Robotics is the science and technology and application of robots. Stories of artificial helpers and attempts to create them has a long history and is the basis of much science fiction. Robots are generally used to help with jobs that are too dirty or boring for most human beings. The first prgrammable humanoid robot was about 1206 AD. We can make a robot to look like almost anything we want. The most fantasized about are ones that have a humanoid appearance. Think of a repetative task and generally there is probably one on th market that can do what you want. Remember Rosey the robot on The Jetsons, or the robot on Lost in Space. We have come a long way, but we aren't quite that far yet. It is only a matter of time. There are already robots that can do simple tasks like cleaning the floor, or doing the laundry. But these won't be ready for the public until about the year 2010. The cost of the robots is another matter. The robot is based around the structure, which is like the skeleton of the human body. It is the main support system. Next, you have the actuatorsor "muscles" of the robot. This is quite complex, and I won't go into now. Manipulators are the way an object is manipulated. This generally is done by grippers, or effectors. Then there is locomotion to worry about. Do you have a flat surface that it will work on? Then it will probably be a rolling robot. It can be two wheels, four wheels, or on tracks. If there are stairs, or uneven terrain the problem becomes more complex. Walking is difficult to solve, especially if you compare it to how a human walks. If The robot has locomotion, I am assuming it is going from point A to point B. Does it need m...
