Field of Engineering
Computer and mechatronics Program
Lecture : (Introduction to Robotics)
Dr : (Ayman Elshabrawy) Date : 2/10 /2024
Outline
• Definition
• Types
• Uses
• History
• Key components
• Applications
• Future
• Robotics @ MPCRL
Definition
• Word robot was coined by a Czech novelist Karel Capek in a 1920
play titled Rassum’s Universal Robots (RUR)
• Robot in Czech is a word for worker or servant
• A robot is a reprogrammable, multifunctional manipulator
designed to move material, parts, tools or specialized devices
through variable programmed motions for the performance of a
variety of tasks: Robot Institute of America, 1979
Types of Robots: I
• Manipulator
Types of Robots: II
• Legged Robot • Wheeled Robot
Types of Robots: III
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle • Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Robot Uses: I
• Jobs that are dangerous for humans
Robot Uses: II
• Repetitive jobs that are boring, stressful, or labor intensive for humans
Welding Robot
Robot Uses: III
• routine tasks that people don't want to perform
History of Robotics: I
• The first industrial robot: UNIMATE
• 1954: The first programmable robot is
designed by George Devol, who coins the
term Universal Automation. He later
shortens this to Unimation, which
becomes the name of the first robot
company (1962).
History of Robotics: II
• 1978: The Puma (Programmable Universal
Machine for Assembly) robot is developed by
Unimation with a General Motors design
support
PUMA 560 Manipulator
History of Robotics: III
• 1980s: The robot industry enters a phase of rapid growth. Many institutions
introduce programs and courses in robotics. Robotics courses are spread across
mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science
departments
History of Robotics: IV
• 1995-present: Emerging applications
in small robotics and mobile robots
drive a second growth of start-up
companies and research
• 2003: NASA’s Mars Exploration Rovers will launch toward Mars in search of
answers about the history of water on Mars
Robot Base: Fixed v/s Mobile
• Robotic manipulators used in • Mobile bases are typically platforms with
manufacturing are examples of wheels or tracks attached. Instead of
fixed robots. They can not wheels or tracks, some robots employ legs
move their base away from the in order to move about.
work being done.
Knowledgebase for Robotics
• Typical knowledgebase for the design and operation of robotics systems
• Dynamic system modeling and analysis
• Feedback control
• Sensors and signal conditioning
• Actuators (muscles) and power electronics
• Hardware/computer interfacing
• Computer programming
Defnition of Robots:
• Robots in general:
• A robot is a complex machine composed by:
• A mechanical system for interacting with the
environment.
• An actuation system for task execution.
• A sensory system for getting proper
information.
• A control system for the run-time control and
programming.
Robot Mechanism
• Mechanical Elements
Sensors
• Human senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell
provide us vital information to function and survive
• Robot sensors: measure robot configuration/condition and
its environment and send such information to robot
controller as electronic signals (e.g., arm position, presence
of toxic gas)
• Robots often need information that is beyond 5 human
senses (e.g., ability to: see in the dark, detect tiny amounts
of invisible radiation, measure movement that is too small
or fast for the human eye to see)
Vision Sensors
• Vision Sensor: e.g., to pick bins, perform
inspection, etc.
• Part-Picking: Robot can handle In-Sight
Vision Sensors work pieces that are
randomly piled by using 3-D vision
sensor. Since alignment operation, a
special parts feeder, and an alignment
pallete are not required, an automatic
system can be constructed at low cost.
Force Sensors
• Parts fitting and insertion:
• Robots can do precise fitting and insertion of
machine parts by using
• force sensor. A robot can insert parts that
have the phases after matching their phases
in addition to simply inserting them. It can
automate high skill jobs.
Proximity Sensors
• 6 ultrasonic sonar transducers to explore wide, open
areas
• Obstacle detection over a wide range from 15cm to 3m
• 16 built-in infrared proximity sensors (range 5-20cm)
• Infrared sensors act as a “virtual bumper” and allow
for negotiating tight spaces
Tilt Sensors
• Tilt sensors: e.g., to balance a robot
Actuators/Muscles: I
Common robotic actuators utilize combinations of
different electro-mechanical devices
– Synchronous motor
– Stepper motor
– AC servo motor
– Brushless DC servo motor
– Brushed DC servo motor
Actuators: II
Hydraulic Motor
Pneumatic Cylinder
Stepper Motor
Pneumatic Motor
Hydraulic Motor
Servo Motor
Controller
• Provide necessary intelligence to control the manipulator/mobile
robot
• Process the sensory information and compute the control
commands for the actuators to carry out specified tasks
Computation Hardware
• Single Board Computers
• Raspberry Pi 4
• 1.5 Ghz Quad Core ARM Cortex-72 processor, 1–8 GB RAM
• Jetson Nano
• 1,43 GhZ Quad Core ARM A57, 4 GB RAM
• 128 Core Maxwell GPU
• BeagleBoard X15
• 1.5 Ghz ARM Cortex-A15, 2 GB RAM
Computation Hardware
• Microcontrollers
• Microcontrollers are small computers that get programmed to perform a very
specific task in your robot, like reading and processing sensor data or
controlling your robot’s motors.
• Arduino UNO
• ATmga328P MCU, 2KB RAM
• Pocketbeagle
• OSD3358 1GHz ARM, 512MB RAM, USB and MicroSD connectors
• ST Microelectronics STM32
• ARM Cortex-M4F / M7F, Family of Microcontrollers based on ARM
• MSP430 Launchpad
• Microcontroller Development Board
Interface Hardware
• Interface units: Hardware to interface
digital controller with the external world
(sensors and actuators)
• Analog to Digital Converter
• Operational Amplifiers
Industrial Applications of Robots
• Material handling
• Material transfer
• Machine loading and/or unloading
• Spot welding
• Continuous arc welding
• Spray coating
• Assembly
• Inspection
Robots in Space
Robots in Hazardous Environments
• TROV in Antarctica • HAZBOT operating in
operating under water atmospheres containing
combustible gases
Robots in Military
