LESSON 1

INTRODUCTION TO ROBOTICS

LLEARNING OBJECTIVES

Learning Competency 1:
Discuss the Introduction of Robotics

Learning Objectives: At the end of this lesson, the learners are expected to:

1. understand the Basic Types of Robots;

2. enumerate the Parts of Robots;
3. elaborate the Influence of Robot in Industry.

General Instructions Now that you are holding this module

do the following:

1. Read and follow instructions carefully in each lesson.

2. Take note and record points for clarification.
3. Do the activities to fully understand each lesson.
4. Answer all the given tests and exercises.

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 LLEARNING CONTENT

ROBOT DEFINED:

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, It
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.

TYPES OF ROBOTS

 Manipulator Robot- is constructed using rigid links connected by joints with one
fixed end and one free end to perform a given task, such as moving a box from
one location to the next. The joints to this robotic manipulator are the movable
components, which enables relative motion between the adjoining links.

 Legged Robot - are a type of mobile robot, which use articulated limbs, such
as leg mechanisms, to provide locomotion. They are more versatile than
wheeled robots and can traverse many different terrains, though these
advantages require increased complexity and power consumption.

 Wheeled Robot - is a mobile robot whose movement is based on two

separately driven wheels placed on either side of the robot body. It can thus
change its direction by varying the relative rate of rotation of its wheels and
hence does not require an additional steering motion.

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 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle - or AUV, is a self-propelled, unmanned,
untethered underwater vehicle capable of carrying out simple activities with
little or no human supervision. AUVs are often used as survey platforms to map
the seafloor or characterize physical, chemical, or biological properties of the
water.

 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle - military aircraft that is guided autonomously, by

remote control, or both and that carries sensors, target designators, offensive
ordnance, or electronic transmitters designed to interfere with or destroy enemy
targets.

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ROBOT USES

 Jobs that is dangerous for humans.

Example:

Decontaminating Robot –Cleaning the main circulating pump housing

in the nuclear power plant.
 Repetitive Jobs that are boring, stress, or labor-intensive for humans
Example:

Welding Robot

 Menial tasks that human don’t want to do.

Example:

The SCRUBMATE Robot

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BRIEF HISTORY OF ROBOTICS

The first industrial robot: UNIMATE in 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).In 1978, The
Puma (Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly) 560 Manipulator robot is
developed by Unimation with a General Motors design support.In 1980, 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.In 1995 to present,
Emerging applications in small robotics and mobile robots drive a second growth of
start-up companies and research. In 2003, NASA’s Mars Exploration Rovers will
launch toward Mars in search of answers about the history of water on Mars.

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

ROBOT BASE: Fixed v/s Mobile

Robotic manipulators used in manufacturing are examples of fixed robots. They

cannot move their base away from the work being done while mobile bases are
typically platforms with wheels or tracks attached. Instead of wheels or tracks, some
robots employ legs in order to move about.

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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 - 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 - 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- A proximity sensor is a non-contact sensor that detects the

presence of an object (often referred to as the “target”) when the target enters
the sensor’s field. 

 Tilt Sensors - is an instrument that is used for measuring the change in tilt and

monitoring of inclination and vertical rotation in vertical structures. Tilt
sensor produces an electrical signal which is proportional to the degree of tilt in
multiple axes

Actuators/Muscles: 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
 Hydraulic Motor
 Pneumatic Cylinder
 DC Motor
 Stepper Motor
 Pneumatic Motor
 Muscle Wire

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  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

Storage Hardware:memory to store the control program and the state of the robot
system obtained from the sensors.

Computation Hardware:Computational engine that computes the control commands.

 RoboBoard Robotics Controller
 BASIC Stamp 2 Module

Interface Hardware:Hardware to interface digital controller with the external world

(sensors and actuators).
 LM358
 LM1458 dual operational amplifier.

ROBOT IN INDUSTRY
 Agriculture
 Automobile
 Construction
 Entertainment
 Health care: hospitals, patient-care, surgery , research, etc.
 Laboratories: science, engineering , etc.
 Law enforcement: surveillance, patrol, etc.
 Manufacturing
 Military: demining, surveillance, attack, etc.
 Mining, excavation, and exploration
 Transportation: air, ground, rail, space, etc.
 Utilities: gas, water, and electric
 Warehouses

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS OF ROBOTS

 Material handling
 Material transfer
 Machine loading and/or unloading
 Spot welding
 Continuous arc welding
 Spray coating
 Assembly
 Inspection

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 LLEARNING ACTIVITY

Enumeration
Direction: Enumerate what is given; Write your answer on the space provided.

Six Mechanical Elements of Robot Mechanism.

1. ___________________________________
2. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________
4. ___________________________________
5. ___________________________________
6. ___________________________________

Four Sensors.

1. ___________________________________
2. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________
4. ___________________________________

I - Multiple Choice
Direction: Write the letter of your answer on the space provided before the number.

____________1. Common robotic actuators utilize combinations of different electro-

mechanical devices.

A. Actuators/ Muscles C. Computation Hardware

B. Storage Hardware D. Interface Hardware

____________ 2. In what year did Unimation develop the Puma (Programmable

Universal Machine for Assembly) 560 Manipulator robot?

A. 1962 C.1980
B. 1978 D.1995

_____________ 3. The Following are Robot in Industry, EXCEPT.

A. Military C. Slaughter house

B. Warehouses D. Hospital

_____________ 4.Produces an electrical signal which is proportional to the

degree of tilt in multiple axes.
.

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 A. Force Sensors C. Tilt Sensors
B. Vision Sensors D. Proximity Sensors

_____________ 5. It is constructed using rigid links connected by joints with one

fixed end and one free end to perform a given task, such as
moving a box from one location to the next.

A. Manipulator Robot
B. Legged Robot
C. Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
D. Wheeled Robot

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 AASSESSMENT

Matching Type
Directions: Match Column A with B; write the letter of your answer on
the space provided before the number.

Column A Column B

_______1. Small robotics and mobile A. Mobile bases robot

robots drive emerged.
_______2. Typical knowledgebase for
the design and operation of robotics B. Sensors and signal
systems. conditioning
_______3. Are typically platforms with
wheels or tracks attached.
C. Proximity Sensors
_______4. Measure robot
configuration/condition and its
environment and send such information D. 1995
to robot controller as electronic signals.
_______5. Often referred to as the E. 2003
“target”
_______6. The robot industry enters a
phase of rapid growth. F. RoboBoardRobotics Controller
_______7. NASA’s Mars Exploration
Rovers will launch toward Mars in G. Robot sensor
search of answers about the history of
water on Mars.
_______8. Interface Hardware. H. Wheeled Robot
_______9. Computation Hardware.
_______10.is a mobile robot whose I. 1980
movement is based on two separately
driven wheels placed on either side of
the robot body. J. LM358

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Congratulations!

You successfully did it. Now, let’s move to lesson 2.

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