palash vajpai, robotics and its application

8/7/2019 Palash Vajpai, Robotics and Its Application

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COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING

Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology,Udaipur

A

Seminar report on

Robotic and its Applications

( Final Year 2011 )

Submitted in the partial fulfillment of the requirements

For awarding the degree of

Bachelor of Electrical Engineering

SUBMITTED BY:PALASH VAJPAIB.E. final year (EE)


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COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING

Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology,

Udaipur

Certificate TO WHOM SO EVER IT MAY CONCERN

This is to certify that PALASH VAJPAI student of 4thYear

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING has completed his seminar in

College ofTechnology and Engineering, Udaipur on ..

as prescribed by the Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture

and Technology, Udaipur(Rajasthan). We wish his success in

future endeavors.

Dr. R.R. Joshi

Head of Department

(Electrical Engineering)


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Robotics and its Applications Seminar Report 03

Acknowledgement

I extend my sincere gratitude towards Dr. R.R. Joshi,

Head of Department Electrical Engineering for giving us his

invaluableknowledge and wonderful

Technical guidance

I also thank all the other faculty members

of department and my friends for their help and support.

PALASH VAJPAI

B.E. IV Yr. (EE)


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CONTENTS

1. Introduction 1

2. History of Robotics 3

3. Classification of Robots 6

4. Anatomy of a Robot 7

5. Artificial Intelligence 14

6. Advantages of Robots 17

7. Disadvantages of Robots 18

8. Applications of Robots 19

9. Robotic Tele surgery 24

10. Robonauts 29

11. Robots Realized in MATLAB 33

12. Future of Robotics 35

13. Conclusion 36

14. Reference 37


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ABSTRACT

With growing developments in the field of mechatronics, mathematical

modeling robotics has come long way from an iron piece that moves a few inches to

machines capable of jumping from high buildings, detecting mines, performing various

operations and trouble shooting.

Robotics means the study and application of robot technology. The goal of

robotics is to mimic natural world as closely as possible. The main elements in the robot

are the moving elements and the sensors. The basic structure of a robot is the robotic

arm.

This paper deals with the evolution of robots, the elements of robotics, the

limitation of robots and the various applications of robots. In the application part this

paper expects to cover in detail robosurgery and robonauts (the robots used in space).It

also deals with the importance of artificial intelligence in Robotic technology.


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INTRODUCTION

Robots have always had a fascination in our mind. With their various

applications in various fields, they have become a common part in our daily life. They

are meant to ease our work and increase our comfort of living.

The term robot got prominence way back in the 1950s when Karl Capek in his

play Rossums Universal Robots denoted the birth of a superior race that had

intelligence similar to that of humans.

As Robots come in various forms and have application in various fields defining

a Robot becomes that much difficult. There are various definitions for the term Robot.

Some of them are:

Force through intelligence.

An automatic device that performs functions normally ascribed to humans or a

machine in the form of a human.

The most accepted definition of a Robot provided by the Robotics Institute of

America in 1979 is that:

A robot is a reprogrammable multifunctional manipulator designed to move material,

Parts, tools or specialized devices through variable programmed motions for the

Performance of a variety of tasks.


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Robotics is that branch which involves with the study and applications of

Robots. The goal of Robotics is to mimic natural world as closely as possible. Robotics

is a relatively new field of engineering (about approximately 50 years old) and is

finding many applications in different areas.

With growing developments in the field of mechatronics and mathematic

modeling, Robotics has come a long way. From an iron piece that could move only a

few inches, there are now machines capable of jumping from high rise buildings,

detecting landmines, performing complicated operations, and troubleshooting.


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HISTORY OF ROBOTICS

Robotics compared to other branches is a relatively new field of engineering. It

is a multi disciplinary field. The various branches involved in the development of

Robotics are:

Mechanical Engineering: Deals with the mechanisms of Robots and their

structure.

Electrical Engineering: Deals with the sensing and controlling of Robots.

Computer Engineering: Deals with the motion planning and perception of

Robots.

Though the branch of Robotics is new the development of Robots started in the

year 1250 when the first Robot was developed. In the period from 1250 to 1950 the

Robots were developed for fun rather than for applications.

Brief developments of Robots from the year 1250:

In the year 1250 a Robot was developed that could serve the guests with food. In

the year 1738 a Robotic duck was developed which had 4000 parts. It could, quack,

bathe, drink water, eat grain, digest it and void it.

Fig 1: Robotic Duck


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In the year 1738 a Robotic duck was developed which had 4000 parts. It could,

quack, bathe, drink water, eat grain, digest it and void it.

From the year 1950, due to the development of computers and semiconductor

technology Robots found their applications in Industries. This was called the golden era

of Robots.

In 1960s electrical Robots were developed that could walk. This was done by

the General Motors.

After 1970 there were some trends that were observed in Robotics. During those

periods the robots which were produced where classified into:

Model Based Robots: These are Robots that use exact models for the work they

are entitled to do. They are not provided with any sensors. Hence they are not required

to act on external stimuli.

E.g.: A Robot which used for lifting heavy loads are model based as there will

always be a maximum load specified and the robot need not sense the load also

there is no other course of action.

Sensor Based Robots: These are Robots that are provided with sensors that have

to change the course of action based on the stimuli it receives. These Robots are

generally used for lower level works.

E.g.: A Robot which is used for maintenance of a furnace depending upon its

temperature. In the above case there are various courses of action for the Robot

and the Robot has to choose a course of action depending upon the input stimuli

received.


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The trends in Robotics are:

Fig 2 Trends in Robotics

The present scenario of Robotics is unimaginable from just some stipulated

motions to performing various complex operations and space visits, Robots have found

their application in all fields.


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CLASSIFICATIONS OF ROBOTS

Robots are classified depending upon the circuitry of the Robots and the ranges

of application. The classifications of Robots are into three types:

a. Simple level Robots

b. Middle level Robots

c. Complex level Robots

Simple Level Robots:

They are automatic machines that extend human potential. They cannot be

programmed and does not contain a complex circuitry.

E.g.: The best example of a simple level Robot is a semi automatic washing machine.

Middle Level Robots:

They are those Robots which can be programmed but cannot be reprogrammed.

They are multi purpose devices. They have sensor based circuitry and can do work

which humans do.

E.g.: The best example of a middle level Robot is the fully automatic washing machine.

Complex Level Robots:

They are those Robots which can be programmed and also reprogrammed. They

are reprogrammable, multifunctional, manipulators. They contain a model based

circuitry and are very complex.

E.g.: The best example of a complex level Robot is the personal computer.


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ANATOMY OF A ROBOT

The basic components of a robot system are:

1. The mechanical linkage

2. Actuators and transmissions

3. Sensors

4. Controllers

5. User interface

6. Power conversion unit

The mechanical linkage

The manipulator consists of a set of rigid links connected by joints. The joints

are typically rotary orsliding. The last link or the most distal link is called the end

effectors because it is this link to which a gripper or a tool is attached. Sometimes one

distinguishes between this last link and the end effectors that are mounted to this link at

the tool mounting plate or the tool flange.

Fig Manipulator linkage


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The manipulator can generally be divided into a regional structure and an

orientation structure. The regional structure generally consists of the joints (and the

links between them) whose main function is the positioning of the manipulator end

effectors. These are generally the proximal joints. The remaining distal joints are mainly

responsible for orienting the end effectors.

The different ways a manipulator linkage can move is called its degrees of

freedom.

Actuators and Transmissions:

An Actuator is a device that makes freedom possible. The basic form of actuator

is an electric motor. The various electric motors used are:

1. Stepper Motors: They are used to control the arms of robots.

2. Servo Motors: They are used to control the wheels of Robots. They use PWM

technique for speed control.

The actuators are typically linear or rotary actuators. Also they may be electric,

pneumatic or hydraulic. Typically, electric actuators or motors are better suited to high

speed, low load applications while hydraulic actuators do better at low speed and high

load applications. Pneumatic actuators are like hydraulic actuators except that they are

generally not used for high payload.

Transmissions

Transmissions are elements between the actuators and the joints of the

mechanical linkage.


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They are generally used for three reasons:

1. Often the actuator output is not directly suitable for driving the robot linkage.

The high speed DC motor (running at say 3000 rpm) may not be suitable for

running a robot at lower speeds. However, with appropriate gearing or

transmission, the speed may be reduced to 30 rpm (1/2 rotation per second)

which is reasonably fast. In addition, the rated torque at 3000 rpm is amplified

by a factor of 100 (assuming a highly efficient gearbox).

Two types of gear boxes are generally used in Robotics:

High Speed Gear Box High Power Gear box

2. The output of the actuator may be kinematically different from the joint motion.

For example, the linear actuator is kinematically different from the elbow joint it

drives. Thus the linkage consisting of the three passive joints and the linear

actuator may be viewed as a transmission that converts the linear motion of the

actuator to the rotary motion of the elbow joint.

3. The actuators are usually big and heavy and often it is not practical to locate the

actuator at the joint. First, big actuators have large inertias and they are harder to

move around in space than the links that comprise the mechanical linkage. So it

is desirable to locate them at a fixed base. Second, because of their size, they can


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impede the motion of one or more links of the robot. Thus, it is not uncommon

to find linkages or gear trains that transmit the power from the actuator over a

large distance to the joint.

Sensors

The control of a manipulator or industrial robot is based on the correct

interpretation of sensory information. This information can be obtained either internally

to the robot (for example, joint positions and motor torque) or externally using a wide

range of sensors.

The different types of sensors used are:

1. Tactile Sensors

2. Time flight sensors

3. Compasses

4. Miscellaneous

Tactile sensors

They tell us if the Robot has hit an object. It deals with collision detection. The

switch closes if a hit has occurred and current flows by which we can detect a collision

Various types of Tactile Sensors are: Tactile Sensors

Magnetic

Optical

Microwave

Ultrasonic


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Time of Flight Sensors

They tell us how much a Robot is away from an object. The procedure adopted

is quite simple

1. Send a signal and start at timer (t1=0 sec)

2. Wait for echo signal, and stop timer (t2 = 12 sec)

3. Calculate difference (t1 t2 =12 sec)

4. Use time difference to calculate distance (distance = speed *time)

Compasses:

They tell us where the Robot is heading i.e., either

North, South, West, East or by 0*

Compasses

Miscellaneous:

Gyroscope: Gyroscopes are used in robots that need to

maintain balance or are not inherently stable. Gyroscopes are

often coupled with powerful robot controllers that have the

processing power necessary calculate thousands of physical Gyroscope

Simulations per second. There are also many other sensors used for temperature

sensing, pressure sensing, motion detection, smoke detection.


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Controllers:

The controller provides the intelligence that is necessary to

control the manipulator system. It looks at the sensory

information and computes the control commands that must

be sent to the actuators to carry out the specified task.

Controller

It generally includes

Memory to store the control program and the state of the robot system obtained from

the sensors

A computational unit (CPU) that computes the control commands

The appropriate hardware to interface with the external world (sensors and actuators)

The hardware for a user interface.

The user interface

This interface allows use a human operator to monitor or control the operation of

the robot. It must have a display that shows the status of the system. It must also have an

input device that allows the human to enter commands to the robot. The user interface

may be a personal computer with the appropriate software or a teach pendant.

The power conversion unit

The power conversion unit takes the commands issued by the controller which

may be low power and even digital signals and converts them into high power analog

signals that can be used to drive the actuators. For example, for an electric actuator, this

power conversion unit may consist of a digital to analog converter and an amplifier with


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a power supply. For a pneumatic actuator, this may consist of a compressor, the

appropriate servo valves for regulating the flow of air, an amplifier and a digital to

analog converter. For a hydraulic robot, you will have a pump and a cooler instead of a

compressor.

Basic Robot With all Components


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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Artificial intelligence (AI) is arguably the most exciting field in robotics. It's certainly

the most controversial: Everybody agrees that a robot can work in an assembly line, but

there's no consensus on whether a robot can ever be intelligent.

Like the term "robot" itself, artificial intelligence is hard to define. Ultimate AI

would be a recreation of the human thought process -- a man-made machine with our

intellectual abilities. This would include the ability to learn just about anything, the

ability to reason, the ability to use language and the ability to formulate original ideas.

Robot cists are nowhere near achieving this level of artificial intelligence, but they have

had made a lot of progress with more limited AI. Today's AI machines can replicate

some specific elements of intellectual ability.

Computers can already solve problems in limited realms. The basic idea of AI

problem-solving is very simple, though its execution is complicated. First, the AI robot

or computer gathers facts about a situation through sensors or human input. The

computer compares this information to stored data and decides what the information

signifies. The computer runs through various possible actions and predicts which action

will be most successful based on the collected information. Of course, the computer can

only solve problems it's programmed to solve -- it doesn't have any generalized

analytical ability.

Some modern robots also have the ability to learn in a limited capacity.

Learning robots recognize if a certain action achieved a desired result. The robot stores


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this information and attempts the successful action the next time it encounters the same

situation. Again, modern computers can only do this in very limited situations. They

can't absorb any sort of information like a human can. Some robots can learn by

mimicking human actions. In Japan, robot cists have taught a robot to dance by

demonstrating the moves themselves.

Some robots can interact socially. Kismet, a robot at M.I.T's Artificial

Intelligence Lab, recognizes human body language and voice inflection and responds

appropriately. Kismet's creators are interested in how humans and babies interact, based

only on tone of speech and visual cue. This low-level interaction could be the

foundation of a human-like learning system.

Kismet and other humanoid robots at the M.I.T. AI Lab operate using an

unconventional control structure. Instead of directing every action using a central

computer, the robots control lower-level actions with lower-level computers. We do

most things automatically; we don't decide to do them at the highest level of

consciousness.

The real challenge of AI is to understand how natural intelligence works.

Developing AI isn't like building an artificial heart -- scientists don't have a simple,

concrete model to work from. We do know that the brain contains billions and billions

of neurons, and that we think and learn by establishing electrical connections between

different neurons. But we don't know exactly how all of these connections add up to

higher reasoning, or even low-level operations. The complex circuitry seems

incomprehensible.
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Because of this, AI research is largely theoretical. Scientists hypothesize on how and

why we learn and think, and they experiment with their ideas using robots. It also makes

it easier for people to interact with the robots, which potentially makes it easier for the

robot to learn.

Just as physical robotic design is a handy tool for understanding animal and

human anatomy, AI research is useful for understanding how natural intelligence works.

For some robot cists, this insight is the ultimate goal of designing robots. Others

envision a world where we live side by side with intelligent machines and use a variety

of lesser robots for manual labor, health care and communication. A number of robotics

experts predict that robotic evolution will ultimately turn us into cyborgs -- humans

integrated with machines. Conceivably, people in the future could load their minds into

a sturdy robot and live for thousands of years!


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ADVANTAGES OF ROBOTS

Robotics and automation can, in many situation, increase productivity, safety,

efficiency, quality, and consistency of products

Robots can work in hazardous environments

Robots need no environmental comfort

Robots work continuously without any humanity needs and illnesses

Robots have repeatable precision at all times

Robots can be much more accurate than humans; they may have mili or micro

inch accuracy.

Robots and their sensors can have capabilities beyond that of humans

Robots can process multiple stimuli or tasks simultaneously, humans can only one.

Robots replace human workers who can create economic problems


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DISADVANTAGES OF ROBOTS

Robots lack capability to respond in emergencies, this can cause:

Inappropriate and wrong responses

A lack of decision-making power

A loss of power

Damage to the robot and other devices

Human injuries

Robots may have limited capabilities in

Degrees of Freedom

Dexterity

Sensors

Vision systems

Real-time Response

Robots are costly, due to

Initial cost of equipment

Installation Costs

Need for peripherals

Need for training

Need for Programming


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APPLICATIONS OF ROBOTS

Automotive industry

Assembly

Medical laboratories

Medicine

Nuclear energy

Agriculture

Spatial exploration s

Underwater inspection

Customer service

Arts and entertainment


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Automotive Industry

Automotive industry is one of the most important partners in the development of

robotic technologies. In automotive industry the Robots are used for:

1. Welding of various parts

2. Robustness and precision of the assembly of

pieces

3. Manipulate very heavy loads

4. Found in painting rooms for spray painting. Robot in Automotive

Industry

5. Used for places that is hard to reach.

Assembly

Another strong partners is the assembly of manufactured products

1. Execute repetitive sequence of movement, boring,

demotivating and dangerous tasks at constant

performance.

2. Many tools are attached at the extremity of a

manipulator

3. Use the optimal sequence of operations.

4. Can monitor the quality assembly line with adapted enhance sensor technologies


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Medical

Medical laboratories are another place where repetitive tasks must be made.

1. Handling a large quantity of samples

2. Execution of analyses

3. Automatic systems with measurement apparatus.

4. Small mobile units can also take charge of moving the samples between

different parts of the room or services, thus eliminating the need for the

technician to continuously have to walk.

Nuclear energy

Nuclear generator installations are places where we can find a large number of robotic

applications.

Used for maintenance of nuclear reactors.

Used for the replacement of radioactive fuel tubes.

Seal off radioactive leakages in contaminated zones.

Cleaning and decontaminating radioactive areas without compromising the health of

workers was also necessary.

Agriculture

Robots have also found some applications in agriculture.

1. In Australia a robotic system has been developed for

sheep shearing

2. Robots for field sowing

3. Raisin and apple gathering


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Spatial exploration

Spatial probes sent for many years to explore and discover our universe

1. Like the Viking I and II probes sent to explore Mars

in 1976,

2. Telemanipulator used to collect samples of soil

3. The famous Canadian spatial manipulator Canada

arm mounted on American spaceships and the new space station remote

manipulator system (SSRMS) that is used to assemble the international space

station.

4. Mars Rover in 1998 explored the neighbor planet while being teleguided from

the Earth.

5. Provided an incredible amount of new information about this unknown

environment.

Underwater inspection:

Robots are used for under water inspection where human bodies cannot survive

1. Submersible robots have been used for many

years to explore sea beds.

2. Rescuing ship-wrecked persons

3. Retrieving black boxes of crashed planes.

4. Exploring deep sea and old wrecks in order to find their secrets.

5. Inspection of the flooded side of dams to detect the cracks

6. Inspect and maintain oil digging platforms


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Customer Service

Various machines have been developing to serve customers in a semiautomatic or fully

automatic way.

Automatic banking

Automatic Refueling station.

Arts and Entertainment

It is playing with sophisticated toys dedicated for funny applications.

1. Robots that are supposed to do house cleaning

2. AIBO, built by Sony, that have all the nice characteristics of a real dog but

Without its obvious disadvantages.

3. Remotely controlled robots used to do fun painting

4. Considered as a very positive and innovative way of evolution in robotics.

5. HONDAS ASIMO is a dancing robot which can interact with humans.


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ROBOTIC TELE SURGERY

Medical robotics is an active area of research on the application of computers

and robotic technology to surgery, in planning and execution of surgical operations and

in training of surgeons.

Robotic Telesurgery is a promising application of robotics to medicine, aiming

to enhance the dexterity and sensation of regular and minimally invasive surgery

through using millimeter-scale robotic manipulators under control of the surgeon. The

first generation of surgical robots is already being installed in a number of operating

rooms around the world. These aren't true autonomous robots that can perform surgical

tasks on their own, but they are lending a mechanical helping hand to surgeons.

Robotics is being introduced to medicine because they allow for unprecedented control

and precision of surgical instruments in minimally invasive procedures. These machines

still require a human surgeon to operate them and input instructions. Remote control and

voice activation are the methods by which these surgical robots are controlled.

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is a revolutionary surgical

technique. It is minimally invasive in the sense that the surgery is

performed with instruments and viewing equipment inserted through

small incisions rather than by making a large incision to expose and

provide access to the operation site. The main advantage of this

technique is the reduced trauma to healthy tissue, which is a leading

cause for patients' postoperative pain and long hospital stay. The

hospital stay and rest periods, and therefore the procedure costs, can

be significantly reduced with MIS, but MIS procedures are more


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demanding on the surgeon, requiring more difficult surgical

techniques.

Telesurgical tasks require high dexterity and fidelity during manipulation since

most of the manipulation is delicate. Therefore, the design requirements for the

teleoperation controllers are significantly different from classical teleoperation

applications. An important component of the teleoperator design is the quantization of

the human operator sensitivity and performance. This is necessary for providing the

specifications of the controller as well as measures to evaluate designs. It is also

important to have a control design methodology which systematically includes these

control design.

Here are three surgical robots that have been recently developed:

da Vinci Surgical System

ZEUS Robotic Surgical System

AESOP Robotic System

da Vinci system consists of two primary components:

A viewing and control console

A surgical arm unit

In using da Vinci for gallbladder surgery, three incisions -- no larger than the

diameter of a pencil -- are made in the patient's abdomen, which allows for three

stainless-steel rods to be inserted. The rods are held in place by three robotic arms. One

of the rods is equipped with a camera, while the other two are fitted with surgical


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instruments that are able to dissect and suture the tissue of the gallbladder. Unlike in

conventional surgery, these instruments are not directly touched by the doctor's hands.

Surgeon's view when using the da Vinci Surgical System

Sitting at the control console, a few feet from the operating table, the surgeon

looks into a viewfinder to examine the 3-D images being sent by the camera inside the

patient. The images show the surgical site and the two surgical instruments mounted on

the tips of two of the rods. Joystick-like controls, located just underneath the screen, are

used by the surgeon to manipulate the surgical instruments. Each time one of the

joysticks is moved, a computer sends an electronic signal to one of the instruments,

which moves in sync with the movements of the surgeon's hands.

It is important to mention at this point that there are other successful medical

applications of robotics. These include the ROBODOC system for orthopedic surgery,

which is an autonomous robotic system to perform total hip replacement surgery; the

image guided robotic system for micro-surgery and stereo tactic neurosurgery.

Advantages of Robotic Surgery

In today's operating rooms, you'll find two or three surgeons, an anesthesiologist

and several nurses, all needed for even the simplest of surgeries. Most surgeries require
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nearly a dozen people in the room. As with all automation, surgical robots will

eventually eliminate the need for some of those personnel. Taking a glimpse into the

future, surgery may require only one surgeon, an anesthesiologist and one or two nurses.

In this nearly empty operating room, the doctor will sit at a computer console, either in

or outside the operating room, using the surgical robot to accomplish what it once took a

crowd of people to perform.

The use of a computer console to perform operations from a distance opens up

the idea of tele-surgery, which would involve a doctor performing delicate surgery

miles away from the patient. If the doctor doesn't have to stand over the patient to

perform the surgery, and can remotely control the robotic arms at a computer station a

few feet from the patient, the next step would be performing surgery from locations that

are even farther away. If it were possible to use the computer console to move the

robotic arms in real-time, then it would be possible for a doctor in California to operate

on a patient in New York. A major obstacle in tele-surgery has been the time delay

between the doctors moving his or her hands to the robotic arms responding to those


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movements. Currently, the doctor must be in the room with the patient for robotic

systems to react instantly to the doctor's hand movements.

Having fewer personnel in the operating room and allowing doctors the ability to

operate on a patient long-distance could lower the cost of health care. In addition to cost

efficiency, robotic surgery has several other advantages over conventional surgery,

including enhanced precision and reduced trauma to the patient. For instance, heart

bypass surgery now requires that the patient's chest be "cracked" open by way of a 1-

foot (30.48-cm) long incision. However, with the da Vinci or ZEUS systems, it is

possible to operate on the heart by making three small incisions in the chest, each only

about 1 centimeter in diameter. Because the surgeon would make these smaller incisions

instead of one long one down the length of the chest, the patient would experience less

pain and less bleeding, which means a faster recovery.

Robotics also decreases the fatigue that doctors experience during surgeries that

can last several hours. Surgeons can become exhausted during those long surgeries, and

can experience hand tremors as a result. Even the steadiest of human hands cannot

match those of a surgical robot. The da Vinci system has been programmed to

compensate for tremors, so if the doctor's hand shakes the computer ignores it and keeps

the mechanical arm steady.

While surgical robots offer some advantages over the human hand, we are still a

long way from the day when autonomous robots will operate on people without human

interaction. But, with advances in computer power and artificial intelligence, it could be

that in this century a robot will be designed that can locate abnormalities in the human

body, analyze them and operate to correct those abnormalities without any human

guidance.
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ROBONAUTS

One of the most interesting things about space travel is the drama. Human

beings place themselves into amazing vehicles and travel into a completely hostile

environment that is almost beyond imagination, and then describe their experiences for

us in words and pictures. Landing on the moon would not have been quite the same

without the astronauts providing us with words to go along with grainy black and white

pictures of the lunar landscape.

However, the problem with human space exploration is that the human body is

too fragile for the harsh conditions of space. We have learned that space travel can take

its toll on astronauts. Temperatures in space can swing from 248 degrees Fahrenheit

(120 degrees Celsius) to -148 F (-100 C). There also isn't the Earth's atmosphere to

shield us from the sun's radiation. In order to survive, astronauts must wear bulky space

suits that cost about $12 million each. Space suits are not practical for an emergency

situation.

NASA has recognized the frailty of our bodies and is preparing a new breed of

astronauts to perform some of the more difficult tasks in space. These new space

explorers won't need space suits or oxygen to survive outside of spacecraft. These

Astronauts are called Robonauts which will assist humans in future space applications.


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Robonauts Body

The individual parts of a Robonaut are:

1. Head

2. Torso

3. Legs

4. Arms

5. Hands

Head -- Two small color video cameras are mounted in the headpiece that delivers

stereo vision to the astronaut operating the Robonaut. Stereo lithography was used to

make an epoxy-resin helmet to cover and protect the headpiece. The neck is jointed to

allow the head to turn side to side and up and down.

Robonaut's head


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Torso -- The torso provides a central unit for connecting the peripheral arm, head and

leg attachments. It also houses the control system, which is described in the next

section.

Leg -- The one part of the Robonauts design that deviates from the humanoid look is

that it has only one leg. The leg's only function is to provide support when the hands

are unable to.

Arms -- Just like its human counterparts, the Robonaut will have two arms that can

move in many directions and have a greater range than our own arms. The arms will

be equipped with more than 150 sensors each and will be densely packed with joints.

Space-rated motors, harmonic drives and fail-safe brakes will be integrated into each

arm.

Hands -- Perhaps the most impressive parts of the Robonaut are its hands. Its hands

are the closest to the size and ability of human hands inside a space suit. The jointed

hand may even exceed the movements of a suited human hand. Fourteen brushless

motors to power each hand are inside the eight-inch-long forearm. The hand has four

fingers and an opposable thumb. The hand was designed with five digits so that it

would be compatible with tools designed for humans.

Exploded diagram of a Robotic arm


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The primary purpose of Robonaut is to do what humans can't -- make a quick

escape from a spacecraft to an environment with no oxygen. It can depart the spacecraft

in the fraction of the time that a human astronaut can. In an emergency situation, when

timing is crucial to survival, the Robonaut could save lives of future space voyagers.

Robonaut won't be limited to use in space. It could also be used to go into hazardous

locations on Earth in place of humans, like volcanoes and nuclear plants.

Robonaut will be powered by PowerPC processors, which has been used in

other space applications. The processors will run the VxWorks real-time operating

system. NASA says that this combination offers flexible computing and could support

varied development activities. The system's software is written in C and C++.

ControlShell software is used to aid the development process and provides a graphical

development environment, which enhances researchers understanding of the system and

code.


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CONCLUSION

Robots are going to play a very significant part in our daily life. Like computers

in the 20 th century Robots are going to be common house hold items in future. With

the development of computers, semiconductor technology Robotics will grow in leaps

and bounds. They will find applications in almost all areas and become universal. There

are expected times when Robots will over power mankind in future. The ethnicity of

providing intelligence to robots is questioned but future is the answer to this question. It

is for us to wait and see whether the creators or the creation will rule the world.


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REFERENCE

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/robot.htm

www.seas.upenn.edu/~meam100/handouts/robotics.pdf

http://engineering-ed.org/Robotics/documents

www.site.uottawa.ca/~rabielmo/miniCourse

palash vajpai, robotics and its application

Documents