9781422284872

Solving Real-Life Problems ike many scientists, robot scientists work to solve problems and to make life better for people. When a situation is dangerous, difficult, or dull for people, for example, scientists ask, “Can robotics help?” As they design, these engineers have to keep in mind not only the how but the what , where , and who of the robot. What are the ro- bot’s tasks and where will the robot have to do those tasks? Many ro- bots will work outside the scientific laboratory with real people and everyday tools in tough environments. Who will be operating the robot? Depending on the application, people managing the robot could be highly skilled roboticists , workers in manufacturing plants, or soldiers in combat. Engineers, then, work to develop many different kinds of robots. Many robots are used in manufacturing. For instance, scientists design robots that take the place of humans on production lines to manu- facture cars and computers. Robots can do very precise work that is difficult for humans. A robot almost never makes a mistake, like a human might. Likewise, robots can move and manipulate heavy items. Industrial robots can also do the same job over and over again without getting fatigued or bored with the dull work. They do not ask for the day off, and they do not have trouble with their supervisors, either! As with all robots, robot scientists have to be very careful in de- signing industrial robots. One important issue is safety. Humans have to be able to work safely around the robots. Flexibility is also a goal. Many industrial robots are simply robotic arms doing the same task again and again, but engineers want to see flexible robots that do multiple tasks alongside humans.

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