‌1. What is Robot?

_Webster Dictionary
A device that performs functions ordinarily ascribed to human beings or operates with what appears to be almost human intelligence

_Oxford Dictionary
A machine with human appearance or functioning like a humanA machine capable of carrying out of complex series of actions automatically

_Robot Institute of America
A reprogrammable, multi-functional manipulator designed to move material, parts, tools, or specialized devices through variable programmed motion

_Japan Industrial Robot Association
A mechanical system which has flexible motion functions analogous to the motion functions of living organisms or combines such motion functions with intelligence functions, and which acts in response to the human wills

2. Robotic System & Components

_Motion subsystem
•Role: physical structure or mechanism that carries out desired motions 
•Components
  –Electromechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic

_Recognition subsystem
•Role: various sensors to gather information about the robot’s state and the environment
•Components
  –Encoder, force sensor, tactile sensor, vision

_Control subsystem
•Role: influences the motion subsystem to achieve a given task using the information from the recognition subsystem
•Components
  –Computer, controller, microprocessor, H/W, S/W

3. Robot Classification

_Cartesian Robot

[Cartesian Robot]

•3 prismatic joints
•Advantages
  - Kinematically simple
  - Control of linear motion is easy
  - Rigid structure
•Disadvantages
  - Workspace is smaller than robot volume
  - Unable to reach areas under objects

_Articulated Robot

[Articulated Robot]

•3 revolute joints
•Advantages
  - Maximum flexibility
  - Large workspace relative to robot volume
  - Can reach over and under objects
•Disadvantages
  - Kinematically complex
  - Control of linear motion is difficult
  - Not rigid structure at full reach

_SCARA Robot

‌‌[SCARA Robot]

•3 revolute joints + 1 prismatic joint
•SCARA
  - Selective Compliant Assembly Robot Arm
  - Used in planar tasks such as assembly operations
•Advantages
  - The base link can house the large actuators for the first two joints  - >  Robot can move very fast

_Parallel Robot

[Parallel Robot]

•Stewart platform (1965)
  - A triangular platform whose vertices are all connected by a ball-and-socket joint
‌• Load capacity/robot mass
  - Parallel manipulators: load is distributed on the links
•Accuracy
  - Parallel manipulators : errors are not accumulated

4. Related Fields to Robotics

[Robotics – System Integration]