How Robotics are Helping the 21st Century Man

For so long the applied science of computers and50s have robotic features that allow a bank of 45 rpm
electro-mechanical engineering has ushered in roboticsrecords to be selected on cue, played and then
to vastly improve mass production in just about anyreturned by a robotic arm.
complex machinery on earth.Robotic Applications
You have manufacturing companies ranging fromThere are now a number of prototype robots
pharmaceuticals, food preparation, bottling, distilleries,possessing locomotive and androgenic similarities to
cigarette manufacturing, automotive and electricalhumans. They can walk, climb steps and even play
appliance manufacturing, to mention some, harnessingping pong. Earlier, thinking computers that can process
the immediate efficiencies of robots to churnbillions of simulations have successfully played and
thousands of commercial products in days where itdefeated chess champions. Technology now needs to
would have taken human hands to finish in months.put all that into computational power in a robotic
For most of the last half of the 20th century, roboticsapplication the size of a human brain and can be
have replaced humans in performing tedious, repetitivemotive enough to become human companions. Sound
manufacturing routines with none oflike science fiction, alright. But it will still take a
employment-related costs like fringes and leavegeneration or two to get there.
benefits. Of course, you still need to have maintenanceIn the meantime, robotics have increasingly found their
downtimes on these robotic contraptions.way in scientific exploration, police and military
Autonomic Robotsapplication as well as industrial manufacturing. You
One can define a robot as an autonomous computer.have robots that can be deployed to analyze
Its electro-mechanical features that can manipulatevolcanoes and hurricane formation and other
objects, recognize sights and sounds and performdangerous exploratory endeavors that are hazardous
mundane repetitive or dangerous tasks are simple I/Oto health.
interfaces like you PC printers to get things doneUnmanned vehicles with acute sensors are deployed
based on an inferential engine that can createby para-military police to survey criminal activity and
instructions without the help of human intervention. Inlocation prior to an attack. In actual military combats,
short, they have complete autonomy.similar devices on flying aircraft or helicopter-like
Some of the marvels of the last years of the 20thdrones can penetrate hostile territories for both
century have harnessed robotic science to engineersurveillance and bombing missions.
automatic response from computer-assistedThey have the same lethal promise as missiles but still
contraptions. When your car is on cruise along thereturn to base after a successful bombing run. NASA
highway, it is basically invoking a robotic autonomy thathas likewise deployed unmanned robotic spacecraft
controls the car without the driver doing anything,remotely controlled to explore the outer reaches of
except to manually over-ride it and thus, disengagesthe galaxy where human sojourn remains difficult.
the robotic-like autonomy. When the new generationPeaceful uses of robotic science has found it way, not
aircrafts form Airbus and Boeing are on cruise inonly in manufacturing plants, but in hospitals that
mid-flight, the same robotic-like autonomy is engaged.employ robots on wheels to deliver medication to
Nearer to home, when you program your microwavepatients and can interface with computerized elevator
ovens or the VCR player to start recording at ato get into floors. The day will come when all
certain time of the day, you are benefiting fromhousehold help from robots will became a reality.
robotic-like features, Even the music jukeboxes of the