Table of contents for Future Genius: Robots in Future Genius: Robots

What type of jobs can robots do in a factory? Some factory robots handle materials and parts, moving materials or parts from one place to another. Often, this job is simple but repetitive. A robot might pick up one part from a conveyor and put it on another. Another robot might place parts onto a pallet in a specific arrangement. Robots also load and unload parts at a production machine. These models have special grippers that allow them to grab each part. Factory robots can also manipulate and use tools. For example, a robot can be programmed to weld parts or spray-paint objects. To do this, the robot is designed to hold a welding tool or a spray gun. Robots also perform tasks such as sanding, grinding or polishing in…

The next time you are on the operating table, a robot may be helping with your surgery! With robots, doctors can perform complex surgeries with more precision and control. Doctors sometimes use robots with cameras and robotic arms that can hold surgical tools. The surgeon sits at a computer console near the operating table and controls the robotic arms. The computer gives the surgeon a 3D magnified view of the surgery. Often, surgeries using robotic systems can be done with only tiny incisions. Patients lose less blood, have less pain and usually recover faster. For example, using the da Vinci Surgical System, surgeons use a computer console to move robotic arms that hold tiny instruments and move like human hands. The tiny instruments allow the surgeon to make only a few…

Space travel is dangerous. Humans have only travelled to the moon, but robots can travel a lot farther. Robot explorers have travelled to every planet in our solar system, and some have travelled on missions even further into space. Space robots come in different sizes and shapes. Some space robots are satellites that orbit Earth and send signals back to humans. Another type, called an orbiter, takes pictures as it moves around a planet. Landers land on a planet, take photos and gather data from their landing spots. Space rovers can also land on planets, but they move to explore the planet’s surface and collect data. Probes use cameras and sensors to measure conditions on planets, moons and in outer space, and some robots help astronauts in space. For example,…

Domestic robots are designed to perform chores and tasks at home. One of the most common domestic robots is the smart vacuum. This robot moves over the floors, cleaning carpet, hardwood, tiles and more. The robot’s sensors detect furniture and other obstacles and move the robot around them. A rechargeable battery pack usually powers these robots. Are you tired of mowing the lawn? Get a robot to do it! Robotic lawnmowers use buried wires that form a boundary and defines the mowing area. You can relax while the robot moves back and forth, mowing the lawn. When its battery needs a charge, the robotic mower will automatically head back to its base to recharge. Drop a robot into your pool, and it will automatically clean away dirt and grime. Other…

The cruise ship MSC Virtuosa has a new bartender named Rob. Rob speaks eight languages, dances, knows his space trivia and mixes a great cocktail drink. Rob is also a robot; the first humanoid bartender at sea. When you ask for a drink, Rob recognises your language and responds. He has several facial expressions that match his speech and make him appear more human-like. To help Rob make great cocktails, developers fitted an expert human bartender and put sensors on him. The sensors gathered data that was used to program Rob’s drink-making skills. Rob is an example of a humanoid robot. Humanoids are robots that look a nd act like humans. Advanced humanoids can talk and walk like humans, and even show many emotions. Today, some humanoid robots work as…

Robots may look different, but they all have the same basic parts. A robot’s computer acts like a brain. It uses instructions programmed by the robot’s operator to control the robot, telling it what to do and how to do it. The robot’s computer is usually inside the robot’s body. Sometimes, a robot can be controlled remotely by people who give it precise instructions. Robots also have a power source that supplies the energy it needs to move and perform its job. Many robots use batteries for power, while others plug into the wall for electricity. Some robots use solar power or fuel cells. Many robots use sensors to gather information from their environment. Robots use cameras to help them see as they move. Cameras also help robots find objects…

SAVING NOTRE DAME In 2019, a major fire did a lot of damage to the famous Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. The Colossus robot, a remote-controlled firefighting robot, was an important part of saving the cathedral. When the fire raged, the Colossus moved into the most dangerous areas, put out flames, and cleared away debris that could have harmed human firefighters. After the fire, excavator robots helped to carry away debris as workers began the process of clean up and rebuilding the cathedral. WORDSEARCH Can you find all these words? DISARM DRONE MILITARY MINEFIELD SPY BOMB PACKBOT MISSION BOT JOKE Q: WHY DO ROBOTS MAKE BAD TEACHERS? A: THEY JUST DRONE ON AND ON! MAZE Help the Packbot find a safe pathway through the minefield! FIND THE MISSING NUMBERS…

UNDERWATER MATH An AUV is mapping part of the ocean floor. Fill in the missing numbers to complete the data it is sending to scientists. • The missing values are the whole numbers between 1 and 9. • Each number is only used once. • Each row is a maths equation. • Each column is a maths equation. • Remember that multiplication and division are performed before addition and subtraction. FILL IN THE DATA Hint: Use the missing numbers in order right to left, top to bottom to complete the data. ANSWERS: 9, 8, 6, 2, 1, 3, 4 WHO AM I? Match the robot with its description 1. I HELP ASTRONAUTS AT THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION WHO AM I? 2. I AM A HUMANOID ROBOT BUILT FOR SPACE WHO…

Around the world, humanoid robots can be found in research labs, factories, hospitals, businesses and homes. Ameca is an example of an advanced humanoid robot. Scientists at the company Engineered Arts use Ameca to test artificial intelligence and machine learning systems. Ameca naturally interacts with humans, and can recognise faces and voices and detect a person’s emotions and age. Ameca communicates back and uses common facial expressions. It can even yawn and shrug like a real person. Have you ever seen a robot do a backflip? Atlas can! Atlas is a humanoid robot designed by Boston Dynamics. Along with the backflips, Atlas can leap and move at speeds greater than eight kilometres per hour. Roboticists at the company use Atlas to research and improve human movement, agility and coordination. One of the…

For thousands of years, people have been dreaming about and inventing robot machines. In the 3rd century BCE, people in Ancient Greece and China built lifelike mechanical objects such as puppets and birds. These objects were called automatons. They used power from water, steam or – later – steel springs to make them move. One of the earliest automatons was a wooden bird built by Greek scientist Archytas of Tarentum around 350 BCE. The bird could flap its wings and travel a short distance along a cable. Automatons were popular for several centuries. Scientists and engineers built different automatons. In the late 15th century, inventor and artist Leonardo da Vinci built a mechanical lion. He also designed a human-like robot knight. His design used pulleys and gears to move the…

Working at a factory or warehouse can be pretty dull and repetitive. You pick up a shoe and put it in a box, then you pick up another shoe and put it in another box. For some workers, it’s the same mindless task over and over again. At other times, jobs in factories and warehouses can be dangerous. Heavy machines constantly run, conveyor belts never stop, and welding torches send showers of sparks into the air. That’s where robots come to the rescue! Many robots work in factories and warehouses. While they will never completely replace human workers, robots perform many jobs that are too boring or dangerous for humans. Robots can also work for hours on end without a break. Engineers plan how robots will work in a factory…

In Spokane, Washington, a robot named Moxi works in the hospital. Moxi is about 1.2 metres tall, moves around the hospital and runs errands for nurses, such as takeing samples to the laboratory, getting equipment and delivering medication to doctors and nurses. Moxi uses its pincer arm to press elevator buttons and pick up items, and has drawers for carrying objects. While Moxi does not replace nurses, it gives them more time to spend on patient care. Moxi is just one type of robot at work in healthcare. Robots are used in operating rooms, hospitals and clinics. They perform many jobs to help healthcare workers. For example, robots can clean and prep patient rooms, run errands for nurses and deliver medicine to patients. They can even assist doctors in surgeries.…

Imagine that a bomb is discovered in a building or a toxic chemical has spilled in a factory, or maybe a building has collapsed with survivors trapped inside. Perhaps soldiers on the front lines need information about buried explosives or an advancing enemy force. Who do you send into these dangerous places? Robots can do the job! Robots are often used to go places and do tasks that are too dangerous for people. These robots often work for the military, police departments and search-and-rescue teams. Some robots are autonomous, while a person remotely controls others. The robots use cameras to scan an area. Sensors detect toxic chemicals, radiation or explosives. Sometimes, robots even risk their lives by deactivating bombs and other explosives. When a situation is too risky for a…

Humans have always been fascinated with exploring the unknown. What is in the furthest reaches of space? What lurks in the deepest parts of the ocean? We want to know! But exploring these extremes on Earth and in space can be very dangerous, and sometimes it is too risky for humans. That’s when a robot can lead the way and explore places where humans cannot go. Robots make good explorers. They can do a lot of things that human explorers cannot do – for example, explore harsh environments, withstand extreme temperatures and high radiation levels where humans cannot survive, and explore places like outer space and under the ocean, where there is little oxygen for humans to breathe. Sending a robot into space or the ocean is cheaper than using a…

Do you need some help around the house? Never fear; a robot can do the job! As technology improves, robots are becoming more common in our daily lives. Robots help with boring, repetitive chores. They clean pools, vacuum floors and even mow the lawn. Social robots provide companionship to the elderly and sick. Robot toys entertain people of all ages. Some robots can even help you with your homework! These are just a few of the ways robots help us at home. Scientists are working to develop robots for other uses. Some day, you might have a robot make your meals, take out the rubbish and make your bed. In the future, robots at home may act as home health aids for people who are sick or recovering from surgery.…