Robotics & Automation

This book presents a wide and comprehensive range of issues and problems in various fields of science and engineering, from both theoretical and applied perspectives. The desire to develop more effective and efficient tools and techniques for dealing with complex processes and systems has been a natural inspiration for the emergence of numerous fields of science and technology, in particular control and automation and, more recently, robotics. The contributions gathered here concern the development of methods and algorithms to determine best practices regarding broadly perceived decisions or controls. From an engineering standpoint, many of them focus on how to automate a specific process or complex system.

Understand the current and future research into technologies that underpin the increasing capabilities of automation technologies and their impact on the working world of the future. Automation and Collaborative Robotics explores the output of current research projects that are improving the building blocks of an automated world. Research into collaborative robotics (cobotics) is merging digital, audio, and visual data to generate a commonly held view between cobots and their human collaborators. Low-power machine learning at the edge of the network can deliver decision making on cobots or to their manipulations. Topics covered in this book include: Robotic process automation, chatbots, and their impact in the near future The hype of automation and headlines leading to concerns over the future of work Component technologies that are still in the research labs Foundational technologies and collaboration that will enable many tasks to be automated with human workers being re-skilled and displaced rather than replaced.

This open access book bridges the gap between playing with robots in school and studying robotics at the upper undergraduate and graduate levels to prepare for careers in industry and research. Robotic algorithms are presented formally, but using only mathematics known by high-school and first-year college students, such as calculus, matrices and probability. Concepts and algorithms are explained through detailed diagrams and calculations. Elements of Robotics presents an overview of different types of robots and the components used to build robots, but focuses on robotic algorithms: simple algorithms like odometry and feedback control, as well as algorithms for advanced topics like localization, mapping, image processing, machine learning and swarm robotics. These algorithms are demonstrated in simplified contexts that enable detailed computations to be performed and feasible activities to be posed. Students who study these simplified demonstrations will be well prepared for advanced study of robotics.

One-of a kind and exhaustive major robotics resource with a broad range of topics organized in an easy to access A-Z format. Perfect addition to the award-winning chapter-based Springer Handbook of Robotics. Useful for multiple audiences – both general and specialized.

This book is an attempt to address this wide topic with a multi-disciplinary approach. Nowadays, robotics is developing at a much faster pace than ever in the past, both inside and outside industrial environments. While other publications focus on describing the theoretical basis of robot motion, this book pays special attention to explain the fundamentals through real applications. Thus, it represents a perfect combination for studying this topic along with other theoretical books. Each chapter has been authored by experts in specific areas spanning from the mechanics of machinery to control theory, informatics, mechatronics. Chapters have been divided into two sections. The first one is aiming to give a theoretical background. The second section is focused on applications.

A concise, accessible introduction to robots, what they can do, what they can't, and what their increasing encroachment into our lives might mean for us. Since the turn of the millennium a quiet revolution has been underway. Millions of autonomous robots with some level of intelligence are now in domestic use, mainly as vacuum cleaners. Driverless cars - which are nothing less than autonomous robots - are starting to appear on our streets. There is a huge effort underway in industry and universities to develop the next generation of more intelligent, autonomous, mobile robots.

The second edition of this handbook provides a state-of-the-art overview on the various aspects in the rapidly developing field of robotics. Reaching for the human frontier, robotics is vigorously engaged in the growing challenges of new emerging domains. Interacting, exploring, and working with humans, the new generation of robots will increasingly touch people and their lives. The credible prospect of practical robots among humans is the result of the scientific endeavour of a half a century of robotic developments that established robotics as a modern scientific discipline.

Theory of Applied Robotics: Kinematics, Dynamics, and Control presents detailed robotics concepts at a theoretical-practical level, concentrating on their practical use. Related theorems and formal proofs are provided, as are real-life applications. This new edition is completely revised, and includes updated and expanded example sets and problems and new materials. This textbook is designed for undergraduate or first-year graduate programs in mechanical, systems, and industrial engineering. Practicing engineers, researchers, and related professionals will appreciate the book's user-friendly presentation of a wealth of robotics topics, most notably in 3D kinematics and dynamics of manipulator robots.