A robot is a machine. It can sense what is around it. Then it can decide what to do and do it.
A robot has sensors. They find out about the world. Its computer decides. Its motors, called actuators, make it move.
Sensors can be cameras and touch sensors. The computer uses what they tell it. It decides what to do next. Then it drives the motors.
A robot vacuum drives itself around a home. It cleans the floor. Its sensors help it not bump into things. They help it not fall down stairs.
Robot rovers have wheels. They drive on Mars to explore it. A small rover named Sojourner landed on Mars in 1997.
A Mars rover drives to different spots. Its robot arm holds tools up to rocks.
A small robot helicopter flew on Mars. Its name was Ingenuity. A big robot arm on the space station reaches out. It catches cargo ships.
The first factory robot arm went to work in 1961. It worked at a car plant in New Jersey.
The arm was named Unimate. It moved finished metal castings. That was a dirty and dangerous job. People no longer had to do it.
Robots often do jobs that are dangerous, hard or dull. They do jobs people would rather leave to machines. That keeps people out of danger.
The word robot comes from a play. The play is called R.U.R. The Czech word robota means forced work.
Words to know
- sensors: parts that sense
- actuators: motors that move
- rover: wheeled robot
- castings: finished metal pieces
