Related topics: japan , computer science , artificial intelligence , facial expressions
Robot
hideRobot is a virtual or mechanical artificial agent. In practice, it is usually an electro-mechanical system which, by its appearance or movements, conveys a sense that it has intent or agency of its own. The word robot can refer to both physical robots and virtual software agents, but the latter are usually referred to as bots. There is no consensus on which machines qualify as robots, but there is general agreement among experts and the public that robots tend to do some or all of the following: move around, operate a mechanical limb, sense and manipulate their environment, and exhibit intelligent behavior, especially behavior which mimics humans or other animals. In South Africa, robot is an informal and commonly used term for a set of traffic lights.
Stories of artificial helpers and companions and attempts to create them have a long history but fully autonomous machines only appeared in the 20th century. The first digitally operated and programmable robot, the Unimate, was installed in 1961 to lift hot pieces of metal from a die casting machine and stack them. Today, commercial and industrial robots are in widespread use performing jobs more cheaply or with greater accuracy and reliability than humans. They are also employed for jobs which are too dirty, dangerous or dull to be suitable for humans. Robots are widely used in manufacturing, assembly and packing, transport, earth and space exploration, surgery, weaponry, laboratory research, and mass production of consumer and industrial goods.
Modern robots are usually used in tightly controlled environments such as on assembly lines because they have difficulty responding to unexpected interference. Because of this, most humans rarely encounter robots. However, domestic robots for cleaning and maintenance are increasingly common in and around homes in developed countries, particularly in Japan. Robots can also be found in the military.
For more information about Robot, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with robot
First Internet, now bay window at space station
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Feb 04, 2010 |
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(AP) -- Life has never been so good off the planet, and it's about to get better.
Robonaut 2: NASA, GM Create Cutting Edge Robotic Technology
Feb 04, 2010 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Robonaut is evolving. NASA and General Motors are working together to accelerate development of the next generation of robots and related technologies for use in the automotive and aerospace ...
Robots shed more light on evolution (w/ Video)
Feb 01, 2010 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Swiss scientists have proposed that if robots could evolve through natural selection the result would be robots that would help each other, cooperate, and be capable of hunting. Their experiments ...
The art of controlling a robot
Jan 28, 2010 |
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Robots are used in many different areas, for instance in factories, in space and in health care. To plan and control the motions of a robot is a challenging task, which Uwe Mettin from Umeľ University, Sweden, has analyzed ...
NASA ends effort to free rover from Martian sand
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Jan 26, 2010 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- After six years of unprecedented exploration of the Red Planet, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit no longer will be a fully mobile robot. NASA has designated the once-roving scientific ...
Robots climb up the wall (w/ Video)
Jan 19, 2010 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A robotics scientist from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheeba, Israel, has developed four different kinds of robots that climb up walls.
S.Korean scientists develop walking robot maid
Jan 18, 2010 |
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South Korean scientists have developed a walking robot maid which can clean a home, dump clothes in a washing machine and even heat food in a microwave.
Organized chaos gets robots going (Update)
Jan 17, 2010 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Even simple insects can generate quite different movement patterns with their six legs. The animal uses various gaits depending on whether it crawls uphill or downhill, slowly or fast. Scientists ...
Mint robot puts shine on hardwood floors
Jan 10, 2010 |
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Evolution Robotics is betting that folks with hardwood or tile floors are craving mechanical maids to keep them beautiful.
Firm unveils X-rated robot (Update)
Jan 09, 2010 |
3.5 / 5 (13) |
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Roxxxy the sex robot had a coming out party Saturday in Sin City.
'Ferropaper' is new technology for small motors, robots
Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials
Jan 05, 2010 |
3.9 / 5 (12) |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at Purdue University have created a magnetic "ferropaper" that might be used to make low-cost "micromotors" for surgical instruments, tiny tweezers to study cells and miniature ...
Future uncertain for stuck Mars rover
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Jan 03, 2010 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Mars rover Spirit will mark six years of unprecedented science exploration and inspiration for the American public on Sunday. However, the upcoming Martian winter could end the roving ...
Moving video to 'captcha' robot hackers
Technology / Computer Sciences
Dec 29, 2009 |
3.3 / 5 (4) |
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We see the popular "captcha" security mechanism often ― wavy letters websites ask us to type into a box. It's used by web pages and newsletter sign-up forms to prevent computer robots from hacking into servers and databases. ...
Cockroaches offer inspiration for running robots
Dec 28, 2009 |
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The sight of a cockroach scurrying for cover may be nauseating, but the insect is also a biological and engineering marvel, and is providing researchers at Oregon State University with what they call "bioinspiration" ...
Japanese researcher unveils 'hummingbird robot'
Dec 28, 2009 |
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Japanese researchers said Monday they had developed a "hummingbird robot" that can flutter around freely in mid-air with rapid wing movements.
