An Introduction To Mobile Robotics
What is a mobile robot?
It a device that is controlled by software and has sensors to identify its surroundings and to move around freely. It is a subfield of robotics and information engineering and is capable of locomotion. It uses a combination of artificial intelligence and physical robot parts. There are two types of mobile robots in present-autonomous robots which do not need any external guidance to navigate whereas guided robots need guidance framework to travel. An Example of a mobile robot can be a spying robot. We will now look into Chronological History Of Mobile Robotics
Chronological History Of Mobile Robotics
The following are the important periods in the History Of Mobile Robotics
1939-1945
History of mobile robotics dates back to the Second World War where the first mobile robot emerged due to technological advances like cybernetics and computer science. Most of these robots are smart bombs which only used to detonate within a certain range of the targets and crude automatic missile guidance systems like V1 and V2 rockets.
1948-1970
W.Grey Walter built Elma and Elsie which were two autonomous robots that could detect a light source using their light sensors and move towards it by avoiding the obstacles on their way. In the 1960s, John Hopkin’s University developed Beast which used sonar to move around and plug itself finding a power source when power is low. In 1970, The Stanford Research Institute built the Stanford Cart line Follower which could follow a white line using a camera to see it. The Research Institute also built Shakey, which was the first robot to reason about its actions.
1980-1990
The Stanford Cart is now able to move around obstacles and map its environment. Bundeswehr University built the first cars driving at a speed of 55 mph when roads are empty. Stevo Bozinovski and Mihail Sestakov in 1983, controlled mobile robot using parallel programming. Later in 1988-1989, Steve and his team controlled mobile robots using EEG signals and EOG signals. In 1986, Steve also controlled wheeled robot using speech commands. In 1989, Mark Tilden invented BEAM robotics. It was the time in the History Of Mobile Robotics where interest increased and more research started being done in the development of new modern robots.
1990-2000
Joseph Engelberger played an important role in the history of mobile robotics and developed the first commercially available autonomous mobile hospital robots. In 1993-1994 Dante I and Dantae II were developed to explore live volcanoes. In 1995 Ernst Dickmann drove his robot car for 1000 miles in traffic up to a speed of 120mph. In 1996-1997, NASA sent the Mars Pathfinder along with its rover Sojourner to Mars which was expected to explore the surface and find its way in unknown terrain. In 1999, Sony introduced Aibo which was a robotic dog capable of seeing, walking, and interacting with its environment.
2000-2010
Roomba, the first domestic autonomous robot to clean the floor was introduced. Intellibot Robotics LLC manufactured a line of commercial robots that scrub, and sweep floors in hospitals and office buildings, however, it was purchased by Axxon Robotics. In 2004, a biomorphic toy robot was commercially available designed by Mark Tilden. 2005 marked the invention of quadruped robot intended for carrying heavy loads across rough terrain designed by Boston Dynamics. In 2006, TALON-Sword, the first commercially available robot with a grenade launcher and other weapons was introduced. In 2008, Boston Dynamics released a video of new generation BigDog able to walk on icy terrain and able to recover its balance when kicked from the side. This was an important period in the History Of Mobile Robotics.
2016-Present
Multi-Functionality Agile Robot System(MARC-bot) has for the first time used by US police to kill a sniper. Also, during the NASA Sample Return Robot Centennial Challenge, one of the robots displayed successful autonomous navigation, decision making, sample detection, retrieval, and return capabilities. Robots are also developed to work under extreme conditions of offshore oil and gas installation. Today omnichannel and e-commerce need hug labor and therefore mobile robots are needed to automate these things to lessen complexities. The fast development of mobile robots with less dependence on the guidance system has been due to the huge need for piece-picking in e-commerce. Nowadays robots are being used in almost every sector including logistic facilities, the service sector, e-commerce, a wide range of supply chains, in our daily household lives, etc.
Conclusion
Now after looking at the History Of Mobile Robotics, we know that since ages robots were developed from the very beginning to ease man’s life, providing entertainment, security, information, service, and taking part in dangerous operations. Currently, all technologies are made in order to convey the world to us such as TV, the internet, phone, etc. However, in future robots will bring the world to us at lightning speed and will expand our lives both in utilities and entertainment.
The above article gives a chronological history Of Mobile Robotics and it is only with progressive technology and time we will be able to see how robots are changing our lives
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