Robotics Technology: Robots and their Application

Terminology regarding basic robotics concepts, history, robot types, and specific electronic components used in Robotics Technology.

Robot

A type of automated machine created to reduce human effort by executing specific tasks with minimal or no human intervention.

Robotics

A field of science that deals with robot design, engineering, and operation.

Karel Capek

The Czech writer who first coined the word “ROBOT” in $1921$.

Isaac Asimov

The individual who formulated the “Three Laws of Robotics” in $1942$.

Sensing

A characteristic of a robot describing how it gathers information using sensors that act as its eyes and ears.

Intelligence

The robot's computer brain, such as an Arduino, which reads sensor data and follows programmed code.

Movement

The physical action a robot takes using motors and wheels to move around or manipulate objects.

Energy

The electrical power supply, such as a battery, required to keep all parts of the robot working.

Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs)

Smart, moving robots that navigate independently and steer around obstacles using cameras and sensors.

Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs)

Moving robots that follow fixed paths, such as magnetic strips or tracks, to carry heavy items.

Articulated Robots

Stationary factory robots with flexible mechanical arms used for welding, painting, or assembly.

Humanoids

Robots designed with a body, head, arms, and legs to look and move like a human being.

Hybrids

Combination robots that merge styles, such as mounting a flexible robotic arm onto a moving wheelbase.

Arduino Uno R3

The main microcontroller board that acts as the brain, processing code logic and controlling attached components.

$830$ Tie-Points Breadboard

A solderless construction base featuring internal spring clips for quick electrical wire prototyping.

USB Cable

Connects the microcontroller board to a computer for serial communication data monitoring and firmware uploading.

$9V$ Battery Connector with DC Jacket

A portable power adapter clip that couples a standard battery shell to a barrel jack input.

$65$ Jumper Wires

Pre-cut, solid-core male-to-male connection links used to bridge power rails or signal rows on breadboards.

Female-to-Male Dupont Wires

Flexible multi-color ribbon extension lines with socket terminals on one side and pins on the other.

74HC595 Shift Register IC

An integrated circuit chip used to convert serial input arrays into parallel outputs to save processing pins.

Ultrasonic Sensor

An acoustic distance measurement system with twin transducers that calculates clearance via sound wave echolocation.

DHT11 Temperature & Humidity Module

A composite sensor module equipped with a resistive humidity component and an NTC temperature measure element.

LM35DZ Temperature Sensor

A precise, linear TO-92 package chip whose analog output scale is directly proportional to $Celsius$ degrees.

Photoresistor / Photocell

Light-sensitive resistors with resistance curves determined by incoming ambient brightness levels.

Flame Sensor

A high-sensitivity photo-receiver component responsive to light wavelengths found inside flame spectrums.

Sound Sensor Module

An acoustic microphone matching card with an onboard logic chip comparator to track room noise spikes.

Water Level Detection Module

Features parallel traces that read water depth dynamically based on resistance changes when submerged.

Tilt Ball Switch

Metallic roller-ball housing modules that close an internal contact loop when oriented past a specific gravitational slope axis.

IR Receiver Sensor

An optical detector component tuned to process modulated code pulses from external wireless controllers.

RC522 RFID Module

A high-frequency radio communication reader that interfaces wirelessly with electronic key cards and access tags.

Keyboard

A $16$-key matrix membrane grid layout designed for coordinate system inputs or digital passcode entries.

Joystick Module

A dual-potentiometer thumbstick providing $X$ and $Y$ analog coordinate voltage readings and an integrated button.

Potentiometer / $10K$ Knob

A three-terminal variable resistor used to scale control voltages manually via a rotary knob dial.

LCD 1602 Module

An alphanumeric dot matrix display showcasing up to $16$ characters across $2$ separate reading rows.

Matrix Tube

An $8 \times 8$ matrix cluster compiling $64$ independent red LEDs for visual frame icons or character indexing.

$4$-Digit $7$-Segment LED Display

A multiplexed multi-character numerical display element containing four grouped segments for clock or stop-watch use.

Servo Motor / SG90

A geared positioning motor designed to execute precise angular tracking loops between $0$ and $180$ degrees.

Stepper Motor

An electromagnetic motor assembly that translates drive current steps into precise incremental mechanical rotations.

Motor Driver Module

A peripheral control module supplying high-power output amplification streams to drive motor phases safely.

Relay / $1$ Channel Module

An electromagnetic isolation switch module using a low-power digital signal to govern high-voltage branch circuits.

RGB Module

An integrated board with red, green, and blue terminals to output custom blended illumination tones.