SECTION 2: THE PURPOSE AND USE OF ROBOTS
1.
Robots have
been designed for range of purposes. Provide a discussion of the purposes of robots and describe the two key areas they have been designed for (p. 249 to
250)
All robots
are designed for a purpose whether the task is simple, complex it requires a
degree of intelligence. There are two types of robots; Adaptive “smart” robots
and Non-adaptive “dumb” robots. Smart robots are used to operate under
programmed control and are able to gain knowledge as they perform a task. Dumb
robots although do repetitive tasks well but will learn nothing when they
perform the tasks and will keep on carrying out their operations continuously.
Two key areas
they have been designed to be used for are exploration and
maintenance/repair. Robots in
exploration are used as space is a hostile environment where if human labour is
used, it is both costly and complex. This makes the use of robots more
scientifically appropriate as they are able to stay on the planet for extensive
amounts of time compared to human that have only limited, physical abilities.
Tasks that exploration robots may undertake are transport, maintenance and
surveying of devices on the planets. An example of a robot that has been used
for space exploration purposes is the Sojourner that was sent as part of the
Mars exploration trip by NASA in 1997.
Maintenance
and repair is another key area of where robots are used with an example of
robots being applied into the field of management are maintenance of railway
systems, a job that is very time consuming, tedious and dangerous for humans,
robots are used instead as an alternative and safe method in managing this
sector. On a railway system, robots are programmed to run along the overhead
stanchions/ the tracks themselves to do track work providing feedback and photos
of the track faults back to the railway management centre.
2.
Complete
the
following table;
Robot use
|
Advantages
of using robot in this role
|
Identify
and describe repetitive and dangerous tasks involved
|
Picture of
a robot performing the role
|
Exploration (give e.g’s)
|
Reduce cost and complexity of space
missions.
|
Exploration, transport, maintenance,
surveying, scientific collection tasks.
|
A space probe
![]() |
Assembly-line (give e.g’s)
|
To reduce time and improve efficiency
of products being made in the assembly line.
|
Welding, cutting and unloading of
heavy materials.
|
![]() |
Maintenance & repair (give
e.g’s)
|
Reduce time; improve quality and
efficiency of the job at hand.
E.g. Railway system maintenance.
|
Conducting tests for faults and
welding of gaps in the rails at the same time trains are scheduled on the
lines.
|
![]() |
3.
The use of
robots in the military is becoming more common. Based on the knowledge you have
learnt above, explain why the
use of robots in the military is becoming more prevalent. Include some pictures
of military robots.
The use of
robots in the military and the warzone has become more prevalent over the
recent years because these robots have the ability over humans to take on jobs
that are of too much of an opposed risk. Example: A human exploring a large
field that is supposedly full of land mines.
These robots
also have the capability to perform missions remotely in the fields that some
of these designated locations of investigation are of far in reach without
endangering any human lives. Robots have also been developed to withstand more
weaponised damage than humans. Through the use of robots it gives greater
chances of success of the mission especially in dangerous environments. In the
instance of where a robot is shut down, the military have the ability to just
simply roll out another one.
Below are
some examples of military robots used in the field:
![Description: http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/4245/0209feat1b.png](file:///C:/Users/BENGLE~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image007.jpg)
![Description: http://www.engineersgarage.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/Original/wysiwyg_imageupload/1/Military-Robotics-1_0.jpg](file:///C:/Users/BENGLE~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image009.jpg)
4.
Please
undertake some research and add a
video in this location that highlights the use of a military robot. Provide a
brief description of the robot
under the picture.
![](file:///C:/Users/BENGLE~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image011.jpg)
5.
Describe 3 social and ethical issues that can arise from using robots in the
military. Add some appropriate pictures to highlight the issues you raise... a
few examples below.
Changing nature of work- As humans have traditionally
been known to fight on the front lines of a war, but robots due to emerging
technologies are beginning to replace them with this aiding to the process of
changing the nature of war with robots. Due to the development of robotic
weapons it has changed power capacity in which many armies have in which they
feel more protected in doing so. Military robots have also led to the issue of
unemployment for men and women that are wishing to enter the force to train and
fight for their country with machines replacing humans who fight on the front
lines in wars.
![Description: http://www.article36.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/3robots.jpg](file:///C:/Users/BENGLE~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image012.jpg)
Health and safety- As robots require laboratory development;
some of these robots contain harmful substances such as radioactive material
and highly toxic and poisonous liquids and gases. With humans in the labs there
has been a raising concern of possible serious injuries and sickness that may occur
because of the robots capabilities if not kept under 100% control and handled
with not enough precaution.
![Description: http://www.constructionstore.co.uk/catalog/images/ss/cache/W06YWS.180240.jpg](file:///C:/Users/BENGLE~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image014.jpg)
![Description: http://consumerguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/safety-sign-poison1.jpg](file:///C:/Users/BENGLE~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image016.jpg)
Technical issue/terrorism threat- As robots are being
developed around the globe with information on how to develop these robots being
spread at a rapid rate, there is potential threats to national security and
even international peace if the robotic technology is placed in the wrong hands
in which could result in major terrorist activity for example: Chemical weapons
and missiles in Syria and land mines in Cambodia.
![Description: http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4576516487187016&pid=1.7](file:///C:/Users/BENGLE~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image018.jpg)
![Description: http://www.chronicle.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Syria-chemical-weapons.jpg](file:///C:/Users/BENGLE~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image020.jpg)
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