Robot Engineering and the Growth of Robot Gadgets - Essay Example

Robot Engineering Introduction A robot is a device designed in a way that its operation can be altered to change the movement of tools and, and can carry out varieties of tasks according to the programme being used. Robots are a combination of different engineering structures. It is the integration of mechatronic systems, electronic, mechanical, electrical, and computer skills (Robot shop 2013). Recently, robots are increasing rapidly, and they are covering almost every field like education, entertainment, medicine and even automation. In the past, they were known to be dreams in the field of science, but nowadays it is easy to find them in organisations and homes. They are used as inspiring tools for students and are commonly used for learning purposes (The HINTS Lab 2013). The main reasons they are used as learning tools is because their components are easily available and applicable in many disciplines due to the characteristics of their design. Also, their use is well known, and they are not strange to humans. However, robots will help us in our lives but it will not replace the human being. As a form of entertainment in the school of engineering, students are given a problem to solve as a form of competition. The winners are rewarded handsomely, and this motivates them in their creativity and innovation. Since there are many solutions to every problem, it is this trouble solving that has improved the living standards from living in caves to exploring of the universe. Robot competition has improved the school of engineering, science and technology since it is fun to the student and they enjoy it. It is their innovations in competition that have attracted other investors to come up with other machines and equipments used in the production. In the current world, most developed countries are using computers in almost all institutions. In schools, e-learning is used where the lecturer teaches by the use of computer network; hence, there is no need of physical appearance. In the case of exams, students use computers and submit their assignments by the use of the Internet. This has simply reduced paperwork, transportation cost and other related costs in the teaching field. In the developing countries, technology has not yet been fully employed in many areas like education, industry and medicine. This is because the cost of implementation is high, and the majority of the citizens are not conversant with it. In order to come up with robot engineering, learning institutions found that the normal teaching and textbooks are not giving the solutions to the problems. Many textbooks stress on calculation methods and theories and explain little on the physical things that are described by the theories. Issues like the best process for designing a particular machine, how the items are made, and how they perform certain tasks are not solved (The HINTS Lab 2013). Robots are of different kinds according to the task they perform. For example, there are those which look like human beings in their physical form. There are those which are moveable and those which can sense information from their surroundings. Historically, in the industrial sector, the growth of robot gadgets is a merge of two things: watch making and innovation in manufacturing apparatus. As early as 400-350 B.C, a Greek man, Tarentum, made a wooden sculpture of a pigeon which was triggered by a steam jet. Many other innovations like the iron man, magic fountain, frying iron eagle among others have been invented. This includes a moveable supply of mechanical power that stimulated the establishment of many complicated machines. One intention of this practical inventiveness was for entertainment reasons with no industrious benefit to be gained. The growth and the urge for excellence in the industrial sector came after the craftsmen combined efforts, skills, understanding, creativity and expertise. These men involved in the creation of machines formed a strong group of innovation and inventions, researcher, technical experience and skills (The HINTS Lab 2013). These inventions were continuously being refined to the formation of automated mechanical machines capable of bunch production of materials. These machines were numerically operated, especially the milling apparatus, and were used in industries. These machines were flexible until when they were replaced by the computer generation, which is more complicated. Countries known for inventions of industrial equipment and machineries are Korea, Europe and China. Machines like washing machines and automatic tool changers among others came to replace the human being since they carry out all the tasks humans could perform. In the field of medicine, robots were and currently are still used to solve many problems that were being experienced mostly by the surgeons. Since the human body is made up of very tiny tissues, surgeons could not have a clear view. Other than a clear view, the area of vision was limited as the size of the screen was limiting. This created a poor working environment for the operators to carry out the surgical duties. Another problem surgeons faced was the sensing problem (IEEEXplore 2013). Moving, testing and cutting tasks requires a force sensing for efficiency and better performance. Due to theses problems, robotic equipments are introduced/ invented in the effort to assist in viewing surgical areas and tissue control. Through engineering methods to mechanical and robotic design, Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) field has experienced radical development. This method is being used as the substitute to the traditional open surgery. MIS does not only examine the body but also carries out surgical duties on different body parts. This has led to the growth of other fields related to surgery of abdominal parts, and robot-assisted methods are favoured in various practices by surgeons. In open surgery, patients could take longer time before they recover from operations, and there were high risks of infection involved (Breazeal 2011). Also, they were taking longer time in hospital, which was an added cost to the bill, and it was more painful. All these reasons have led to the introduction of robots in the field of medicine in order to solve these problems. In this field of medicine, robots have replaced human beings in many areas. This is very clear since surgery as a process was performed by a number of doctors and surgeons, but currently one surgeon can perform it. This is easily applicable due to advanced technology where a doctor in a particular country with expertise in surgery can operate on a patient in another country without physical presence. This application has saved many lives since it takes less time. An example is the life support machine and Intensive Care Unit (I.C.U) equipments which is always under stiff control. In Japan, there are a number of physically challenged persons due to injuries and aging, and the solution is the use of robots. Rehabilitation machines and robots have been introduced, which will assist the patients to use their limbs (IEEEXplore 2013). Recently, mobile robots have been made, and they are controlled systematically. China has introduced a learning fuzzy mobile scheme for controlling robot movements. In order for the system to perform well, rules are issued at the starting point. The rules include the starting rate, direction of movement obstacles involved and the target destination. This enables the fuzzy system to drive the robot from the starting point to the designated point evading the barrier (Breazeal 2011). These mobile robots can move in areas which are not accessible to human beings. Advantages Make Work Easier The introduction of robots has simplified the duties performed by human beings. For example, lifts and cranes are used to load and offload things in industries and construction fields. They have replaced human effort that would have been used in lifting heavy things like stones and machineries (IEEEXplore 2013). Also, the use of computers has simplified the computation work of accountants and actuaries. Increase in Production In the industrial sectors, many activities are carried out by moveable machines that are controlled electronically. These machines have the capability of producing goods in large quantities and in a short time. This has replaced human beings who were producing a single item at a time, hence leading to less output. As production increases, the cost per unit reduce making goods be sold at a lower price, and therefore, improving the living standards of people. Increases Innovation and Creativity of Students In the field of engineering, science and technology, many students have improved their creativity by making robots tools to solve their problems. Students have come up with easier methods and procedures as solutions to the day to day tasks. Disadvantages Creates Unemployment In the current world, everything is surrounded by robots which assist us to carry out our tasks. The use of machines and computers has replaced the human beings. This has increased the rate of unemployment (Nourbakhsh 2013), especially in the developing countries. Unemployment problem is one of the challenges that third world countries are trying to fight. Paradoxically, developing countries are fighting unemployment, and yet they are advocating for technology advancement. Risky To the Human Body Most of the equipment is operated under high/low temperatures that have a great effect on human beings. For example, the X-ray machines used in hospitals are harmful to the functioning of the body. Conclusion Robots are a combination of different engineering structures. Recently, robots have been increasing rapidly, and they are covering almost every field like education, entertainment, medicine and even automation. Recently, mobile robots which are controlled systematically have been made. China has introduced a learning fuzzy mobile scheme for controlling robot movements. The introduction of robots has simplified the duties performed by human beings. In the industrial sectors, many activities are carried out by moveable machines that are controlled electronically. In the field of engineering, science and technology, many students have improved their creativity by making robots tools to solve their problems. In the current world, everything is surrounded by robots which assist us in carrying out our tasks, which has increased the rate of unemployment, especially in the developing countries. Moreover, most of the equipments operate under high/low temperatures that have a great effect on human beings. Bibliography: Breazeal, C., 2011. Your new best friend may be a robot. Accessed on 11th June 2013 from: http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/02/13/breazeal.social.robots/index.html Robot shop, 2013. Professional and Service Robots. Accessed on 11th June 2013 from: http://www.robotshop.com/professional-service-robots.html Nourbakhsh, I., 2013. It’s Time to talk about the burgeoning robot middle class. Accessed on 11th June 2013 from: http://www.technologyreview.com/view/514861/its-time-to-talk- about- the-burgeoning-robot-middle-class/ The HINTS Lab., 2013. HRI: Humanoid Robots. Accessed on 11th June 2013 from: http://depts.washington.edu/hints/projects.shtml#HRI-humanoid_robots IEEEXplore., 2013. Functions of a caring robot in nursing. Accessed on 11th June 2013 from: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/login.jsp?tp=&arnumber=6138237&url=http%3A%2F%2Fieeexplore.ieee.org%2Fxpls%2Fabs_all.jsp%3Farnumber%3D6138237 Read More