Unit 1 Robotics and Engineering

Robotics is an interdisciplinary research area at the interface of computer science and engineering. The goal of robotics is to design intelligent machines that can help and assist humans. Robotics draws on the fields of information engineering, computer engineering, mechanical engineering, electronic engineering, artificial intelligence, and others.

Source: Adapted from the Wikipedia article “Robotics” (Wikipedia contributors 2021e), which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.

1.1 Reading: What Is Robotics?

Robotics develops machines that can substitute for humans and replicate human actions. Robots can be used in many situations and for many purposes, but today many are used in dangerous environments, manufacturing processes, or where humans cannot survive. Robots appear in various forms. Some are made to resemble humans in appearance. This is said to help in the acceptance of a robot in certain replicative behaviors usually performed by people. Such robots attempt to replicate walking, lifting, speech, cognition, or any other human activity. Many of today’s robots are inspired by nature, contributing to the field of bio-inspired robotics.

The concept of creating robots that can operate autonomously started in the past but has only grown rapidly since the 20th century. Throughout history, it has been frequently assumed by various scholars, inventors, engineers, and technicians that robots will one day be able to mimic human behavior and manage tasks in a human-like fashion. Today, people research, design, and build robots for various purposes, whether domestically, commercially, or militarily. Many robots are built to do jobs that are hazardous to people, such as defusing bombs, finding survivors, and exploring mines. Robotics is also used in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) as a teaching aid.

Robotics is a branch of engineering that involves the conception, design, manufacture, and operation of robots. This field overlaps with computer engineering, computer science especially artificial intelligence (AI), electronics, mechatronics, mechanical, nanotechnology, and bioengineering.

Source: Adapted from the Wikipedia article “Robotics” (Wikipedia contributors 2021e), which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
Read the text above and and answer the following questions.
  1. The field of robotics inspired by nature:
  2. The fields that overlap with robotics: computer engineering, computer science, electronics, , mechanical, nanotechnology, bioengineering.
Show/Hide solution 1.bio-inspired robotics; 2.mechatronics.
Match the words below with their definitions.

Words

  1. robotics
  2. inventors
  3. engineers

 

  1. STEM
  2. AI
  3. mechatronics

Definitions

  1. the science of making and using robots
  2. the combination of mechanical engineering, computing, and electronics, as used in the design and development of new manufacturing techniques.
  3. the study of how to produce computers that have some of the qualities of the human mind, such as the ability to understand language, recognize pictures, solve problems, and learn
  4. someone who has invented something or whose job is to invent things
  5. science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
  6. a person specially trained to design and build machines, structures, and other things, including bridges, roads, vehicles, and buildings
Show/Hide solution 1a - 2d - 3f - 4e - 5c - 6b

1.2 Writing: What Can Robotics Do?

Write a paragraph about what robotics can do for a better world. An example is shown below.

Industrial robots are mechanical devices which, to a certain degree, replicate human motions. They are used whenever there is a need to reduce the danger to a human, provide more strength or accuracy than a human, or when continuous operation is required. Most robots are stationary, but some move throughout the workplace delivering materials and supplies.

1.3 Speaking: Robots Help People

Discuss with your classmates about how robotics can help people.

1.4 Listening: How Are Robots Built?

Source: “How are robots built?” Youtube. https://youtu.be/oHKCwyUa2rg (Interesting Engineering 2020).

 

Listen to the video and fill in the blanks.

Robots have jumped from the screen and pages into our reality disrupting almost every modern industry.

Agriculture, space, travel, medicine, and are just a couple of places robots have begun to appear.

You could argue that they have already started to take over our world.

Just in the past few decades, robots have reached new heights.

The continual and rapid progress of paired with readily available large datasets, lower prices for , and a steady demand for efficiency has created the perfect storm for engineered

Yet you should not be intimidated by robots.

Though robots are certainly complicated pieces of machinery, they are also delightfully simple to understand.

In a lot of cases, robots are based on us humans.

You can even build your own simple robot at home.

Show/Hide solution science fiction; manufacturing; artificial intelligence; sensors and electronics; innovation.

1.5 My Glossary

Translate these terms into your language.

robotics
artificial intelligence
mechatronics
engineer
manufacturing
technology
innovation
electronics
sensors
motors

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