The main components of a robot

What Is A Robot And What Are The Common Components Of A Robot? Describe Briefly Two Of The Common Components Of A Robot.

Depending on their purpose, robots are made of different components. However, all robots have some common ones, and others are tweaked according to a robot’s pur- pose. Figure 10.3 identifies the components. Common components of the robots are described next.

Chapter 10 • Robotics: Industrial and Consumer Applications 595

POWER CONTROLLER A power controller is the driving force of a robot. Most robots run on batteries, but a few are powered by a direct current (DC) electrical supply. Other factors (i.e., usage, sufficient power to drive all parts) must be kept in mind while designing robots.

SENSORS Sensors are used to direct a robot in its surrounding. Force sensors, ultra- sound sensors, distance sensors, laser scanners, and so on help robots to make decisions according to their environment. Sensors are used for robots to identify speech, vision, temperature, position, distance, touch, force, sound, and time. Vision sensors or cameras are used to build a picture of the environment and for the robot to learn about it and to differentiate between which items to choose and which to ignore. In collaborative robots, sensors are also used to prevent them from bumping into humans or other robots. This way, humans and robots can work next to each other without the fear that the robot might unintentionally harm the human. Sensors collect information and send it to the central processing unit (CPU) electronically.

EFFECTORS OR ROVER OR MANIPULATOR An effector is nothing but a body of a robot. It can also describe the devices that affect the environment, such as hands, legs, arms, bod- ies, and fingers. The CPU controls the actions of effectors. An essential function of them is to move the robot and other objects from one place to another, and their characteristics depend on the role that has been outlined. Industrial robots have end effectors that con- tribute to the robot’s work as a hand. Depending on the type of robot, end effectors can be magnets, welding torches, or vacuums.

NAVIGATION OR ACTUATOR SYSTEM Actuators are devices that define how a robot trav- els. With the help of an actuator, electrical energy converts into mechanical energy, en- abling the robot to move back, forward, left, right and to lift, drop, and perform its job. The actuator can be a hydraulic cylinder or an electric motor. The actuator system is the way that all of the robot’s components are embedded into one.

CONTROLLER/CPU This is the brain of the robot and has the AI embedded in it. The CPU allows a robot to perform its function by connecting all systems into one. It also provides commands for the robot to learn from the surrounding movement of the body or any of its actions.