Robotics

A non-adaptive robot is that will follow the instructions it is given despite changes in the environment. It will only stoop until it is shut it down by a human operator.

Non-adaptive robots are also known as open-loop systems, as they don't receive feedback from the environment and is hence incapable of making decisions and altering the output

Non-adaptive robots are commonly used in the industry for many tasks, including welding a spot, putting steel into a furnace and drilling a hole. They may be reprogrammable, which means that they may alter their tasks by accepting new instructions. This is, however, only possible when the robot is equipped to perform the new task.

An adaptive robot is a robot that is capable of making decisions based on feedback from the environment, forming the basics for reasoning and intelligent reactions. The input received by a closed-loop system can produce a range of outputs, which depends on additional feedback from the environment. They are also called closed-loop systems, as they use output from their systems to control the behaviour of their systems.

An adaptive robot will need to sore a knowledge base of all the available outputs. Its sensors provide the robot with feedback on the changes in the environment. This will alter the processing carried to the robot and its behaviour so that it can adapt to the changes.

Smart robots are robots that operate under programed control and are able to learn as they perform their tasks. They are used in scientific exploration and deactivating bombs.

On the other hand, dumb robots are non-adaptive robots that are used to perform repetitive tasks and learn nothing during the process. These robots are valued for their efficiency for performing industrial jobs that are repetitive or dangerous.

Robots have changed our lives because they do some things we need to do which is our tasks and it makes life easier. They start or finsh a job we have not completed. They change our life because now we mqay sit back and relax. They help us when we need them.

We are not yet capable of creating an Artificial Intelligence (AI) computer program that can accommodate the requirements of working in society. Instead, modern robots perform basic manufacturing tasks or other basic tasks for which they have been SPECIFICALLY programmed.

Example: bomb detonation robots that are used to retrieve and detonate suspected explosive devices are little more than remote controlled vehicles with TV camera(s), sensors and manipulators that can pick up a package. An operator controls the vehicle remotely to retrieve the suspicious package and if possible, place it in a bomb-proof container where it is then detonated.

The advantage: people are not placed in unnecessary danger as the robot disposes of the bomb.

Another example: Welding and painting robots in the auto manufacturing industry are able to quickly and efficiently paint vehicle bodies as they pass through the paint chamber or welding facility. The robotic device assure that the process is performed accurately and quickly, saving time and producing a higher quality product.

A good argument could be made for describing the "cruise control" on an automobile as a robotic device.

Simply stated, robots are devices that are able to perform basic tasks with no or minimal human presence. The bomb control robot is controlled by a human who is SAFELY operating the device quite a distance from the danger. The welding and painting robots are supervised by an operator in a computer control room. And the cruise control of a vehicle allows the vehicle operator to remove his/her foot from the accelerator pedal.

The romanticized version of robotics that is portrayed in movies and children's books, does a disservice to human intelligence and sanity.