell phone can frighten. If you stretch the definition could include service robots for Mars explorers working for NASA, controlled from Earth, collecting and analyzing samples of Martian soil, sending photos and report on their environment.
Among the so-called service robots are those that meet hazardous tasks, from disarming bombs to inspect collapsed buildings, landslides and act in situations where human life is endangered. This quality robots has led to war, where they replace soldiers and airmen. Today, most of the reconnaissance flights and part of the air raids on the battlefields make small unmanned aircraft, fitted with sensors and instruments. Sometimes they are wrong, which can cost the lives of those on earth, but no pilot dies. EVOLUTION
A similar device produced by a Swedish motorcycle factory is responsible for mowing the lawn avoiding toys or objects left in the garden. To prevent it from escaping to the neighboring house, put a wire to limit its scope. Service robots more complicated and useful correspondence distributed in factories and other distributed coffee and sandwiches. Robots with varying degrees of sophistication satisfied service tasks in various activities.
In Hong Kong is made a guardian for the house, connected by Wi-Fi to your computer, which reports on what happens in the home. His camera pans around and if the cat is getting into the pantry, from the computer or the cell phone can frighten. If you stretch the definition could include service robots for Mars explorers working for NASA, controlled from Earth, collecting and analyzing samples of Martian soil, sending photos and report on their environment.
Among the so-called service robots are those that meet hazardous tasks, from disarming bombs to inspect collapsed buildings, landslides and act in situations where human life is endangered. This quality robots has led to war, where they replace soldiers and airmen. Today, most of the reconnaissance flights and part of the air raids on the battlefields make small unmanned aircraft, fitted with sensors and instruments. Sometimes they are wrong, which can cost the lives of those on earth, but no pilot dies. EVOLUTION
Three elements are essential to the operation of the robot: sensors, actuators and software. The sensors tell the robot about the environment and may be optical, acoustic, tactile and chemical, as our ways, with varying degrees of sensitivity. The actuators are mechanisms running movements to respond to a given situation and the programs process information and decide what action to take. The technology has evolved in the three fields.
sensors today are tiny cameras, has reduced the size of the microphones and increased the sensitivity of pressure sensors. The actuators have acquired a high degree of control to the point that today there is an artificial hand, controlled by a glove, able to take an egg without breaking a basket. Small pneumatic muscles controlling the fingers, while a piezoelectric membrane (which produces electricity by pressure) the feeling the glove of the operator. When operator can be replaced by a program, will be the real robotic hand capable of delicate operations.
sensors today are tiny cameras, has reduced the size of the microphones and increased the sensitivity of pressure sensors. The actuators have acquired a high degree of control to the point that today there is an artificial hand, controlled by a glove, able to take an egg without breaking a basket. Small pneumatic muscles controlling the fingers, while a piezoelectric membrane (which produces electricity by pressure) the feeling the glove of the operator. When operator can be replaced by a program, will be the real robotic hand capable of delicate operations.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
While the image of the robot is still the droids from the movies and toy dogs that bark and salute the millions of operational robots are machines with certain functions that do not resemble the man but replace it in different tasks. Whether repetitive, dangerous or too expensive to be carried out by humans, the robot's tasks are increasing. To the extent that more closely resemble human activity, the robot that is more anthropomorphic run either by their attitudes, movement or shape. A recent exhibition
Korean the receptionist was a dummy who answered questions in several languages, he gestured and gave free hand signs. All functions are possible to do with a screen, a speaker and a camera, however, if any installed on a mannequin change the perception of those who interact with it. The sensation of watching a human form with gestures, voice and answer brings us to the idea that Mr. Data and Terminator are possible.
The reality is different. The reasoning and decisions of fictional robots are beyond the reach of current technology. On occasion we have explained {see Trade dated April 7, 2009 or here above} the difference between human brain processes and more powerful computer, which side is a wind-up toy. Still, though the programs that handle the robot can not reach the level of the human brain, advances in sensors, actuators and software can enable them to perform increasingly complex tasks.
One area in which this development is proceeding apace is military. Killing without exposure to die has always been a wish from the Neolithic hunters even the generals of today. Run hazardous work and explore the unknown are also old goals where the robot can successfully replace the man. As technology advances we will have an increasing number increasing number of machines that replace them. Moreover, through them, as in the case of explorers on Mars, we can carry out impossible tasks for man. No longer get to see, but perhaps not so distant future governor of California can be a real robot.
Korean the receptionist was a dummy who answered questions in several languages, he gestured and gave free hand signs. All functions are possible to do with a screen, a speaker and a camera, however, if any installed on a mannequin change the perception of those who interact with it. The sensation of watching a human form with gestures, voice and answer brings us to the idea that Mr. Data and Terminator are possible.
The reality is different. The reasoning and decisions of fictional robots are beyond the reach of current technology. On occasion we have explained {see Trade dated April 7, 2009 or here above} the difference between human brain processes and more powerful computer, which side is a wind-up toy. Still, though the programs that handle the robot can not reach the level of the human brain, advances in sensors, actuators and software can enable them to perform increasingly complex tasks.
One area in which this development is proceeding apace is military. Killing without exposure to die has always been a wish from the Neolithic hunters even the generals of today. Run hazardous work and explore the unknown are also old goals where the robot can successfully replace the man. As technology advances we will have an increasing number increasing number of machines that replace them. Moreover, through them, as in the case of explorers on Mars, we can carry out impossible tasks for man. No longer get to see, but perhaps not so distant future governor of California can be a real robot.
Texts taken from the daily El Comercio
August 25, 2009.
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