A Primer on Robotics

International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD)
Volume 6 Issue 7, November-December 2022 Available Online: www.ijtsrd.com e-ISSN: 2456 – 6470
@ IJTSRD | Unique Paper ID – IJTSRD52399 | Volume – 6 | Issue – 7 | November-December 2022 Page 614
A Primer on Robotics
Matthew N. O. Sadiku1
, Uwakwe C. Chukwu2
, Abayomi Ajayi-Majebi3
, Sarhan M. Musa1
1
Roy G. Perry College of Engineering, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX, USA
2
Department of Engineering Technology, South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC, USA
3
Department of Manufacturing Engineering, Central State University, Wilberforce, OH
ABSTRACT
Robotics is the discipline of designing and constructing machines,
called robots.
A robot is an autonomous mechanical device that is designed to sense
its environment, carry out computations to make decisions, and
perform actions like humans in the real world. It is a system that
contains sensors, control systems, power supplies, and software, all
working together to perform a task. Robotics is a relatively young
field with highly ambitious goals. It is producing a huge range of
devices, from autonomous vacuum cleaners to military drones. This
paper is a primer of robotics and robots.
KEYWORDS: robots, robotics, artificial intelligence, applications
How to cite this paper: Matthew N. O.
Sadiku | Uwakwe C. Chukwu | Abayomi
Ajayi-Majebi | Sarhan M. Musa "A
Primer on Robotics" Published in
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Scientific Research
and Development
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INTRODUCTION
Popular interest in robotics has increased in recent
years. Robots are already a part of our lives. They are
becoming more and more common in our society and
more integrated into our lives. This is due to the fact
that they are becoming smarter, smaller, cheaper,
faster, more flexible, and more autonomous than ever
before, largely due in part by incorporating artificial
intelligence. Robotics technology has been
implemented in a variety of fields including medicine,
elderly care, rehabilitation, education, home
appliances, search and rescue, car industry and more.
Robotics constitutes one of the most exciting fields of
technology today, presenting new applications for
autonomous systems that can impact everyday life.
Today, there are robots that can autonomously sense,
reason, plan, act, move, communicate, and
collaborate with other robots. The robotics revolution
is going to change us as humans [1,2].
WHAT ARE ROBOTS?
The word “robot” was coined by Czechriter Karel
Čapek in his play in 1920. Isaac Asimov coined the
term “robotics” in 1942 and came up with three rules
to guide the behavior of robots and later added the
zeroth law [3]:
Law 0: A robot may not injure humanity or
through inaction, allow humanity to come to
harm.
Law 1: Robots must never harm human beings,
Law 2: Robots must follow instructions from
humans without violating rule 1,
Law3: Robots must protect themselves without
violating the other rules.
Robots are becoming increasingly prevalent in almost
every industry, from healthcare to manufacturing.
Figure 1 indicates that robotics is one of the branches
of artificial intelligence.
Although there are many types of robots designed for
different environments and for different
purposes/applications, they all share four basic
similarities [4]: (1) All robots have some form of
mechanical construction designed to achieve a
particular task; (2) They have electrical components
IJTSRD52399

International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470
which power and control the machinery; (3) All
robots must be able to sense its surroundings; a robot
may have light sensors (eyes), touch and pressure
sensors (hands), chemical sensors (nose), hearing and
sonar sensors (ears), etc. (4) All robots contain some
level of computer programming code. Programs are
the core essence of a robot since they provide
intelligence. There are three different types of robotic
programs: remote control, artificial intelligence, and
hybrid. Some robots are programmed to faithfully
carry out specific actions over and over again
(repetitive actions) without variation and with a high
degree of accuracy.
TYPES OF ROBOTICS
Robotics can take on a number of forms, leading to
many types of robots. They are designed for different
environments and various applications. The
commonly used types of robots are the following [4-
6]:
Humanoid Robots: These are robots that mimic
human behavior. They usually perform human-
like activities (like walking, running, jumping,
and carrying objects).
Autonomous Robots: These operate independently
of human operators. They require no human
supervision. An example of an autonomous robot
is the vacuum cleaner, shown in Figure 2 [7].
Teleoperated Robots: These are semi-autonomous
bots that allow human control from a safe
distance using wireless networks.
Collaborative Robots: These robots (known as
cobots) are flexible and easily reprogrammable on
the fly. They can learn complex tasks and then act
as a collaborator with the skilled workers. They
are capable of avoiding unwanted collisions and
they can recognize when they have bumped into
something. Collaborative robots may be regarded
as the friendly face of workplace automation.
Drones: DRONE (Dynamic Remotely Operated
Navigation Equipment) is commonly referred as
unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Drones are
equipped with all the software, sensors, and
hardware that a farmer will need to check the
health of crop and survey farmland. A drone
typically consists of propulsion and navigation
systems, GPS, sensors, infrared cameras,
software, and programmable controllers. Drones
are flying robots, a type of robots, that are poised
to proliferate in certain commercial sectors.
Drones can help utility crews after a storm by
quickly and safely identifying areas in need of
repair. Drones can also help with maintenance
tasks, such as surveying solar panels for damage.
Chatbots: These robots carry out simple
conversations such as in a customer service
setting. Chatbots have empowered the banks and
other financial institutions by simplifying the
complex processes. We interact with Facebook
Messenger bots all the time. Messenger bots are
revolutionizing the small business world.
Messenger bots can answer customers’ questions,
collect user’s info, organize meetings, reduce
overhead costs, and engage in other business
tasks. Big companies like Walmart, Alibaba, and
Amazon have been benefitting the help of bots.
Industrial Robots: The most common use of
robots in industry is for simple and repetitive
tasks. The role of robots is becoming substantial
for industrial applications. Examples of industrial
robots include assembly line processes, picking
and packing, welding, and similar functions.
Robots can reduce risk of injury to humans in
dangerous work environments.
Military Robots: In the military sectors, robotic
technology is being applied in many areas. More
recent developments mean that military forces
worldwide use robots in areas such as UAVs
(Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), UGVs (Unmanned
Ground Vehicle), drones, and surveillance.
Military drones flying over areas of war and
conflict, in hostage situations, and for natural and
manmade disasters. The military also employs
robots to (1) locate and destroy mines on land and
in water, (2) enter enemy bases to gather
information, and (3) spy on enemy troops.
Exploration Robots: Robots are often used to
reach hostile or inaccessible areas. A good
example of exploratory robots is in space
exploration. Robots can go to the planets. They
can be used to explore space.
Entertainment Robots: Robots can be used in
entertaining audiences. Increasingly (particularly
during the pandemic), people are buying robots
for enjoyment. There are several popular toy
robots, and there are even robot restaurants and
giant robot statues.
Other types include manipulators, medical robots,
agriculture robots, nanorobots, construction robots,
swarm robots, domestic robots, educational robots,
mobile robots, fixed robots, service robots, social
robots, rehabilitation robots, underwater robots, field
robots, self-driving vehicles, cloud robots, police
robots, officer robots, space robots, personal robots,
and sailboat robots [8].

HISTORY OF ROBOTICS
The history of robotics is a history rich with
cinematic creativity, scientific ingenuity, and
entrepreneurial vision. The advent of motion pictures
brought to life many mythical creatures. The field of
robotics has evolved over several millennia, without
reference to the word robot until the early 20th
Century. Leonardo da Vinci created many human-
inspired, robot-like sketches, designs, and models in
the 1500s.
The word “robot” was coined by a Czechoslovakian
playwright, Karel Čapek in his play in 1920. Isaac
Asimov coined the term “robotics” in 1942 and came
up with three rules to guide the behavior of robots. He
popularized the term robotics through many science-
fiction novels and short stories. In 1954, Joseph
Engleberger and George Devoe created the first robot.
They were the fathers of industrial robots. Their
company, Unimation, built the first industrial robot,
the PUMA (Programmable Universal Manipulator
Arm) in 1961. From 1966 to 1972 Shakey, the Robot,
was developed at the AIC by Charles Rosen and his
team. Shakey was the first mobile robot to reason its
way about its surroundings and had a far-reaching
influence on AI and robotics. In 1981 Japanese
created Scara arm which is especially designed for
product assembly. The idea of this robot is to do what
human does and sony walk man was the first robot
assembly. The International Space Station (ISS),
coordinated by Boeing and involving nations from
around the globe, is the largest and most expensive
space mission ever undertaken. In 2001, the Space
Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS), built
by MD Robotics of Canada, was successfully
launched to complete the assembly operations of the
ISS. In 2002, a Predator UAV( unmanned aerial
vehicle or drone) fired a Hellfire missile to destroy a
car carrying six suspected al Qaeda operatives. This
strike marked a milestone in the use of robotics in
military settings. At Sandia National Laboratory’s
Intelligent Systems and Robotics Center, there is an
ongoing development of robotic sentries, under
funding from DARPA [9].
ROBOTICS ENGINEER
Although the robotic revolution is just beginning, new
applications for robots are being discovered every
day. As a result of this, there is a considerable need
for skilled robotics engineers. Robotics engineering is
a developing field that combines data analysis,
engineering, and computer science. If you love
working with machines and are fascinated by robots,
then you may consider becoming a robotics engineer.
Robotics engineer deal with the conception, design,
manufacture, and operation of robots. They are
responsible for designing, testing, and building robots
that are productive, safe, and economical to purchase
and maintain [9]. They create robots and systems to
improve the efficiency, output, and safety of a wide
range of tasks. Figure 3 shows a robot engineer at
work [10].
Like any engineering discipline, robotics engineering
requires being strong in math and sciences. This
discipline has a vast range of job opportunities for
graduates in robotics engineering. Robotic engineers
can take jobs in manufacturing, maintenance, research
of nuclear power plants, space exploration, power
plant, maintenance, automobile industry, petroleum
exploring places, and many other areas. Reasons for
becoming a robotics engineer include using your
creativity, collaboration, and high-paying job.
APPLICATIONS
More and more robots are designed for specific
applications. Today, robots perform vital functions in
manufacturing, homes, industries, entertainment,
education, healthcare, business, customer service,
security, agriculture, outer space, hospitals, and on
military instillations. Common applications of
robotics are presented as follows [11-13]
Automation: Most robots are used in
automobile industries to perform repetitive
tasks. Rapid advances in technology have led to
an interest in automation and robotics. Robotic
automation has become one of the key areas for
modern manufacturing systems. Robotic
automation is applicable to virtually any industry
imaginable, just as automotive, electronics, food,
and manufacturing. It is used in manufacturing to
change the industry landscape by increasing
productivity, repeatability, and precision while
protecting employees from unsafe working
environments. Several economists believe
employment in routine occupations has declined
and automation is a wave of technological change
that could lead to a structural shift in the labor
market and lead to “job polarization.”
Manufacturing: The manufacturing sector
represents the largest private industry in the
United States. It is well known to be a major
contributor in both economic good times and
economic recessions. To boost productivity,
manufacturing companies turn to advanced
technology such as robotic automation.
Automation refers to any technology that reduces
the need for human assistance. It essentially
describes mechanization, machines replacing
human labor or human decision-making. It can
have far-reaching consequences in manufacturing.
Automotive industry is the largest user of robots

in advanced nations around the world. In
particular, it is the largest customer of industrial
robots. Robots are used in almost every aspect of
automotive manufacturing. Robots are more
efficient, accurate, flexible, and dependable on
production lines.
Education: There are many robots available with
some keys to promoting robotics learning in the
classroom. These are known as educational
robots. Educational robots (also known as
pedagogical robots) teaches the design, analysis,
application, and operation of robots. Educational
robotics can be taught from elementary school to
graduate programs. They are used to allow
students to pick up skills in a range of Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
(STEM) disciplines. Educational robotics is
considered as a means of forming the engineering
thinking and creativity in schoolchildren.
Educational robots enable students of all ages to
become familiar with and deepen their knowledge
of robotics and programming. The robots
facilitate learning and introduce students to
robotics at a young age. As students grow older,
more advanced robots can be used that can
perform more complex tasks and are more
complicated to program.
Agriculture: A farming robot revolution is
imminent, with robots ready to roll into the fields
and start replacing human workers. Robots are
already roaming the fields amid farmers,
performing a variety of tasks from crop-
harvesting to risk management. Automation in
agriculture can provide greater and smarter
control to the farmers. An increasing number of
companies are working on robotics innovation to
develop drones, autonomous tractors, robotic
harvesters, automatic watering, and seeding
robots. Robots have many fields of application in
agriculture. Drones can provide sustainable
farming, improve yield, and increase farm
productivity, and profitability. Drone technology
is currently being used for a variety of
applications such as monitoring, mapping,
irrigation, crop inspection, spraying, and
surveying entire fields. Figure 4 shows farming
automation [14].
Healthcare: Robots have moved from science
fiction to your local hospital, where they are
changing healthcare. Robots play an important
role in healthcare as they can improve diagnosis,
lower the number of medical errors, and improve
the overall quality and effectiveness of healthcare
delivery. They hold the promise of addressing
major healthcare issues in surgery, diagnostics,
prosthetics, physical and mental therapy,
monitoring, and support. Robots can support,
assist, and extend the services of healthcare
professionals. In jobs with repetitive and
monotonous functions they might even
completely replace humans. Robots have the
potential to provide assistance to healthcare
providers in daily caregiving tasks. Transport,
telemedicine, and service robots in healthcare
promise to create a new level of qualityhealthcare
by providing experts to patients. A specific
application using the da Vinci robot for surgery is
shown in Figure 5 [15].
Business: Advances in automation, robotics, and
artificial intelligence are revolutionizing how
businesses are run. Modern robots are far more
capable than their early predecessors. They have
transitioned beyond the production line to see
widespread use in homes, restaurants, hotels,
offices, retail outlets, and hospitals. Small,
medium, and large businesses have integrated
robotics in order to achieve higher levels of
efficiency and productivity. Businesses are
increasingly adopting robots to meet different
operational challenges brought about by new
technologies. More and more businesses are
turning to robots to help with various tasks.
Businesses around the world are increasing their
use of robots.
Space: Commercial space robots have been
designed for servicing satellites and performing
construction on the moon. The goal is to allow for
space-based manufacturing, which will reduce the
complexity and cost of building large structures
that can support human life. Some robots will
effectively eliminate some of the problems that
have limited our exploration of space. Robots
would enable the repair and construction of
simple structures being built in space. NASA’s
Johnson Space Center is designing the next
generation of autonomous robots that will help
humans explore the solar system. While
autonomous robots have conducted scientific
missions in the past, NASA’s team is focused on
advancing human space exploration. The goal is
to enable human beings to visit other planets and
do meaningful work there.
BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES
Robotics is the design, repair, and maintenance of
robots. Robots are machines designed to perform
tasks done traditionally by human beings. There are
signs all around us indicating that the field of robotics
is going through a major transformation

The field of robotics is facing many challenges based
on its hardware and software capabilities. These
challenges have to do with autonomy, navigation,
new materials, applications, and social interactions.
As robots become increasingly integrated into
society, ethics and security will become important.
FUTURE OF ROBOTS
Robotics is a diverse industry with many variables. Its
future is filled with uncertainty: nobody can predict
which way. While robotic workers are now
commonplace in manufacturing, the future should see
increasingly adoption across food production, retail,
business, construction, entertainment, hospitality,
healthcare, and distribution operations.
There is no doubt that robots will play a major role in
the future of the economy, both local and global.
However, it is hard to predict how prevalent robots
will be in upcoming years. Understanding where the
field of robotics is heading is basically using our
insights on the impact robots might make in the near
future. Due to the incredible potential of robotic
technology, application opportunities are limitless in
the future. Current trends lead many people to believe
they will take over the workforce in many sectors and
there will be increase in demand for automation [16].
The robotics industry worldwide keeps innovating,
combining artificial intelligence and vision and other
sensory technologies. There are numerous predictions
for the future of robotics. After decades of research, it
is now possible to make predictions about the future
evolution of robotics and the robotics industry.
Integrating recent developments in machine learning
and artificial intelligence in robotics means that we
may see an increase in human-to-robot interactions in
the future.
Future applications of robots will be amazing due to
increasing demand, popularity, and usability. Since
robotics can be applied to almost every industry, it
will somewhat disrupt them. Although some
challenges need to be addressed, the future of robotics
is bright. Robotics in the future will be dominated by
industries such as manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and
packaging.
CONCLUSION
Robotics is design, construction, and use of machines
(robots) to perform tasks done traditionally byhuman
beings. The field is accelerating at an increasingly
rapid rate and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Robotics education should be compulsory since
robotics is closely intertwined in our lives. Students
need to learn the fundamental basic of robot
programming and operation. For more information
about robot and robotics, one should consult the
books in [8,17-32] and the following related journals
devoted to robotics:
Robotica
Robotics
Robitics and Autonomous
Robotics and Computer-Integrated
Manufacturing,
Advanced Robotics
Autonomous Robots
Journal of Robotics
Journal of Robotic Systems
Journal of Robotic Surgery
Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics
Journal of Intelligent & Robotic Systems
Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics-
Transactions of the ASME
Journal of Automation, Mobile Robotics and
Intelligent Systems
Journal of Future Robot Life
IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
IEEE Transactions on Robotics
International Journal of Medical Robotics and
Computer Assisted Surgery
International Journal of Robotics Research
International Journal of Social Robotics
International Journal of Humanoid Robotics
International Journal of Advanced Robotic
Systems
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Figure 1 Robotics is one of the branches of artificial intelligence.
Figure 2 An autonomous robot is a vacuum cleaner [7].
Figure 3 A robot engineer at work [10].

Figure 4 Farming automation [14].
Figure 5 Using the da Vinci robot for surgery [15].

A Primer on Robotics

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