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Robots play an important role in the service industry, in the military and in the medical field. Learn about the history and function of automatons with this free video series on robots.
There are 19 videos in this series:
The word robot comes from the Czech word "robota," which means menial workers, and playwright Carel Kapek created robota characters for a play in 1920. Discover the origin of the term robot with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
The earliest robot was built in the 1770s by a Swiss watchmaker named Jack Ross, who made an automaton that wrote to help advertise his wrist watch. Visit a Swiss museum to see the first robots ever made, some of which played instruments, with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
Over the years, robots have changed from being stationary and simply performing one specific task to being multi-tasking, mobile machines. Understand how far robotic technology has come since 1770 with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
Different types of robots include some that have sensors, some that can be programmed for certain tasks, climbing robots used to inspect bridges and space robots used to assist astronauts on space walks. Discover the many different types of robots, some that can even be built at home, with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
Robots detect motion using a camera as their primary sensor, and they can use a technique called optical flow to detect movement. Find out how robots detect motion with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
Robots are used in space to explore areas where humans cannot go yet, much like NASA's Rover exploring the surface of the planet Mars. Discover how robots will assist astronauts in space with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
Robots are used in the medical field in the form of surgery robots that help perform long surgeries, cyborg robotic limbs and nanotechnology, which are miniature robots inserted into the body for inspection. Explore robots' roles in the field of medicine with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
Robots are being used for a variety of functions, most recently aiding in the service industry by assisting the physically handicapped, helping doctors and nurses and aiding astronauts in space. Discover how robots are used today with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
Robots work from a central microprocessor that controls the movement, but they also have a sensor to examine the environment and a power source, usually in the form of batteries. Find out how robots function with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
Robotic engineering is the designing, building and testing of robots, usually done in teams, and the engineers work with the customer to build the right applications for the robot. Explore the world of robotic engineering with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
Robotic engineers are faced with the task of designing, simulating, testing and manufacturing different kinds of robots. Learn more about a robotic engineer's job with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
Robots can perform a variety of tasks, including picking up different objects with varying grip, delivering things to different floors in a hospital and working as surveillance for the military. Discover the different types of jobs a robot can complete with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
The first industrial robot was invented by Dr. Engelberger in the early 1960s, who worked for a company called Union Mate. Learn about the first types of industrial robots, which are still used in manufacturing plants today, with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
The first robotic hand was invented by Dr. Engelberger with this first industrial robot in the early 1960s, but researchers today are trying to develop a more human-like hand that can grip at different pressures. Explore the development of the robotic hand with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
Military spy robots have been used throughout history, including during World War II by the Russians, in the 1980s by the United States and presently in the wars in Afghanistan. Trace back military robot use with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
In the military, robots are used to transport heavy supplies in the battlefield, to detect hostile objects and to mitigate radioactive chemical hazards. Discover the role that robots play in the military with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
The speed of a robot depends on the type of robot, but some experimental automotive robots can go up to 60 miles per hour, a UAV aerial vehicle can fly up to 300 miles per hour and a walking robot can walk up to 10 feet per second. Calculate a robot's speed with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
Robots that are used in the military include the Predator, which flies at night to detect hostile objects, and the MDAS, which stands for the Mobile Detection Assessment and Response Systems. Find out what other robots are used in the military with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
The science and technology used to create military robots include night vision technology, image enhancement technology and thermal imaging detection technology. Discover the ways science influences military robot production with information from an electrical and computer engineering professor in this free video on robots.
Robots are mechanical devices that perform a variety of tasks, including picking up and placing objects, detecting movement, transporting heavy objects and detecting harmful chemicals. Controlled by a central circuit board, robots typically have a camera for vision and robotic limbs for gripping or picking things up. Robotic engineering technology is growing at a fast pace, and many large companies, like Honda and Toshiba, have manufactured humanoid robots. In this free video series on robots, an electrical and computer engineering professor discusses the history and function of robots. Find out when the first robots were made, and learn about the different types of robotic machines. Get information about how the military and the medical field utilized robotic technology. Robots are a vital part in many aspects of modern life, and they will continue to gain importance as the technology advances.
Dr. Kazuhiko Kawamura Dr. Kazuhiko Kawamura is a professor of electrical and computer engineering and management of technology in Nashville, Tenn., and he is also the director of the Center for Intelligent Systems at Vanderbilt University.dkdk
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