Welcome to Robotics Introduction to Robotics NXT Unit

Welcome to Robotics! Introduction to Robotics NXT

Unit Outline n n What are we going to achieve? You will learn how to use the NXT program. You will gain knowledge on how to work as a team. We will create a Robotic Presentation for your parents and friends.

WHY ROBOTICS? IT IS THE WAY OF THE FUTURE

INDUSTRY n Almost ever Industry uses some form of Robotics, including: Entertainment (Lego, Animatronics) n Domestic (Automatic Lawn Mowers, Vacuum Cleaners) n Movies (Terminator, C 3 PO, R 2 D 2) n Industrial (Welding, Factory Automation) n Medical (Remote Surgery) n Exploratory (Mars Rovers, Deep Sea ROV’s) n Military (Pack. Bot, Bomb Disposal, Search and Rescue) n

COMPUTER PROGRAM n The program that we will be using is: Lego Mind Storm NXT 2. 0 n n n This is the easiest program Even though it is the easiest DO NOT think it is not the BEST This program is used by MOST Universities

What is Robotics? n n n Robotics is the science and technology of Robots Robotics is the design, manufacture, and application of Robots Robotics combines a working knowledge of electronics, mechanics and software

Why do we have Robots? n n Robots make life easier. They are designed to complete harder tasks and are quite often used in dangerous missions to protect human life Without Robots society would not be able to function efficiently. Robots are used to complete tasks that human kind cannot. For example: Space explorations, bomb detection, medical surgery Robots are used in industry as they are needed to complete tasks that humans cannot. For example: Underground mining, car manufacturing Robots are less expensive in the long term as companies need less humans and companies do not have to pay robots salary/wages

What are the main components of a Robot? n n A typical Robot has: n A movable physical structure n A motor of some sort n A sensor system n A power supply n A computer “Brain” Essentially, Robots are machines that replicate human and animal behaviour

Where did the term “Robot” come from? n n n The word “Robot” was coined by the Czech playwright Karel Capek (pronounced “chop’ek) from the Czech word forced labour or serf Capek was reportedly several times a candidate for the Nobel prize for his works and very influential and prolific, as a writer and playwright. 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

Reference List n n Shelton, B. (2003) Types of Robots http: //prime. jsc. nasa. gov/ROV/types. html Harris, T. (2008) How Robots work? http: //science. howstuffworks. com/robot. htm n Dowling, K. (1996) What is Robotics? n http: //www. cs. cmu. edu/-chuck/robottpg/robofaq/1. html#1. 2