How many times have you seen the Matrix or another movie depicting friction between humans and robots, wondering what if this happens for real in the future?
Why don’t we think the same way after watching movies that show a world where humans and robots co-exist together peacefully?

In truth, we aren’t meant to live side by side with robots but… humans are meant to make use of robots for the greater good of the world.

What Is a Robot

Coined by a Czech novelist Karl Capek, the word robot means ‘servant or worker’ in Czech. Rest of the developed world also views robots as a programmable helper and multi-functional operator.

A robot can be designed to perform numerous tasks and applications, which is why this invention is now used in majority of industries today. Additionally, no one robot is alike yet building concepts of all robots are almost the same. The following characteristics are shared by almost all robots.

Sensing

Just as humans, a robot needs to sense it surroundings first before acting or reacting to a command. Additionally, it will do this in a similar way to ours yet requires some enhancements before being able to sense environmentally accurately.

This is why many robots are given eyes (light sensors), hand (touch and pressure sensors), tongue (taste sensors), ears (hearing and sonar sensors), and nose (chemical sensors).

Movement

A robot without legs is a useless piece of machinery that can only be dragged from point to point to get the job done. A robot without legs and movement cannot help in anyway – this piece of metal needs movement either through wheels or walking on is wheels or propelling by thrust power.

Artificial Intelligence

The world is advancing at an unprecedented rate all because of artificial intelligence. A robot in today’s Australia needs some kinds of smart to be considered valuable and useful humans. This is where programming comes in the picture.

There are a number of programming languages that are used when designing robots.

How Are Robots Changing The World?

An experiment conducted by a professor in the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering combines the game Angry Birds and a smart tablet to teach robot new skills. And no, engineers and computer scientists aren’t programming this robot but children playing the game.

Work on the humanoid robot is being sponsored by the National Science Foundation (USA), intending to serve as a rehabilitation and therapy tool for kids with disabilities.

Additionally, Australia based Aerobotics Global Institute offers comprehensive after-school programs where kids can learn robotics, growing with an interest in this fascinating subject.

Are your children interested in STEM education and love to build LEGO robots? Take them a step higher by enrolling in the iRobots program at the institute!