Without exception, robotics engineers believe in the production and sale of home robots. It’s possible, but most economists predict an unprecedented rise in this industry. Let's look at what makes many people today so confident in the imminent surge in popularity of robots for the home. Which of them are already in stable demand and interest from potential buyers?
1
Today there is one absolute bestseller - a robot vacuum cleaner. Modern cleaners for your home are capable of many things: vacuum cleaners knock out and suck out dust from carpets, clean the floor under furniture and baseboards, and most importantly, analyze the degree of contamination of the floor, cleaning these areas especially thoroughly. Most models themselves drive up to the outlet for recharging, etc. The cost of these assistants ranges from $300 to $3,000 depending on the brand of robot.
2 Robot assistant
In this case, we are talking about the “HelloSpoon” model - this is a robot designed for feeding children and people with disabilities. Similar models are already on sale, but this particular one stands out at a price of only $200. The robot looks like a baby elephant and, in addition to feeding, is also capable of “communicating” with a person. The assistant model is very compact and easy to use, and the main control is carried out from a smartphone.
3
The little “Rovio” is one of many of its brothers designed to monitor a certain territory. The all-wheel drive wheelbase will allow this little thing to go wherever you send it without too much trouble. A webcam with Wi-Fi and a camera, microphones with high sound transmission - all this will help you maintain complete control over your home, yard or office. Spy robots carry out commands remotely, perfectly orienting themselves in space even in complete darkness. If the battery is low, the robot itself will go to recharge. The cost of Rovio fluctuates around $300.
4
As surprising as it may sound, there are already several dozen models of robots for lonely elderly people in the world. We will focus on the “Care – O – bot 3” model. It is designed to prevent isolation or loneliness by offering lonely people stimulating activity, autonomy and some independence from others. The developers promise to reduce its impressive cost of 275 thousand dollars in the next year or two.
The robot model named “Valerie” causes a lot of controversy between consumers and developers. On the one hand, everyone is waiting for a robot that is as similar to a person as possible, on the other hand, when one appears, it immediately confuses or even scares many. The robot housekeeper, however, can do a lot: almost all types of cleaning, including washing dishes, communicating with the owner of the house on a lot of different topics, and if necessary, she can call emergency services. But still, the similarity with an ordinary mannequin is not yet on the side of anthropomorphic androids. The cost of this robot ranges from 55 to 60 thousand dollars.
6
Hospitable people can buy their own waiter for just 20 thousand dollars. Like the most ordinary one, he is able to serve dishes to the table, accompanying them with various comments. The robot is as careful as possible, it will not spill anything, much less drop it - this is guaranteed by the manufacturer. It deftly maneuvers among a large number of people and, working without recharging for a whole day, is capable of serving large companies. The model of American developers – “Serving Cart” – is especially successful.
7 Robot lawnmower
These cars are much quieter than their conventional counterparts, and this is already a huge plus. Such robots are environmentally friendly and absolutely safe for children. They move around the site themselves, charge themselves, and many models mulch the lawn (make fertilizer from cut grass). There is no need to remove waste from the lawn processed by the robot. Such assistants cost from $1,300 to $5,000.
8 Robot - cat litter
Many have heard about the sensational robot “Litter – Robot”, which takes care of cats (in the hygienic sense). The $350 model can keep your pet's litter box clean for days on end. The device is absolutely safe for the cat, and the main task of the owners is to accustom the pet to the robot toilet.
Similar models are created for the development of children in technical terms. For example, a child can assemble the “HEXY” model for $250 himself. Assembling the robot is not only simple and exciting, but also very educational for the baby. In the future, by controlling or playing with the robot, curious children can become involved in robotics.
10 Robot - cockroach
Similar to little children's cars, robotic cockroaches were invented to get rid of real cockroaches. As is known, these insects are prone to “gregarious” behavior, and microrobots that “smell” like real cockroaches lure them into special traps. In fact, such robots have a great future in the sanitary treatment of premises from various types of pests!
As was said at the beginning, robotics will experience an unprecedented rise, of course, thanks to the latest technologies and scientific developments. This means that the growing demand for home robots is a direct consequence of the ongoing progress. Let's wait for new assistants who were once inhabitants only of science fiction novels...
The robot is an automatic device. He acts according to the program laid down in him. The robot is made in the likeness of a living organism and receives information from sensors. The word robot was first used by the Czech writer Karel Capek and his brother Josef in 1920 for the play “Rossum's Universal Robots.” It means forced labor and comes from the Czech word “robota” or “robot”.
Previously, when translated into Russian, it sounded like “robotar”, but nowadays we almost never hear it.
What are robots for?
A robot is needed to replace a person in difficult production or hazardous conditions. The robot works according to a program embedded in it, based on receiving information from external devices - sensors or other sensors. In fact, any robot copies living organisms and the senses of people and animals. That is, it uses the principles of such applied science as bionics.
They can work autonomously or be controlled by an operator, that is, a person who gives commands. Industry typically uses stationary robots that are not at all human-like. It's a different kind
- machines
- production lines
- manipulators and so on.
Robots that resemble humans are called androids. Nowadays they are more used as household toys or as household assistants with very limited functionality.
What types of robots are there:
Industrial robots
– perform various production tasks. There is always a control device - a controller, which may include a manipulator, a servo drive, various sensors, pneumatic cylinders and much more. It all depends on what they do in this production. For example, warehouses, logistics require conveyors, stackers, etc. Perform various technological operations, moving objects, processing materials.
Medical robots
– the most famous surgical robot “Da Vinci”. It is controlled by several operators and surgeons. With its help, high-precision operations are carried out. At its core, it is a controlled manipulator. Typically, medical robots are not at all like people. There are also robots that perform individual functions, for example, massage or intravenous injections, therapeutic functions, etc. For more precise operations, nano-robots are being developed. They will be able to be introduced into the human body.
Household robots
– make a person’s life easier. These are robots that perform the functions of a secretary, cleaning rooms, and animal robots. For example, a robot dog that can carry out certain commands, robot vacuum cleaners and others.
Robot that provides security.
- widely used by security forces. These are access control systems and automatic fire extinguishing devices. The Ministry of Emergency Situations and the police use drones and underwater robots to prevent fires and deep-sea work.
Combat robots
They are usually remote-controlled and are designed to replace a person in particularly dangerous and combat situations. These are mining robots, sapper robots, reconnaissance robots. Autonomous combat robots are still under development.
Robot scientists
– are gradually beginning to be used for scientific research and development. More and more advanced control algorithms are used for them. Robots are already able to conduct scientific experiments, experiments, analyze various processes, make predictions and put forward theories. These robots can work without interruption, they have no ambitions, they cannot deceive or hide information. Robots are also deprived of subjective assessment of their work.
Robot teacher
– can perform many of the tasks that a modern teacher performs. He can read aloud, communicate in many languages, and give tasks. But he cannot yet recognize human emotions or think like a person. Such a robot teacher lacks an individual approach to students. He has difficulty motivating students and managing his classroom.
We see that there are quite a lot of different types of robots and what a robot is can be given many definitions. But so far all robots lack an emotional component; for now they are only controlled, programmable mechanisms. This list of robots is far from complete. Each type of robot is also divided into many types. Every year the world of robots becomes larger and more diverse.
Autobots and Decepticons, who have long filled toy stores, occupied cinema screens for a long time with the release of the first Transformers film. Robot names such as Optimus Prime and Megatron became known as Harry Potter and Voldemort. The cars, which are actually aliens that transform into humanoid creatures, were a hit with audiences. And the yellow Chevrolet Camaro named Bumblebee has become the favorite of many.
Very soon the fifth part of the film series will be released on screens, it's time to review the previous parts. Do you know what the heroes of Transformers look like? Are the names all familiar too? Let's check it out on the latest movie, Transformers: Age of Extinction. Moreover, the events of the new film are a continuation of the previous one.
A little about the film itself
Age of Extinction takes the film series in a new direction. After the invasion of Chicago, the Autobots fell out of favor. The film touches on the theme of the soured relationship “people/transformers”. The names of Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and the team become known throughout the world, because these are the names of dangerous creatures.
It is noteworthy that Age of Extinction touches on the diverse mythology of Transformers, the plot covers a significantly larger number of events than the first three films, which were built solely on the battle of Autobots against Decepticons. A new subspecies appears - Dinobots - further evidence that the film team is serious about moving away from the previous storyline.
Considering that the director was originally going to focus on three films, we can consider this a new era for the Transformers film.
Autobot names
Optimus Prime- the wise and formidable leader of the Autobots. At the beginning of the film, he appears as a rusty, crippled Marmon truck, but is later transformed into a Western Star 4900 long-haul tractor.
Bumblebee. From the very beginning, he was Optimus Prime's loyal assistant and protector of humanity. Despite the damaged voice module, Bumblebee actively communicates, switching radio stations and selecting suitable songs. It initially appears in the film as a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro and later becomes a shiny 2014 Camaro.
Ratchet. He is not a fighter by nature, but is a valuable member of the team - a medic. He decides to side with the Autobots because he feels that they are the ones who have the best chance of achieving peace - the only thing that really interests him. Transforms into a rescue SUV, which once again shows his peaceful attitude.
Hound. A cartoon character who, despite his terrifying appearance, loves to call the Earth his home and, like a child, enjoys simple things. In the film, he appears as a heavily armed artilleryman with a robotic beard and a love of using bullets as cigars. His mechanized appearance is the Oshkosh tactical vehicle.
Crosshairs- weapons master, paratrooper. He replaces Ironhide, who died in the third part of the film. Crosshairs is not a big fan of Earth and doesn't mind leaving it on occasion. Transforms into a 2014 Chevrolet C7 Corvette.
Drift. Initially he was on the side of the Decepticons, but later went over to the Autobots. In the film, he appears as a calm samurai, skillfully wielding swords and having practically no equal. Transforms into the stunning 2013 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse and loves to drift around the city streets on occasion.
Junkhip. A Decepticon soldier whose sole reason for existence is to fight the Autobots. Transforms into a garbage truck.
Lockdown. Despite being on the Decepticon list, Lockdown is not technically part of either side. He is a ruthless intergalactic bounty hunter who is hired to track down one of the Autobots hiding on Earth. Who hired him and who he is hunting is not revealed. Transforms into a 2013 Lamborghini Aventador.
Dinobot names
Grimlock. The stubborn leader of the Dinobots. Doesn't like to listen to anyone, including Optimus Prime. The bosses hate the Decepticons more. Transforms into a powerful metal Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Slash. The cunning hunter Velociratops, Hound's partner.
Instead of a conclusion
Some of the robots had only a couple of seconds of screen time, others won a significant share of the plot, but thanks to the efforts of the team, each of them - Autobots, Decepticons and Dinobots - look stunningly detailed and impressively powerful on the screen.
As in previous films, the creators tried to include as many characters as possible, to the delight of fans of the Transformers film series. The names of the characters in our favorite story were discussed by us in this article.
What is this?
This article is about the industrial applications of robotics. The use of robots in industry began, by historical standards, not so long ago - a little more than half a century ago, but now few productions can be imagined without automatic lines, without steel manipulators and the watchful glass pupils of robots - these iron guys have firmly entered the majority production processes and are not going to leave. Despite such an extensive, almost ubiquitous distribution of robots, only specialists fully understand the full range of their capabilities. In this article, we will open the door to the world of industrial robotics for a wide range of readers: we will describe some types of production robots and their areas of application. It is impossible to cover the immensity in one article, but if readers are interested, we will definitely continue.
So what are they - robots?
There are several classifications of industrial robots: by type of control, by degree of mobility, by area of application and the specifics of the operations performed.
By type of control:
Guided robots: Require an operator to control their every movement. Due to the narrow scope of application, they are not widespread. And not exactly robots.
Automata and semi-autonomous robots: they act strictly according to a given program, often do not have sensors and are not able to correct their actions, and cannot do without the participation of a worker.
Autonomous: they can perform a programmed cycle of actions without human intervention, according to given algorithms and adjusting their actions as necessary. Such robots are capable of completely covering the field of activity on their section of the conveyor, without involving human labor.
By function and scope:
Robots are divided according to their purpose and functions, here are just a few of them: industrial robots are universal, welding, machine-building, cutting, picking, assembly, packaging, warehouse, painting.
This is not a complete list: the number of various options is constantly growing and it is impossible to list everything in one article. We can only say with confidence that there is hardly an area of human activity where robots could not make human work more creative by taking over all the monotonous and dangerous part of the work.
Other classification methods
Each encyclopedia, each reference book and each manufacturer has its own classification and typology of robots. Which is not surprising - it is often determined by the very specific needs and private approach of the person who composes it.
Will this prevent us from looking at some samples and understanding what they can do? No. Let's begin.
Let's look at the samples
Among industrial robots, the products of such companies as Kuka, Fanuc, and Universal Robots are widely known, some examples of which we will look at below.
The approach of Stratasys, which has created a new type of industrial device - a hybrid of a robot and a 3D printer, seems very interesting. Of course, any 3D printer has the characteristics of a robot, but here it is a completely traditional robotic manipulator, which also has an FDM printing function . Stratasys Infinite-Build 3D Demonstrator is intended primarily for aviation and space production, where its ability to print on vertical surfaces of unlimited area is so important, in accordance with the “infinite-build” concept. Associated with the work on the project are such monsters as the aerospace giant Boeing and the automaker Ford, which provided Stratasys with specifications for the necessary characteristics of the resulting products. The eight-axis manipulator mechanism, the abundance of specially developed composite materials for printing, traditionally high quality workmanship - everything tells us that This device and its descendants have a great future. 3D Systems - Figure 4
3D Systems' Figure 4 is a modular robotic system for automating stereolithographic 3D printing, nothing more, nothing less.
This is an entire automatic complex that is capable of producing new products every few minutes - as opposed to several hours on conventional SLS printers.
In addition, the cycle already includes such stages as washing, separation of supports and additional illumination, and not just the primary exposure. Figure 4 does all this on its own, without operator intervention in the work process. Thanks to modularity, based on Figure 4, you can create fairly large automatic lines using standard components.
This complex was presented to the public this year, at The International Dental Show in Cologne, as well as the new ProJet CJP 260Plus 3D printer - a full-color 3D printer designed for anatomical modeling of medical products and rapid prototyping of any industrial designs. The printer is also robotic - equipped a system for automatically loading, removing and recycling printing powder. It is safe to say that an integrated approach to 3D printing is part of the production culture of the future. It will provide a radically new combination of speed, accuracy, convenience and cost reduction.
Carbon - Carbon SpeedCell
Carbon SpeedCell is a technology solution from Carbon that includes the new The M2 CLIP 3D printer and the Smart Part Washer.
CLIP is a layerless stereolithographic printing technology that provides speeds from 25 to 100 times faster than conventional SLS and a new level of surface quality. The CLIP (Continuous Liquid Interface Production) system allows you to obtain previously impossible product shapes requiring minimal post-processing. The manufacturer has not yet provided the exact characteristics of the hardware complex, but the approach itself is already pleasing - it is an almost ready-made solution for any workshop that requires stereolithographic printing.
DMG MORI - LASERTEC 65 3D
The device combines several different approaches to processing parts: this is a classic milling machine with program control - five-axis and very accurate, and a laser cutting tool with the same degrees of freedom, and a 3D metal printing printer with laser deposition technology. It is difficult to imagine an operation that this machine could not perform with a metal part. Hybrid approach: milling the workpiece, fusing missing parts or printing from scratch and finishing - all operations can be performed on the part in one approach, within the framework of one specified program, without interrupting the technological cycle. The size of the processed and/or printed part is up to 600 by 400 mm, and the weight can be up to 600 kg. Such an MFP for working on metal has already changed a lot in the culture of production of piece and small-scale products, and in the near future a similar approach may extend to serial production production.
EOS - Additive Manufacturing
EOS has created manipulators that are capable of performing various operations that require gripping and moving a part. EOS's developments in this area are based on observations of animal behavior, in particular - this manipulator is based on the example of an elephant's trunk. Such a robotic arm can be used in a variety of industrial operations, such as: in transportation and packaging, in moving parts from one work area to another, for example, from a 3D printer to a post-processing chamber, in order to eliminate human participation at this stage.
This is how it works: The company also sponsors and presents the Roboy project - this is a mobile humanoid robot that is capable of performing any movements characteristic of a person and serving as an assistant in production.
Concept Laser and Swisslog - M Line Factory
A well-known manufacturer of metal 3D printers, Concept Laser has entered into an agreement with Swisslog, their common project is the M Line Factory, a system for moving metal 3D printed parts between Concept Laser machines using Swisslog robots. The companies continue to improve hardware systems for 3D printing metal. The robotic components of these machines are capable of carrying a part through the entire cycle - from loading the design into memory, to the release of the finished product into the warehouse - without the need for operator intervention.
Additive Industries - The MetalFAB1 The only installation of its kind is a single system for printing, transporting from the working chamber and storing finished parts. In fact, it is a ready-made metal 3D printing workshop in one building. There are robots that are capable of performing the functions of welding and milling machines with program control. And also those that service traditional CNC milling machines, increasing their productivity. This is how the one mentioned above copes with it Sawyer: Conclusions:
Robots are everywhere in modern industry. They are in any workshop and in any area of production. And this is normal: robots save employers money, and workers are saved from harmful and monotonous work; robots work around the clock and non-stop; robots are much more accurate than living workers - they do not get tired, their eyes do not blur, their sensors and positioning systems are capable of maintaining accuracy down to hundredths of a millimeter.
While we still don’t see them everywhere - many production processes are hidden from the average user, and are not usually particularly interesting - but very soon it will be impossible not to notice that the overwhelming majority of all material goods are produced by smart machines.
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What do you associate with the concept of robotics? Agree, the imagination pictures something humanoid, with mechanical arms and legs, or arachnid, and also, the famous robot dog always appears. In a word, many people have a rather narrow and one-sided idea of robots.
In fact, in the modern world, robots are quite in demand. They are used in completely different areas of life, which many may not even know about.
Medicine
In the most amazing way, robots save human destinies, and sometimes even lives. You may not realize it, but modern prosthetic limbs are directly related to robotics. Fixed artificial hands are a thing of the distant past; today's prosthetics can move fingers. Their control is directly related to electrical impulses transmitted by the body.
However, artificial limbs are not the only merit of robots in medicine. The most advanced specimens are able to carry out high-tech operations!
Space
Probably no one will doubt that space seems to be intended for robots to live in. Indeed, if you look at the history of space exploration, you can see that most of the space exploration fell on the shoulders of robots. Lunokhod, Mars rover and robot avatar are the most famous of the space robots. In fact, there are quite a lot of their varieties, all of them are designed to work in space conditions and perform actions that would be impossible or extremely dangerous for a person.
Security systems
Robotic systems perform well in the security field. These robots are the first to detect fire-hazardous situations and successfully prevent them.
Modern military exercises are as close as possible to reality, thanks to robots that imitate the enemy. Robots for military exercises do not have a stylish design, but they imitate human impulses and habits quite well.
Also, robots are capable of long-term monitoring of objects that cause suspicion among law enforcement agencies.
Production and life
It is impossible to imagine modern factories without robotic technology. Robots perform many different operations. Basically, these are actions that require repeated repetition and high precision. Often, the use of robots saves entire industries. After all, their use can significantly increase labor productivity, while freeing up human resources for solving more important tasks.
Robots are also perfectly applicable in everyday life. The most famous of them are the robot vacuum cleaner and lawn mower. You can also find robots specially designed to perform more complex everyday tasks.
Entertainment
And of course, no one has canceled robots, designed to bring joy to people, entertaining them with their skills. For the most part, such robots represent the world of children's toys: all kinds of singing and dancing animals, interactive toys, radio-controlled cars and helicopters. However, robots for entertaining adults differ from children's, except perhaps in size.
