Overview
What Is Robotics?
Robotics is the intersection of science, engineering and technology that produces machines, called robots,
that substitute for (or replicate) human actions. Pop culture has always been fascinated with robots. R2-D2.
Optimus Prime. WALL-E. These over-exaggerated, humanoid concepts of robots usually seem like a caricature
of the real thing...or are they more forward thinking than we realize? Robots are gaining intellectual and
mechanical capabilities that don’t put the possibility of a R2-D2-like machine out of reach in the future.
WHAT IS A ROBOT?
A robot is the product of the robotics field, where programmable machines are built that can assist humans or mimic human actions. Robots were originally built to handle monotonous tasks (like building cars on an assembly line), but have since expanded well beyond their initial uses to perform tasks like fighting fires, cleaning homes and assisting with incredibly intricate surgeries. Each robot has a differing level of autonomy, ranging from human-controlled bots that carry out tasks that a human has full control over to fully-autonomous bots that perform tasks without any external influences.
As technology progresses, so too does the scope of what is considered robotics. In 2005, 90% of all robots could be
found assembling cars in automotive factories. These robots consist mainly of mechanical arms tasked with welding or
screwing on certain parts of a car. Today, we’re seeing an evolved and expanded definition of robotics that includes the
development, creation and use of bots that explore Earth’s harshest conditions, robots that assist law- enforcement
and even robots that assist in almost every facet of healthcare.
In the Last Century, Robots in Science-Fiction have Risen Up Against their Human Masters; visited earth from distant stars to pass judgement on our Civilization; and relentlessly chased our leaders back in time in an effort to eradicate humanity itself.
Robots have always Lurked in our stories as bogeymen, and now their Real-world counterparts are steadily creeping into our lives. And to be perfectly honest, I find myself deeply excited. Since 1956, when a Stanford Professor named John McCarthy coined the term "Artificial Intelligence," our thinking machines have evolved from playing chess on a board with sixty-four squares to playing Jeopardy!with open ended questions asked out loud. We are reaching an unprecedented moment in history, in which robots have evolved from things into partners and allies with the ability to make their own decisions. Unlike every other tool ever built, robots are not simply objects to be manipulated, but agents that can think and act alongside us in the world. Our latest smart machines soar through hostile skies as warfighters, comb through online data for commerce, and in some cases, even wriggle through our veins to provide medical treatment. From the Aeolis Palus plains on mars to the sprawling corridors of darkened warehouses, a flood of advanced technology is rapidly growing to solve a dazzling variety of hard problems.
As we progress deeper into the Information Age, new and astonishing robots will continue to proliferate in our homes, cities and places of work. How incredibly lucky are we to live during this amazing time? Together, we have the opportunity to learn more about our robotic partners and embrace an awe-inspiring future.