Robotics Essay -- essays research papers fc

Robotics     The name usually thought of by the condition zombi is that of a automatic be, any(prenominal)what human in shape. greenness in science fiction, robots argon generallydepicted as workings in the service of people, but often escaping the control ofthe people and doing them maltreat.     The script robot comes from the Czech writer Karel Capeks 1921 play R.U.R. (which stands for "Rossums Universal Robots"), in which mechanicalbeings made to be slaves for humanity rebel and kill their creators. From this,the fictional image of robots is sometimes troubling, expressing the fears thatpeople may puddle of a robotized world everywhere which they cannot keep control. Thehistory of real robots is rarely as dramatic, but where developments in roboticsmay lead is beyond our imagination.     Robots exist today. They are utilized in a relatively small number offactories located in extremely industrializ ed countries such as the United States,Germany, and Japan. Robots are also being used for scientific research, inmilitary programs, and as educational tools, and they are being developed to aidpeople who have lost the use of their limbs. These devices, however, are forthe most part quite different from the androids, or anthropomorphic robots, and otherrobots of fiction. They rarely take human form, they perform only a limitednumber of set tasks, and they do not have minds of their experience. In fact, it isoften hard to distinguish between devices called robots and other modern automatise systems.     Although the term robot did not come into use until the 20th century,the predilection of mechanical beings is much older. Ancient myths and tales talkedabout walking statues and other marvels in human and animal form. Such objectswere products of the imagination and nothing more, but some of the mechanizedfigures also mentioned in early writings could well have b een made. Suchfigures, called automatons, have long been popular.     For several centuries, automatons were as close as people came toconstructing true robots. European church towers provide fascinating examplesof clockwork figures from chivalric times, and automatons were also devised inChina. By the 18th century, a number of extremely clever automatons becamefamous for a while. Swiss craftsman ... ...ng time.     Research into exploitation mobile, autonomous robots is of great value.It advances robotics, aids the comparative study of mechanical and biologicsystems, and can be used for such purposes as devising robot aids for thehandicapped.     As for the thinking androids of the possible future, the well-knownscience-fiction writer Isaac Asimov has already laid down rules for theirbehavior. Asimovs first law is that robots may not harm humans either throughaction or inaction. The second is that they essential obey humans except when thecommands conflict with the first law. The third is that robots moldiness protectthemselves except, again, when this comes into conflict with the first law.Future androids might have their own opinions about these laws, but these issuesmust wait their time.BibliographyBuckley, Ruth V. "Robot." Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc. 1993. Gibilisco,Stan. The McGraw-Hill Illustrated cyclopedia of Robotics and ArtificialIntelligence. McGraw-Hill, Inc. New York, 1994. Warring, R. H. Robots andRobotology. Tab Books Inc. Blue Ridge Summit, Pa. 1984.And various sites on the internet.