Introduction to Robotics

Published at: May 10th 2024

Humanoid robot named Sophia can process visual, emotional and conversational data

Robotics is an interdisciplinary field that involves designing, building and programming robots. These robots can perform tasks autonomously (on their own) or with human input.

Isaac Asimov’s three laws of robotics

1. Robots must not harm humans.

2. Robots follow human instructions without violating the first law.

3. Robots protect themselves without breaking other rules.

Picture 1. Humanoid robot named Sophia can process visual, emotional and conversational data (source: Hanson Robotics)

What are the main components of robots?

1. CPU (the brain of a robot)

Without this machine, a robot would be like a remote-controlled machine. This unit processes information and issues commands. It can be perceived as a decision-making center.

Picture 2. Arduino UNO (Source: pxhere.com)

2. Actuators (the muscles of a robot)

An actuator is a device that receives an energy input and converts it into motion or force and is an essential component in robotics. Based on the type of the actuator, different power supplies can be used to cause motion. The three most common ones are compressed oil (hydraulic), compressed air (pneumatic) and electric current and magnets (electronic).

The type of actuator used in an application depends on the specific requirements of that application, such as the level of force, response time, and durability needed.

3. Sensors (the eyes and ears of a robot)

Sensors gather data from the external world and transmit it to the CPU to help it process information about its surroundings.

There is a wide range of sensor types that can be incorporated into a robot.

Picture 3. Different sensors that can be incorporated into a robot (source: HACKATRONIC)

4. End effectors

End effectors are devices attached to the end of a robot’s arm to help it interact with the surrounding environment. They can be customized to suit specific applications and can be designed to perform a wide range of tasks, including gripping, cutting, welding, painting, and more.

Examples of robot’s end effectors are:

robotic grippers that act as a robot’s hands
robotic process tools which include drills, welding torches, paint sprayers etc.

Picture 4. Robot grippers (source: frontiersin.org)

5. Program

A robot’s programming is a set of instructions that guide the robot on what to do. It is the logic behind every operation of a robot.

Commonly used programming languages in robotics are C++, C#, Java, MATLAB, Python etc.

Arduino is used as a beginner-friendly way to learn robotics step by step while Raspberry Pi could be more suitable for makers experienced in using the Arduino platform or the programming languages listed above, as it is an intermediate level software used for more complex projects.

What are the common types of robots?

Autonomous mobile robot (AMR) - is able to navigate within andrespond to its environment without humans directly controlling it.

Cobots- they are designed to function alongside or directly with humans. They’re used to eliminate manual, dangerous and strenuous tasks from the workflow

Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) - these robots rely on tracks or predefined paths and often require supervision. These are commonly used to deliver materials and move items in controlled environments such as warehouses and factory floors

Getting started as a maker

To start getting into robotics, makers should explore platforms such as Arduino and Raspberry Pi.

These are inexpensive, open-source tools that provide hardware and software for building robots.

Alongside these, makers should learn programming with languages like Python and C++ and have basic understanding of electronics and be able to read schematics.

Here are short video explanations about Arduino and Raspberry Pi:

Arduino in 100 Seconds - YouTube

Raspberry Pi Explained in 100 Seconds (youtube.com)

Below is an instructional video if you’d like to make a fun and beginner-friendly robot:

How to Make A Simple And Easy Arduino Robot For Science Project - YouTube

For projects that can be 3D printed, see the links below:

SMARS modular robot by tristomietitoredeituit - Thingiverse

Print-in-Place Robotic Gripper : 4 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables