This presentation offers students lots of opportunities to experiment with different types of robots and to learn how robots are used. The presenter will usually start by talking a bit about their own experiences in college, engineering or industry with robots. Then discuss some or all of the following: History of robots including the origin of the term "robot" What is a robot and how is it different from other machines? How robots are used in industry and science today How robots work and receive commands What robots may be designed to do in the future

Mercifully, he died before the Gestapo got to him for his anti-Nazi sympathies in 1938. The use of the word Robot was introduced into his play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) which opened in Prague in January 1921. The play was an enormous success and productions soon opened throughout Europe and the US. R.U.R's theme, in part, was the dehumanization of man in a technological civilization. You may find it surprising that the robots were not mechanical in nature but were created through chemical means. In fact, in an essay written in 1935, Capek strongly fought that this idea was at all possible and, writing in the third person, said: "It is with horror, frankly, that he rejects all responsibility for the idea that metal contraptions could ever replace human beings, and that by means of wires they could awaken something like life, love, or rebellion. He would deem this dark prospect to be either an overestimation of machines, or a grave offence against life." [The Author of Robots Defends Himself - Karl Capek, Lidove noviny, June 9, 1935, translation: Bean Comrada] There is some evidence that the word robot was actually coined by Karl's brother Josef, a writer in his own right. In a short letter, Capek writes that he asked Josef what he should call the artifical workers in his new play. Karel suggests Labori, which he thinks too 'bookish' and his brother mutters "then call them Robots" and turns back to his work, and so from a curt response we have the word robot. R.U.R is found in most libraries. The most common English translation is that of P. Selver from the 1920's which is not completely faithful to the original. A more recent and accurate translation is in a collection of Capek's writings called Towards the Radical Center published by Catbird Press in North Haven, CT. tel: 203.230.2391

The word 'robotics' was first used in Runaround, a short story published in 1942. I, Robot, a collection of several of these stories, was published in 1950. Asimov also proposed his three "Laws of Robotics", and he later added a 'zeroth law'. Law Zero: A robot may not injure humanity, or, through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm. Law One: A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm, unless this would violate a higher order law. Law Two: A robot must obey orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with a higher order law. Law Three: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with a higher order law. An interesting article on this subject: Clarke, Roger, "Asimov's Laws for Robotics: Implications for Information Technology", Part 1 and Part 2, Computer, December 1993, pp. 53-61 and Computer, January 1994, pp.57-65. The article is an interesting discussion of his Laws and how they came to be in his books, and the implications for technology today and in the future.

Images: Upper right: Terminator Left: C3PO and R2D2 from Star Wars Duscussion: 1956 In 1956, George Devil and Joseph Engelberger formed the world's first robot company. Devol predicted that the industrial robot would "help the factory operator in a way that can be compared to business machines as an aid to the office worker". A few years later, in 1961, the very first industrial robot was "employed" in a General Motors automobile factory in New Jersey. Since 1980, there has been an expansion of industrial robots into non-automotive industries. The main factor responsible for this growth has been the technical improvements in robots due to advancement in microelectronics ("ME") and computers. Today Fully functioning androids are many years away due to the many problems that must be solved. However, real, working, sophisticated robots are in use today and they are revolutionizing the workplace. These robots do not resemble the romantic android concept of robots. They are industrial manipulators and are really computer controlled "arms and hands". Industrial robots are so different to the popular image that it would be easy for the average person not to recognize one.

Image Descriptions: Left bottom picture is an automotive welder robot Right bottom is a handicap helper robot arm opening a microwave oven.

Industrial robots are so different to the popular image that it would be easy for the average person not to recognize one. Have the students think of a robot they would see in their daily lives. Examples can be: video arcade game (toy pick up devices) automated “Star Tours” type rides

Hazbots have been used in crime prevention programs and industrial areas where hazards to humans are present. Have students think of places where hazbots could be used. Interesting web links: http://spacelink.nasa.gov/NASA.Projects/Space.Science/Robotics/Robotics.Images/.index.html http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/photo_gallery/

Benefits of Robots It is true that robots can cause unemployment by replacing human workers but robots also create jobs: robot technicians, salesmen, engineers, programmers and supervisors. The benefits of robots to industry include improved management control and productivity and consistently high quality products. Industrial robots can work tirelessly night and day on an assembly line without an loss in performance. Consequently, they can greatly reduce the costs of manufactured goods. As a result of these industrial benefits, countries that effectively use robots in their industries will have an economic advantage on world market.

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Hazbots can also be used for fire fighting, and personal protection devices. Hazbots are small enough to maneuver in tight surroundings. The vehicle has a "tank-like" track drive with articulated front and rear sections to enable it to climb stairs and other obstacles. Welch explains HAZBOT III's utility, saying, "For hazardous materials handling you want something that has dexterity. HAZBOT III is constructed for the small laboratory environment where it has to be able to unlock and open doors, get inside and get a visual picture of the total environment." A six-degree-of-freedom manipulator with a 30-pound lift capability allows the robot to perform a variety of tasks including the unlocking and opening of doors. The manipulator also incorporates a parallel jaw gripper with a 60-pound squeeze force and a gas detector to aid in material identification

au·ton·o·mous (ô-t n -m s) adj. Not controlled by others or by outside forces; independent: an autonomous judiciary; an autonomous division of a corporate conglomerate. Independent in mind or judgment; self-directed. Independent of the laws of another state or government; self-governing. Of or relating to a self-governing entity: an autonomous legislature. Self-governing with respect to local or internal affairs: an autonomous region of a country. Autonomic. [From Greek autonomos: auto-, auto- + nomos, law; see nem- in Indo-European Roots.]

The Mars 2003 mission will consist of two identical rovers designed to cover roughly 100 meters each martian day. Each rover will carry five scientific instruments and an abrasion tool used to determine the history of climate and water on Mars where conditions may once have been favorable to life. Interesting web links: http://observe.arc.nasa.gov/nasa/fun/mars/mars.html http://eto.msfc.nasa.gov/

The Cassini Mission to Saturn is an international venture involving NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the Italian Space Agency (ASI), and several separate European academic and industrial partners. The mission is managed for NASA by JPL. The spacecraft carries a sophisticated complement of scientific sensors to support 27 different investigations to probe the mysteries of the Saturn system. A seven-year journey to the ringed planet Saturn began at 4:43 a.m. EDT on October 15, 1997, with the liftoff of a Titan IVB/Centaur carrying the Cassini orbiter and its attached Huygens probe.

Robotics researchers develop robotic systems for a variety of purposes, including space exploration and especially, heavy industry. They study how robots work, improve existing robotic systems, and work on new technologies for the next generation of robots. In developing robots for specific tasks, researchers sometimes build models which mathematically represent the motion of a robot and its components. Using these models, scientists and engineers can test different behaviors without incurring the expense of actually building the robot until all of its specifications are determined. Currently robots are used for: automating parts of the manufacturing process in many industries, especially to accomplish tasks that are hazardous or repetitious for humans to do performing "fetch and carry" tasks in hospitals and nursing homes cleaning hazardous waste in nuclear plants inspecting and classifying manufactured projects, usually for quality control purposes searching carry-on luggage at airport security checkpoints searching trucks, trailers and other containers for unauthorized goods. Some future applications for robots that are now being explored include: excavating and grading land climbing and painting rusty utility towers working in conjunction with live doctors to perform hip replacement surgery putting up and maintaining space stations. Interesting Web links: http://www.tcm.org/html/resources/cmp-careers/cnc-robotics.html

Robotics JPL's Robotics Program  - Works toward enabling more efficient, lower cost missions dedicated to planetary surface and solar system exploration, Earth observations from space, astrophysical experiments in space and on the Moon, and the extension of human capabilities in space. Intelligent Mechanisms Group (IMG)  - Develops and advances the technology of planetary and space-based robotic systems. They build intelligent mechanisms and then test them in realistic field experiments. NASA Space Telerobotics Program  - This program is an element of NASA's ongoing research program, under the responsibility of the Office of Space Science. The program is designed to develop telerobotic capabilities for remote mobility and manipulation, by merging robotics and teleoperations and creating new telerobotics technologies.

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Au-ton-o-mous adj. Not controlled by others or by outside forces; independent: an autonomous judiciary; an autonomous division of a corporate conglomerate. Independent in mind or judgment; self-directed. Independent of the laws of another state or government; self-governing. Of or relating to a self-governing entity: an autonomous legislature. Self-governing with respect to local or internal affairs: an autonomous region of a country. Autonomic. [From Greek autonomos: auto-, auto- + nomos, law; see nem- in Indo-European Roots.]

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