Humanoid Robots
Robots are of many types. Their type mostly depends on specific purpose as well as their shapes. Humanoid robots are named as such since it’s shape resembles human structure. These robots not only resembles structure but also functions.
Humanoid robots are used as research tools in several scientific areas. Human Cognition is a field of study which is focused on how humans learn from sensory information in order to acquire perceptual and motor skills. Besides research, humanoid robots are being developed to perform human tasks like personal assistance through which they can assist sick and elderly. Also suitable for some procedurally based vocations such as reception desk etc.
The robots cannot function on its own. It requires important functions like sensing , actuating , planning and control. We would see them in detail….
Before we respond to a situation we would actually sense what is happening around or within us. For example , when we are in contact with hot objects we react to it. Actually how do we react ? We are sensing the hot object after which the reaction takes place. Similarly, Robots needs a sensing mechanism for making reactions. Sensor is a device that measures the attribute of the world. It plays an important role in robotics.
Proprioceptive sensors sense the position. orientation and speed of human body and joints. We humans use proprioceptive sensors (muscle, limb) to help with orientation. Accelerometers are used to measure acceleration. Tilt sensor for inclination and position sensor for actual position of the robot.
Exteroceptive sensors are used to provide information about forces and torques transferred between robot and other objects. Vision refers to processing data from any modality which uses electromagnetic spectrum to produce an image. It is used to recognise objects and determine its properties. Sound sensors allows them to hear speech and environmental sounds which would be acting similar to ears of human being.
Actuator are responsible for any reaction from the robot. The motion, speech are actions which would come through the process of actuating. They can be either electric, pneumatic, hydraulic, etc.
The sensors and actuators cannot function on its own. It needs a preplanned order so that it would be easy for the actuator to perform their own functions in response to the sensing mechanism. For example, when robot senses a voice “stop” it must stop its walking action. This control needs to be in a planned order. Thats why this planning and control is an important phase in robotics.
Herbert Televox is the first ever humanoid robot built in 1927 by Roy Wensley. The main objective of this robot is to lift telephone calls and operate the switches depending upon the signal received. It has a sensitive microphone close to the receiver and with the microphone it listens and responds to the action based on sound and pitch.
The basic idea of building a humanoid robot began in the year of 1927 with a simple model. Step by step the knowledge of the robotics was increased. It became famous , world-wide talk in the year of 2016. An robot which was in the list of citizenship.
“Stay tuned to know more about that Robot….”
