Let us start with the course on Robotics.

The first topic is on Introduction to Robots and Robotics.

Now, before we start learning robotics, a few questions may come to our mind, these

are as follows: What is a robot?

What is robotics?

Why should we study robotics?

What is motivation behind robotics?

How can we give instruction to a robot that you perform this particular task?

What are the different types of robots, we generally use?

What are the possible applications of robots?

Can a human being be replaced by a robot?, and so on.

Similarly, there are many other questions.

Now, here actually, what I am going to do, I am just going to give answer to the first

few questions.

But, the last one, that is can a human being be replaced by a robot?, that I will try to

answer towards the end of this particular course.

Now, let me start with the first one, that is, what is a robot?

So, I am just going to define the term: robot.

The term: robot has come from the Czech word: robota, which means the forced or the slave

laborer.

This is just like a servant, and we are going to give some tasks to the robot, and it is

going to perform those tasks just like a servant.

Now, the term robot was introduced in the year 1921 by Karel Capek.

Karel Capek was a Czech playwright, he wrote one drama and the name of the drama was: Rossum’s

Universal Robot (R.U.R).

And, in that particular drama, he introduced a term: robota, that is, the robot.

But, the way he described robot is as follows: the robot was look-wise similar to a human

being.

But, nowadays we use a few robots, which do not look like the human being.

So, this is the way actually, the term robot was introduced in the year 1921.

But, during that time, there was not even a single robot in the world.

Now, if you see the literature, the term robot has been defined in a number of ways.

For example say, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, robot is a machine capable of

carrying out a complex series of actions automatically, especially one programmable by a computer,

so this is nothing but an automatic machine.

Then, according to ISO, that is, International Organization for Standardization, the robot

has been defined as follows: the robot is an automatically controlled, reprogrammable,

multifunctional manipulator, programmable in three or more axes, which can be either

fixed in place or mobile for use in industrial automation applications.

Now, as I mentioned, that robot is nothing but an automatically controlled machine.

And, it is reprogrammable that means the same robot can perform a variety of tasks, and

to perform the variety of tasks, we will have to change its program.

And, it is multifunctional, that means, the same robot, the same manipulator can perform

the different types of machining operations.

It can do some sort of peak and place type of operation, and so on.

Now, here actually, we are using the term: manipulator.

By manipulator, we mean that it is a robot with fixed base.

Now, this manipulator could be either serial manipulator or parallel manipulator.

So, these things, I will be discussing in details after some time.

Now, another very popular definition is given by RIA, that is, Robot Institute of America.

Now, they defined robot as follows: it is a reprogrammable multi-functional manipulator

designed to move materials, parts, tools or specialized devices through variable programmed

motions for the performance of a variety of tasks.

Now, these terms, I have already defined.

For example, by manipulator we mean robot with fixed base, and that is nothing but a

mechanical hand; that means, the human hand we are going to model, design and develop

in the form of an artificial hand, and that is nothing but the manipulator, and it is

reprogrammable and multifunctional.

Now, in terms of re-programmability, if we compare a robot with one NC, CNC machine;

now in CNC machine like computerized numerical control machine, we can perform a variety

of tasks by changing the program.

Similarly, in robots, the same robot I can use to serve a variety of purposes, simply

by changing the program.

But, here, there is a basic difference between the level of re-programmability, which can

be achieved by a robot, and that can be achieved by a CNC machine.

Now, it is important to note, that the level of re-programmability, which can be achieved

by a robot is more compared to that of the CNC machine.

And, that is why, a CNC machine is not a robot.

I have put one note here, that CNC machine is actually not a robot.

Now, next I am just going to define, what do we mean by the robotics.

Now, the robotics is a science, which deals with the issues related to design, development,

applications of robots to perform a variety of tasks.

The term: robotics actually, it was coined by Isaac Asimov in the year 1942.

Isaac Asimov, wrote one story, the name of this story was Runaround.

And in that particular story, he used the term robotics first, but once again let me

mention that during that time, that is, during 1942, there was not even a single robot in

this world.

Now, here in robotics, we use the fundamentals of different subjects, for example, physics,

mathematics, mechanical engineering, electrical and electronics engineering, computer science.

And, that is why, it is bit difficult to become a true roboticist, because if we want to become

an expert, a true expert of robotics, we will have to know the fundamentals of all these

basic subjects, and a robotics is actually a multi-disciplinary subject.

Now, I am just going to define one concept, which I have already mentioned a little bit,

like in robotics, we try to copy 3 Hs.

Now, these 3 Hs are nothing but, the Hand, Head, and Heart, that means, we try to copy

the hand of a human being in the artificial way, in the form of one manipulator, that

is, the mechanical hand.

We try to copy the head of a human-being, that is, nothing but the intelligence.

And, we also try to copy the heart of a human being, but not the mechanical heart, but the

emotion of a human-being.

And, that is why, in future, the robot will be intelligent and at the same time emotional

too.

Now, if we consider the human-beings, we are intelligent, we are emotional, and in robotics,

we try to copy everything from the human being.

So, in future, we are trying to design and develop intelligent and emotional robots.

Now, the next is, what is the motivation behind robotics?, why should we study robotics?,

what is the reason?.

Now, if you see today’s market, it is dynamic and competitive.

And, if you want to be in competition, and if you want to be in business, what you will

have to do is.

You will have to fulfill at least three requirements.

Now, these requirements are as follows: like you will have to produce good at low cost;

and at the same time the productivity has to be high; and the quality of the product

has to be good.

Now, you see the three objectives, like reduced production cost, increased productivity, and

improved product quality.

Now, it is bit difficult to achieve all these three things at a time, and some of them are

actually conflicting.

Now, if you want to achieve all three, there is only one solution, and that is nothing

but automation.

So, you will have to go for automation, if you want to achieve all three requirements.

Now, if I proceed further, let me tell you something regarding, the different types of

products and methods, which we generally use.

Now, if you see the production methods, the purpose of production is actually to convert

the raw materials into the finished product.

Now, this production could be of three types.

For example, we can have the piece production, then there could be batch production, then

there could be mass production.

Now, for piece production, we have got several designs and each design, we will have to manufacture

small in number.

Now, for batch production, we have got a few designs; and each design, we produce a few

in numbers.

Now, in mass production, we have got only one design, and that particular product is

to be produced a large in number.

Now, we can automate this particular batch production, mass production and of course

for piece production, automation is not possible; so there is no automation for this particular

piece production.

But, for batch production, we can go for automation.

And, for mass production, we go for automation.

For mass production, we generally go for the fixed automation or hard automation.

For this particular batch production, we generally go for the flexible automation.

Now, robotics is an example of this flexible automation.

And, that is why, for batch production, particularly in the manufacturing unit, we will have to

go for the robots, if you want to survive in this competitive market and that is why,

the robotics and the robots have become so much popular in manufacturing units.

But, nowadays, not only in manufacturing units, the robots are used in different areas.

For example, robots are nowadays used in space science, used in medical science, robots are

also used for sea-bed mining, in agriculture, fire-fighting, and so on.

So, there are various applications of robots, nowadays.

Now, here all such things I have noted.

Automation can help to fulfill the requirements of the above requirements.

And, robotics is an example of the flexible automation, and that is why, we should study

robotics.

Now, I am just going to concentrate on a brief history of robotics.

Now, if you see the NC machine, that is, the numerical controlled machine; that was developed

first in the year 1950, but robot came after that.

So, the first robot, which was developed, that was developed in the year: 1954.

In 1954, the first patent on the manipulator was filed by George Devol, and he is known

as the father of robot.

In 1956, Joseph Engelberger started the first robotics company, and the name of the company

is Unimation.

So, Unimation is the first robotics company, which was started in the year 1956.

Then, in the year 1962, General Motors used the manipulator, the name of the manipulator

is Unimate, and this particular robot was used in die-casting application.

Now, next, in the year 1967, General Electric Operation made one 4-legged robot, and this

is a 4-legged vehicle, and they demonstrated and it worked well.

Then, in the year 1969, SAM was built by the NASA, USA.

SAM was the name of that particular robot, which was built by the NASA, then Shakey,

an intelligent robot, was actually manufactured by Stanford Research Institute SRI.

In fact, Shakey is the first intelligent mobile robot that was developed in the year 1969.

In 1970, Victor Scheinman, demonstrated a manipulator known as Stanford Arm, and then,

Lunokhod 1 was another robot, that was sent to the moon by USSR, then ODEX 1, another

robot, was built by Odetics, in the year 1970.

Then, in the year 1973, Richard Hohn of Cincinnati Milacron Corporation manufactured one robot,

the name of the robot was T^3, The Tomorrow Tool.

Then, in the year 1975, Raibart at Carnegie Mellon University, USA, built one one-legged

hopping machine, and that is the first dynamically stable machine.

Raibart, in fact, is known as the father of multi-legged robots.

In the year 1978, Unimation, the first robotics company, could develop the PUMA, that is,

Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly.

And, this is actually a manipulator, whose current version is having 6 degrees of freedom,

and it is very frequently used in various industries.

Then, in the year 1983, Odetics, a robotics company, introduced a unique experimental

six-legged device.

In the year 1986, Adaptive Suspension Vehicle, in short, ASV was developed by Ohio State

University, USA.

In 1997, NASA, USA, developed the intelligent robots like Pathfinder and Sojourner, and

they sent them to the Mars, but that particular mission was a failure.

And, that particular failure was due to some sorts of mismatch of the specifications.

Next, in the year 2000, Honda could develop one Humanoid robot, Asimo robot.

So, Asimo Humanoid robot was developed by Honda, in 2000.

Then, comes in 2004, the surface of the Mars was explored by Spirit, and Opportunity, and

this particular mission was successful.

And, you might be knowing, what happened in 2012, the Curiosity, one intelligent autonomous

robot, was sent to the Mars by the NASA, USA, and this particular mission was successful.

Then, all of you might be knowing, what happened in the year 2015, Sophia, that is one intelligent

and a little bit emotional humanoid robot, was built by Hanson Robotics, Hong Kong, and

this is actually, as on today, the most sophisticated intelligent humanoid robot.

And, a few weeks ago, this particular robot was brought to IIT, Bombay, and there she

could talk, she could communicate with other people, and some of you might have seen in

paper or a television.

So, that particular very sophisticated intelligent humanoid robot is Sophia.

So, these are in sort the brief history of the robotics.

Now, the purpose behind giving this brief history of this robotics is just to tell you

that we started a bit late in India.

The study on robotics, we started around 1979, 80.

So, we started a little bit late, although the first manipulator, the first patent was

filed in the year 1954.

Now, I am just going to concentrate on a particular robotic system.

So, what are the different components of a typical robotic system?

Now, here, in this particular schematic view, you can see that that this particular thing

is nothing but a robot.

So, this is actually the robot, and this is the manipulator, this is a serial manipulator.

And, this is the drive unit for this serial manipulator.

And, this is the controller or the director for this particular manipulator.

Now, as I told that this is a serial manipulator, and by manipulator, we mean a robot with fixed

base.

So, here, the base of this particular robot is fixed.

So, it is a fixed base, we have got one link here, another link here, another link here,

and these links are used just to transmit the mechanical power.

And, in between the two links, we have got the joints, so we have got a few joints.

For example, say if I consider that this is the base of this particular manipulator, and

this is the next link, so in between these two, you have got a joint here.

Similarly, in between this link, and that particular link, we have got a joint here.

Similarly, here in between this link and that link, we have got a joint here, between these

and these we have got another joint here.

So, in between the two links, so we have got a particular the joint.

Now, if you see the robotic joint, the robotic joint could be basically of two types, it

could be either the linear joint, or there could be rotary joints.

So, the linear joint, it could be either prismatic joint or sliding joint.

Now, here I am just going to draw a rough sketch for these prismatic and sliding joints.

Now, if I just draw this particular prismatic joint, supposing that I have got a block like

this.

So, if I consider a block like this.

Now, here, I can insert one this type of key.

Now, if I insert this particular key here.

So, this particular joint will be nothing but a prismatic joint, and this is a linear

joint.

So, this particular part, say part A can be just moved in the linear direction here, and

this is an example of the prismatic joint.

Now, similarly, I am just going to take the example of one sliding joint, now supposing

that I have got a block like this.

Say, I have got a block like this.

And, here, I will have to insert one pin, that pin could be something like this.

Say, I will have to insert a pin something like this here, and this particular pin can

be inserted here and there will be only the linear movement, and this is the example of

one sliding joint.

So, these are all linear joints.

Now, next come to the rotary joint.

Now, here so, if you see the rotary joint, it could be of two types basically, we could

have the revolute joint, and there could be twisting joint.

Now, both are the rotary joints, but basically there is a difference between these revolute

joint, and twisting joint.

Now, to find out the difference between the revolute joint, and twisting joint; I am just

going to take one example here.

Now, let me take one example.

So, this is the fixed base, and this is the link, and in between I have got a joint here.

Now, with the help of this particular joint, so this particular link can be rotated something

like this.

So, it can be rotated something like this.

Now, if this is the output link and this side is input.

The axis of the output link is nothing but this about which I am taking the rotation.

And, this particular axis is coinciding with the axis of the output link.

This is the output link.

This is the axis of the output link, and I am taking this rotation about this particular

axis.

So, this particular rotary joint is nothing but, the twisting joint denoted by T. Now,

let me take another example, say this is one link and this is another link.

So, here, I am just going to take the rotation, the rotation about this particular axis.

Now, here if this is the input side, that is the output side.

So, the axis of the output link is something like this, and the axis about which I am taking

the rotation is this, and they are at 90 degrees.

So, if this is output, the axis of the output link, and the axis about which I am taking

the rotation, they are at 90 degrees.

So, that type of rotary joint is known as the revolute joint, so this is nothing but

a revolute joint denoted by R. So, basically once again let me repeat that we use two types

of joints, namely linear joint, and rotary joint.

And, once again, there are two types of linear joint, the prismatic joint and sliding joint,

and two types of rotary joint we use, one is the revolute joint, another is the twisting

joint.

Thank you.