2. Explain - Robot Body Design

Definitions change over time

The definition of a robot changes over time. There was a time when people considered their dishwasher a robot - some still do! A simple and potentially abstract way of thinking about a robot is that it exists in our physical world (not digital) to perform a particular task. When you think of it that way, a dishwasher is still a robot. Think about how you would define what is and isn’t a robot.

There are many variations of robots. For example, there are robots that work on production lines, social robots, and assistive robots. We’ll look at a variety of different robots, but before we do, we will discuss aspects of robot design to consider and the impacts of those choices.

Impact of design choices

When designing a robot body, you must consider many elements including:

sensors
size
capabilities

Sensors

What sensors are necessary for the robot to perform its tasks? How does that change depending on how the robot body is controlled?
What are the implications of adding certain sensors, such as cameras or microphones, on robots?

Size

How should we decide the robot’s size?
How does robot size affect cost?
How does robot size affect how it is perceived?

Capabilities

What capabilities should the robot have to perform its tasks?
What are the implications or consequences of adding those capabilities?

Interactive Examples

Examine some robots and discuss why designers may have made the decisions they did. Consider reviewing the ABOT Database or the Robots Explorer for images of robots. An important aspect of robots is seeing them interact however, so we’ve included some videos below for you to check out:

Relevant Videos:

Robots