Robots
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Robots |
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"An automatic device that performs functions normally ascribed to humans or a machine in the form of a human."(Webster)
It is strange to think that 50 years ago robots were only an idea. They have advanced in leaps and bounds. They have increased the productivity in industry to unimaginable highs. Who would of thought that a huge box that could only push things, in a matter of years, would adapt into miniature robots the size of a golf ball or less.
Robots in Industry
There are a wide variety of uses for robots. The first and maybe most important is a robot for industrial purposes. Before these robots humans did everything. This caused some problems because there could have been some jobs that were too uncomfortable or too dangerous for humans to partake in so with robots these tasks can be done with ease. Another good aspect of the industrial robot is that it is fast and efficient. Although it really doesn't have the power to adapt to different situations, robots do not get tired and will do the job right every time. These robots have cut costs considerably in all sectors of business especially in the realm of the car industry.
Robots in Space
There are many benefits to having robots in space. The major one is that they do not need oxygen to survive like we do. This makes it so that robots can go into unfamiliar places in space and make it so no human gets harmed. "Today, two important devices exist which are proven space robots. One is the Remotely Operated Vehicle and the other is the Remote Manipulator System .An ROV can be an unmanned spacecraft that remains in flight, a lander that makes contact with an extraterrestrial body and operates from a stationary position, or a rover that can move over terrain once it has landed. One of the best known ROV's is the Sojourner rover that was deployed by the Mars Pathfinder spacecraft. To date, the NASA Remote Manipulator System robot arm has performed a number of tasks on many space missions-serving as a grappler, a remote assembly device, and also as a positioning and anchoring device for astronauts working in space."(Robots in Space)In space, robots have made some of the fastest advancements it will be interesting to see where they can go next.
Medicine and Robots
One of the most up and coming fields for robots is in medicine. Many procedures are being done without human contact. The surgeons are guiding the robot through the surgery but they might not even be in the room. There are many benefits to this. One could be that there would be less of a chance of infection with the robots doing the surgery and no other person in the room. Also with robots, the robotic arms are not as big as humans, so they can maneuver better through the person. Thus, leading to smaller incisions. There are many places that this field can go it will be interesting to see where it is going to go next.
Mobile Robots
After industrial robots, mobile robots were focused heavily upon. These robots in their first stage were primitive to say the least. They could hardly make it across a room within an hour. These are extremely beneficial because with more mobility there is a great chance that the robot can go where people cannot. There are mobile robots that are no bigger than a quarter, but when "one of the first mobile robots came out it was bigger than several humans."(History of Mobile Robots)These mobile robots can also be helpful with surveillance because of how small they can be made and how a camera can be attached to them even at that size. Their mobile robots have progressed the most since their original form.
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