adminROBOT MODELS
Robot models here refers specifically to the physical configuration, design function and applications of robots.
There are several types of robot models and they are; industrial, collaborative (COBOTS), humanoid, mobile, surgical/medical, service/social, agricuktural, underwater/aerial, exoskeleton and swarm robot models.
Industrial robots are fixed robots, built for manufacturing operations. Example includes:
Articulated robots with multiple rotating joints mimicking the human arms, such as FANUC M-2000iA, KUKA KR QUANTEC, scara robots with selective compliance assembly robot arm such as Epson T6, and Yamaha YK series; Delta/parallel robots with spider like structure such as ABB FlexRcker IRB 360; Cartesian/gantry robots which move along X,Y,Z axes such as Gudel TMF series etc.
Collaborative robots(COBOTs) are designed to work alongside humans safely without barriers or cages. Example includes; universal robots URS, UR10, ABB Yumi, Rethink robotics sawyer, FANUC CR series etc.
Humanoid robots are robots built in human form to operate in human designed enviroments and activities. Example includes; Telsa Optimus Gen 2, Boston dynamics Atlas, Unitree G1, Figure 02, Agility robotics Digit etc.
Mobile robots are robots that move autonomously through well calibrated environments to transport goods or perform tasks. There are two main types of mobile robots and they are autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) which uses AI and sensors to navigate dynamically and automated guided vehicles (AGRs) which follow fixed paths. Example includes Amazon Proteus, Kiva, Boston dynamics spot, Starship technologies, Locus Robotics etc.
Medical and surgical robots are highly precise robotic systems assisting or performing medical proceedures; example includes, DA Vinci surgical systems, Mako Stryker, Intutive Ion, Medtronics Hugo etc.
Service and social robots are robots designed to interact with and assist humans in everyday settings. Example includes; Softbank Pepper, Boston dynamic Spot, Sony Aibo, Moxie, Savioke Relay etc.
Agricultural robots (Agrobots) are robots designed for farming, harvesting and crop management. Example includes; Iron OX, Agrobot E-series, John Deere Blue river technology, Harvest CROO robotics etc.
Underwater robots are robots designed to operate exclusively underwater. Example includes; Standford Ocean one, Blue-fin AUV etc.
Aerial robots are robots designed to operate exclusively in the air. Example includes; DJI Matrice 350, Skydio 2 etc.
Exoskeleton robots are wearables robotic systems that augment o r restore human physical ability. Example includes; EKSO Bionics EKSO GT, REWALK, Sarcos Guardian XO, Hyundai H-MEX etc.
Swarm robots are large numbers of simple robots working collectively like insects or birds. Example includes; Harvard Kilobot swarm, Amazon fulfillment swarm systems, Military drone swarms ( Perdis Project) etc.
The advantages of robot models are; robots can perform tasks faster and with higher precision than humans. Robots can perform tasks that are hazardous or difficult for humans. Robots can work around the clock without breaks, increasing productivity and efficiency. Robots can reduce labor costs and improve resource allocation. Robots can provide 24/7 customer support and service.
The disadvantages of robot models are; Developing and deploying robots can be expensive. Robots can lead to job displacement of humans, particularly in industries where tasks are repetive or can be automated. Robots can experience technical failures such as software glitches or hardware malfunctions. Robots can be vulnerable to cyber attacks and data breeches. Robots can be designed for specific tasks and may not be easily adaptable to new tasks or environments.
The applications of robot models are as follows; robots find widespread applications in manufacturing and logistics, where they are used to optimize production, improve quality control and streamline logistics; robots are used in healthcare to assist with patient care, surgery and rehabilitation; robots are used in customer service to provide 24/7 customer support and service. Robots are used in security and surveillance to monitor and respond to security threats. Robots are used space exploration to explore and navigate challenging environments.
The future of robot models depends on the advances and development of the following technologies; future robots will operate with greater autonomy and decision making capabilities. Future robots will be able to learn from experience and adapt to new suitations. Future robots will be designed to collaborate with humans at all levels, enhancing production and efficiency. Robots in the future will be applied to new industries beyond the traditional ones such as policing , firefighting and rescue missions etc. future robots will be designed with improved safety and security features, reducing the risk of accidents and cyber attacks. In the future newer robots models will be developed such as soft robots that is robots made of soft flexible materials that can interact safely with humans and AI, ML, computer vision and sensor technologies to enable robots learn, reason, interact, perceive their environment and adapt to new situations like humans.
SOURCES:
- Robotics : Modelling, planning and control by Bruno Siciliano and Ousssama Khatib.
- Robotics vision and sensing by Peter Corke.
- Robot kinematics and dynamics by H.P Hsu.
- Autonomous robots: modeling, control and navigation by Frank Dellaert and Sebastian Thrun.
- Robotics, automation and autonomous systems by S.S.H Ling.
