Robotics
What is a Robot?
Crash Course Engineering describes a robot as "a machine designed to interact with its environment, make an appropriate decision based on those surroundings, and then carry out the jobs related to its goal, all automatically". Basically, robots are programmed to perform specific tasks, often the dangerous or tedious tasks that could be harmful to humans. Consider a robot arm lifting heavy auto equipment.
Watch this video to learn how robots impact jobs, and why they haven't taken over the world...yet. Then check out the Additional Resources below:
Additional Resources:
- What is a Robot? (Institute of Electrical and Electornics Engineers)
- Next Generation of Robots (YouTube): ColdFusion shows the future of robotics while exploring cutting edge reserach labs.
- Robots aren't stealing our jobs, says the World Bank's chief economist: The World Economic Forum provides this and many other articles predicting the future impact of automation.
- What is Automation? IBM Describes the different types of automation and how it is impacting industries.
- How Robots Work: Dig deeper into the guts of how robots work in this guide from HowStuffWorks.
Real World Solutions
Start thinking about how robots can do some good in the world. Watch this video to see how robotics is impacting farming, then check out the additional resources to see examples from other industries:
Additional Resources:
- The Farming Robots of Tomorrow are Here Today (YouTube- Engadget)
- Robots in Manufacturing: Acieta specializes in robotic solutions. Here they describe how and why to use robotics in manufacturing.
- Construction Robots Will Change the Industry Forever (Robotic Industries Association)
- Meet Fred: This robot cleans debris out of the ocean. Thanks Fred!
- Is the Robot Revolution Close?: Industry Week talks about the capabilities and limications of robotics in real use cases during the pandemic.
What Could Go Wrong?
Like many other technologies, the primary concerns about robotics center around privacy, security, automation, and the future of work. Keep in mind that this is not the first time a new technology has been introduced to the world. While some jobs may be automated, other jobs will be created. The same privacy and security concerns that impact artificial intelligence also applies to robotics as AI is incorporated into many robotics tools.
Check out this video about The Future of Your Job in the Age of AI- Robots & Us, from WIRED, then check out the Additional Resourcs to learn more below.
Additional Resources:
- Will Robots Steal Our Jobs? The World Economic Forum tels both sides of the story.
- Automation and Inequality: MIT shows how job-replacing tech can increase the income gap.
- AI, Machine Learning and Robotics: Privacy, Security Issues: (Bank Info. Security)
- AI, Robotics, and Ethics in the Age of COVID-19 (MIT Sloan Management Review)
- Protecting Privacy in an AI-Driven World (Brookings)
How Robots are Made
In robotics teams in schools and libraries, we often focus in on the design and development of just the robot. However, that is just a small piece of the puzzle. How will this robot be used by people in different industries? How is automation implemented in organizations? Who are the people behind the robots?
Learn about the design, development and implementation of robotics in the real world, and the teams of people that make the whole things possible.
This information will come in handy if you want to build a robotics-based solution in your community and want to learn how it's made, or want to provide educational opportunities for people to get started in robotics.
Resources:
- Build an In-House Robotics Team Part II- Assign Roles and Responsibilities: This blog from Robotiq describes the people behind the robot, and how each individual contributes to the team.
- Robotics Design Proess: Galileo Education describes the process of how robots are designed and developed to meet a real need.
- Overview of the Engineering Design Process: Boys' Life featured Vex Robotics design process.
- How to Design Robots for Adoptibility, Automation Use Cases: Robotics Business Review digs deeper into the importance of understanding the environment in which the robot will be operating.
- Robot-Ready: Adopting a new generation of industrial robots: PWC digs into the six major things any company should consider before adopting new tech.
- 8 Critical Steps for a Successful Autonomous Mobile Robotics Implementation: Robotics Business Review describes the major steps necessary to plan and implement robotics. Consider this in your design process.
- The Most Significant Challenges of Robotic Automation for 2020: Robotic Industries Association shows why robotics has not infiltrated every industry just yet.
- Automate Repetitive Tasks: IBM provides use cases and guides to Robotics Process Automation. They offer a suite of services and implementation assistance.
Try it in the Library
Robotics activities are incredibly popular in the library with plenty of resources available. Try these resources to get started:
- Robot Activity Sheets: Try these fun activity worksheets make by the experts at the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers.
- Best Robotics Apps & Websites for STEM Classrooms This resource from Common Sense Education has something for all ages.
- VEX Robotics: Find options for kindergarten up through high school with curriculum and robotics competion options to ge tthe most out of the experience.
- Make Wonder Robotics: Find Cue, Dash and Dot robots to help both kids and adults learn the basics of design thinking and robotics. Check out a Cue robot through the Nebraska Library Commission!
- Robot Virtual Worlds: Use this high-end simulation environment to learn programming and robotics without the robot! Includes simulation environments for VEX, Lego, and Tetrix robots.
- Raspberry Pi: Check out these activities from Raspberry Pi to dapple in robotics. Their other coding and circuitry projects are fun as well!
- Edx: If you want to dive deeper, or introduce adults to robotics, search for "robotics" on Edx. Audit or earn an online certificate from top universities.
- Coursera: Similar to Edx, you can explore plenty of courses in robotics or related fields. Some you can audit for free, others can be upgraded to earn a certificate.
- The Ultimate Guide for Learning Robotics at Home: RobotShop provides a guide to help beginners, intermediate and advanced robotics learners get started and keep going with robotics. The guide includes recommended kits and tutorials.
Feel free to search for Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, or other related technology if it strikes your fancy.
Learning Communities
The best way to learn about robotics, or any other technology, is to surround yourself with people who are already immersed in that world. Find a local or online community and start asking questions. Feel free to try multiple groups to find what works for you!
Online Learning Communities:
- Edx: Join a class and start learning from professors and fellow learners.
- Coursera: Try out this online learning commmunity for a different approach.
- Robohub offers learning opportunities, podcasts, and experts who will guide startups in the right direction. Contribute to the community, or find ways to learn from the best.
- RobotShop Community: Join the largest community of robotics enthusiasts for free.
This is only a sampling of online robotics communities. Other communities are starting and stopping on a continual basis. Feel free to seek out local resources as well.