Robotics

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The Robotics Wiki Book

Robotics brings together several very different engineering areas and skills. There is metalworking for the body. There is mechanics for mounting the wheels on the axles, connecting them to the motors and keeping the body in balance. You need electronics to power the motors and connect the sensors to the controllers. At last you need the software to understand the sensors and drive the robot around.

This Wikibook tries to cover all the key areas of robotics as a hobby. When possible examples from industrial robots will be addressed too.

You'll notice very few "exact" values in these texts. Instead, vague terms like "small", "heavy" and "light" will be used. This is because most of the time you'll have a lot of freedom in picking these values, and all robot projects are unique in available materials.

[edit] An Introduction to Robotics

Robotics can be described as the current pinnacle of technical development. Robotics is a confluence science using the continuing advancements of mechanical engineering, material science, sensor fabrication, manufacturing techniques, and advanced algorithms. The study and practice of robotics will expose a dabbler or professional to hundreds of different avenues of study. For some, the romanticism of robotics brings forth an almost magical curiosity of the world leading to creation of amazing machines. A journey of a lifetime awaits in robotics.

Robotics can be defined as the science or study of the technology primarily associated with the design, fabrication, theory, and application of robots. While other fields contribute the mathematics, the techniques, and the components, robotics creates the magical end product. The practical applications of robots drive development of robotics and drive advancements in other sciences in turn. Crafters and researchers in robotics study more than just robotics.

The promise of robotics is easy to describe but hard for the mind to grasp. Robots hold the promise of moving and transforming materials with the same elan and ease as a computer program transforms data. Today, robots mine minerals, assemble semi-processed materials into automobile components, and assemble those components into automobiles. On the immediate horizon are self-driving cars, robotics to handle household chores, and assemble specialized machines on demand. It is not unreasonable to imagine robots that are given some task, such as reclaim desert into photovoltaic cells and arable land, and left to make their own way. Then the promise of robotics exceeds the minds grasp.

In summary, robotics is the field related to science and technology primarily related to robotics. It stands tall by standing the accomplishments of many other fields of study.

[edit] Defining Robots

Robot used in English describes any construct that automates some behavior. For example, a garage door opener automates the behavior of opening a door. A garage door opener has a sensor to detect the signal from the remote control, actuators to open the door, and a control system to stop turn off the motors and lights when the garage is fully closed. In practice, this type of a machine is better described as a Mechatronic device, and is a subset of the more interesting robots that include autonomy or resourcefulness. This book will consider mechatronic devices to be degenerate robots.

A Mechatronic Device is a degenerate robot with these components:

1. Sensors, which detect the state of the environment
2. Actuators, which modify the state of the environment
3. A Control System, which controls the actuators based on the environment as depicted by the sensors

A Robot is a mechatronic device which also includes resourcefulness or autonomy. A device with autonomy does its thing "on its own" without a human directly guiding it moment-by-moment. Some authors would contend that all mechatronic devices are robots, and that this book's restriction on robot entails only specialized software.

Various types of robots are usually classified by their capabilities. Two examples will be used to capture most of what we see as a "robot".

1. Machine Pet: A machine, capable of moving in some way, that can sense its surroundings and can act on what it senses autonomously. Most of these robots have no real useful purpose, other than to entertain and challenge. These are also commonly used for experimenting with sensors, artificial intelligence, actuators and more. Most of this book covers this type of robot.
2. Autonomous Machine: A machine with sensors and actuators that can do some sort of work "on its own". This includes things like robotic lawnmowers and vacuum cleaners, and also self-operating construction machines such as CNC cutters. Most industrial and commercial robots fall in this category.

What isn't considered a "robot" in this book? Pretty much everything you see on RobotWars; those are remote-controlled vehicles without any form of autonomy, no sensors, and just enough of a control system to drive the actuators. These devices use many of the same mechanical technologies described in this book, but not the advanced controls.

In short: If it has autonomy it's a robot (in this book). If it's remote controlled, it isn't.

[edit] Student Questions

1. Which of these studies would be considered robotics by this definition?
   1. Studying the strength and flexibility of a titanium alloy used to make a robotic arm?
   2. Integrating sensor data from sonar, laser, and CCD cameras and to build an accurate map of surroundings?
   3. The real-time software needed to drive two motors to make a robot go in a straight line?

1. Classify each of these as a robot, a mechatronic device, a machine, or something else?
   1. A spam email filter.
   2. A garage door opener.
   3. A remote controlled boat.
   4. A 1970's automobile.
   5. A current model automobile which includes lane-following.
   6. An Apple iPod.
   7. An actor in a silver suit.

1. What is a sensor?

[edit] Design Basics

Note to potential contributors: this section could be used to discuss the basics of robot design/construction.

1. What you should know
2. Physical Design
3. Design software
4. Tools and Equipment
5. Electronic Components
6. Mechanical Components
7. Building materials
8. Basic Programming

[edit] Physical Construction

This section could be used to discuss various means through which robots are constructed.

1. The Platform
2. Construction Techniques
3. Resourcefulness

[edit] Components

This section could be used to discuss components used in robotics or the making of robots.

1. Power Sources
2. Actuation Devices
   1. Motors
   2. Shape Memory Alloys
   3. Air muscle
   4. Linear Electromagnetic
   5. Piezoelectric Actuators
   6. Pneumatics/Hydraulics
   7. Miniature internal combustion engines
3. Grippers
4. Audio
5. Video

[edit] Computer Control

This section could be used to discuss the things involved with controlling robots via computers.

1. Control Architectures
   1. Reactive Systems
   2. Sense-Plan-Act
   3. Brooks' Subsumption Architecture ( w:Subsumption architecture )
   4. Hybrid Systems
   5. Swarm Robotics
2. The Interface
   1. Personal Computers
   2. Single Board Computers and multichip modules
   3. Microcontrollers
   4. Remote Control
   5. Networks

[edit] Sensors

Sensors that a robot uses generally fall into three different categories:

1. Environment sensors tell the robot what is happening around it
   1. Thermal Sensors
   2. Pressure Sensors
   3. Ranging Sensors
   4. Touch Sensors
2. Feedback sensors tell the robot what it is actually doing, and
3. Communication sensors allow a human or computer to provide a robot other information.

Sensors aren't perfect. When you use a sensor on your robot there will be a lot of times where the sensors acts funny. It could miss an obstacle, or see one where none is. Key to successfully using sensors is knowing how they function and what they really measure.

• Real World Sensors
• Digital image Acquisition

[edit] Navigation

1. Navigation
   1. Localization
   2. Collision Avoidance
   3. Exploration
   4. Mapping
   5. Trajectory Planning

[edit] Exotic Robots

This section could be used to cover "special" robots.

1. Special Robot brains
2. BEAM
3. Cooperating Robots
4. Hazardous Environment Robots
5. Types of Robots
   1. Contest Robot
   2. Entertainment Robot
6. Arms
7. Modular and fractal Robots
8. The LEGO World
   1. LEGO Robots
   2. Introduction to the RCX
   3. Programming the RCX

[edit] External links

• Robotics video tutorial

[edit] Resources

Wikipedia has more about this subject: Robot

Wikipedia has more about this subject: Microbotics

Wikipedia has more about this subject: Mechatronics

• Comp.robotics.misc News group covering homebuilt robots. Large user base. Reasonable Signal to noise ratio. Archived at the comp.robotics.misc Google news group archive.
• The Dynaplex Network Community discussion group
• McComb, Gordon 2000 "The Robot Builder's bonanza 2nd ed." ISBN 0-07-136296-7 -- One of, if not the, best book on home-built mobile robotics.
• Papers on various robot related subjects,
• University and College sites on Robotics
• Dictionary of Robotics Terminology
• list of robot clubs
• "Controlling The Real World With Computers" by Joe Reeder
• Erik Zoltán: Wireless Robotics
  • "Wireless Robotics/A recipe for success in wireless robotics" (Why bottom-up is better than top-down in robotics)
  • "Wireless Robotics/how to drive your wireless Robot" ("Robot subsystem dependencies": pick the physical computer hardware first -- everything else is picked to support it; "Modify a servo for continuous rotation")
  • "Wireless Robotics/Fast Robot Prototyping" ("Materials for fast prototyping": claims it is faster build the chassis twice -- first with cardboard and hot glue, easy to modify and tweak, then transfer the design to thin aluminum sheet metal and erector parts and acrylic -- than it is to try to start with difficult-to-tweak metal and acrylic.)
• "Get Started in Robotics"
• HobbyRobotics.org provides reviews and links to information for hobby roboticists.
• http://www.robotix.in tutorials on robotics
• CLARAty http://claraty.jpl.nasa.gov reusable robotic software framework. Includes many miscellaneous algorithms used in robotics: pose estimation, navigation, path planning, machine vision, coordinate transforms, locomotion inverse kinematics, Bayes networks, etc.

[edit] Robotics´ Free Wikis

• Linuxrobots wiki.
• Robots in Education wiki.
• OpenServo wiki
• Project Borg: a robust Artificial intelligence (AI) software suite targeted toward small and large robotic platforms.

[edit] Other Wikibooks

• Electronics
• Embedded Systems
• Theoretical Mechanics
• System Troubleshooting
• Robotics Kinematics and Dynamics: a more theoretical approach.

[edit] Contributors

• CpE/EE 300: Introduction to Robotics class at the Missouri University of Science and Technology - Updates/Reworks to various pages
• T.R. Darr - responsible for the (almost) complete reformat. If I knew anything about robotics, then I'd have contributed to the content as well.
• J.D. Cox - Attempting to fill in certain areas with basic information.
• Omegatron - I've built a handful of short-lived little robots, and since then I went and got myself an electronics degree. I'll probably just add to and clarify things that other people have contributed. I tend to only contribute to things that are already active, so be active!
• Patrik - As time permits I'm adding more info I've found to be missing in many other sources. I've got a degree in electronics and I've designed and build several robots.
• E. Sumner - Active member of the Dallas Personal Robotics Group; Trying to flesh things out a bit here.
• Mr Dom - just added my two cents worth
• DavidCary - degree in electrical engineering. So in theory I ought to know :-).
• Magnus Persson - studying for Master of Science in Automation Engineering, added sections on PLCs and wireless communications.
• Piyoosh Mukhija - Degree in Electronics & Communication Engineering. Working on Autonomous Robotics Research at L&T Infotech. Attempting to fill in some missing things I believe I know about.
• S.J Manderson - Physics Student in New Zealand. Added sections on Electromagnetic Actuators and Pneumatics thus far.