Robotics is having increasing usage in different fields, especially in factories as well as in space and exploration projects. NASA is known to use robots, often in groups that have been used for Mars exploration. International Space Station has a robotic arm called Canadarm2 which is a permanent and useful fixture in space. K10 is a robot that has been used for scouting deserts, lava flows and craters.
Robots in Space
Use of robots in space is diverse. Robotic arms are placed on spacecraft that help move objects when in space. Spacecraft with robots are sent into space that can perform different kinds of tasks. Commands are sent to them and robots can perform the commands. Robotic airplanes are also used that do not need human pilots. NASA has several ongoing projects on developing robots that can cooperate with humans and help them in different tasks.
Robots and Their Components
Robots can be of different materials but are often a combination of plastic and metals. Robot bodies comprise of a controller or brain component that is programmed akin to a computer. Programming is detailed since it provides information to move different parts of a robot. Rest of the body comprises of mechanical parts which are wheels, gears, pistons, motors, and grippers. These help robots to make different movements such as grab, move, lift and turn. These parts are often powered, either by electricity, water or air. The other component in them is sensors. These help robots to determine space or distance, shapes, and sizes as well as properties and relations between substances. All these components need to work in coordination to ensure full operation of a robot.
Nanorobots
These are often scaled down to small sizes that can be placed to perform certain functions in tiny spaces. Nanobots are often put in the bloodstream for certain surgical procedures that are delicate or can involve more errors when performed by humans. Nanobots can help fight bacteria that can track down and eliminate bacterial cells and help repair individual organs in a human body.
Many are in the developmental stage; for instance, nanobots are being designed to track and destroy cancer cells and not touch healthy cells. Nanobots can help to carry surgical and medication tools as well.
Artificial Intelligence
This is also called machine intelligence which helps to mimic human behavior and thinking patterns, used in robots and computers. Examples of artificial intelligence are software for face recognition, complex industrial scheduling functions, computer games that can play against human players and provide actions in different forms. AI?s goal remains to recreate intelligence and thinking process of humans. AI is behind the designing and functioning of different research and development projects.
Robotics in different forms is being used in electronic devices and in different human aid devices as well. Hence, nowadays there are home cleaning bots, educational bots that can aid children and help them to learn different things and use them as playmates as well. Robotics also plays a large role in IoT setups in different systems.