| The advances in computing and miniaturization | | | | radios to cellphones. |
| technologies have made possible an increasing use of | | | | In The Hospitals |
| unmanned devices to do routine work once done by | | | | Robots are increasingly common in pharmaceuticals |
| man. Most repetitive precision and rule-based work | | | | and hospitals. The same "pick and place" robotics can |
| can now be automated using sophisticated robotics. | | | | be used to package medicines into boxes or bottles |
| As electro-optical-mechanical contraptions, robots are | | | | for market distribution. They are often found in sterile |
| perfect for jobs that are repetitive, require precise | | | | plants that are a requirement in handling pharmaceutical |
| rule-based actions and in areas where potential harm | | | | items. |
| exists. People need salaries, vacations, coffee breaks | | | | There are robotic messengers on wheels used in |
| and a reasonably comfortable work environment. | | | | some hospitals to carry medical and surgical supplies |
| Robots don’t. People get bored doing routines and | | | | or equipment from one area to another on the same |
| that could lead to fatigue that in turn could lead to | | | | floor. Some medical robots enable remote surgery on |
| errors and failures. Robots are immune from boredom. | | | | patients using feedback sensors that allow surgeons |
| In Manufacturing | | | | to explore tissue sensed by the robot’s |
| Robots come in various forms and sophistication. | | | | instruments. It may be along while for miniature robot |
| Almost all of them are deployed in manufacturing. Car | | | | sensors to travel through the blood stream by remote |
| factories are highly automated with more human | | | | control as described in science fiction, but that is |
| workers employed to supervise and manage the | | | | certainly not far-fetched |
| work, leaving robotic arms and AI-based computer | | | | Robots at home |
| machines to weld, paint, and assemble the different | | | | Robotic engineers and scientists are now predicting |
| car parts together as well as move completed cars | | | | that our homes would soon have robots as household |
| into the testing and distribution zones of the factory. | | | | help to do more of the routine and menial chores at |
| Another useful work for robots is in food plants that | | | | home. Some appliance companies have started |
| arrange, say, an assortment of chocolate cookies or | | | | working on prototypes vacuum cleaners and lawn |
| candies in boxes. A computer system typical guides | | | | mowers that have microchip-based "brains," sonar |
| the robotic armatures with optical sensors over a | | | | sensors or optical "eyes" and solenoid and |
| moving conveyor belt, enabling the robot to pick and | | | | micro-motor armatures that can do most of the |
| aggregate different objects into a container. Such | | | | chores on their own. |
| contraptions, properly configured can produce the | | | | They can go around the house to memorize their |
| required daily volumes at predictable quality levels and | | | | "assignments" and can pretty much clean the house or |
| cost structures to make the product more affordable. | | | | mow the lawn at pre-set hours of the day. Already in |
| Computer and electronic gadget makers use robots to | | | | the market is a robotic lawn mower made by Friendly |
| solder together minute wires and parts onto the chip | | | | Robotics. It has bump sensors that define its obstacles |
| sets. "Pick and place" robotic armatures insert chips | | | | and learns the area it will work on. |
| onto circuit boards found in all electronics gears from | | | | |