Definition of Robotics and Automation
Robotics and automation are technologies used to perform certain tasks or automate processes without the need for human power or control. These terms generally refer to technological applications used in the industrial, manufacturing and service sectors, aimed at increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and freeing people from repetitive or dangerous tasks.
Robotics is a discipline that uses physical robots controlled by computer programs or artificial intelligence algorithms. These robots can be equipped with various sensors and mechanical structures and can be of different types such as human-like, wheeled, drone. Industrial robots can automatically perform tasks such as assembly, welding, packaging on production lines, while service robots can perform tasks such as customer service, cleaning, security in hospitals, hotels, shops and other public places.
Automation, on the other hand, is systems that automatically perform repetitive or pre-programmable tasks without human intervention. Automation is accomplished by the integration of technologies such as computer software, control systems and sensors. It can be used in various fields such as many industrial processes, factory automation, home automation, office automation. For example, automation can be used to manage production lines in factories, regulate energy consumption, and automatically control lighting and heating systems in homes.
Robotics and automation are important technologies that contribute to making business processes more efficient and reliable, protecting people from more complex and dangerous work, and improving the quality of life in general. However, the application and use of these technologies may also bring some ethical, social and economic problems.
History of Robotics and Automation
The history of robotics and automation has a long and interesting history. Throughout history, people have sought to develop automation and mechanical devices to make their work easier, faster and more efficient. Here’s a look at key periods and events in the history of robotics and automation:
Antiquity: BC In historical records dating back to around 3000 BC, people tried to make things easier by using simple machines and mechanisms. For example, the first watermills were built to grind grain using the power of water. In addition, mechanical systems and ramps were used in the construction of the pyramids made in Egypt.
Industrial Revolution: The Industrial Revolution, which started towards the end of the 18th century, is an important turning point for the development of robotics and automation. Steam power allowed mechanization to accelerate and production processes to be automated in factories. The first examples of factory automation emerged in this period.
Beginning of the Century: At the beginning of the 20th century, Henry Ford’s assembly line concept, which promoted mass production, revolutionized production processes. In this period, “relay”-based control systems, which are an important part of automation, were developed. Relays have been used in automation as mechanical switches operating with electric current.
The Birth of Industrial Robots: The first industrial robot “Unimate” was developed by General Motors in 1954. This robot has relieved the burden of human workers by carrying heavy loads and performing welding operations on automotive production lines. In this period, robotics began to be accepted as a separate discipline as an important part of automation.
Computer Controlled Automation: With the development of computer technology in the 1960s, automation systems have become more complex. Thanks to the control of computers, production processes in factories have become more sensitive and efficient. Industrial robots also became more sophisticated and flexible during this period.
21st Century and Advanced: Today, robotics and automation technology have been further developed by combining with advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, sensors, and image processing. Now, robots can perform complex and sensitive tasks, autonomous vehicles can navigate in traffic, service robots can work in hospitals and hotels. In addition, thanks to industrial automation, production processes can be managed more quickly and efficiently.
The history of robotics and automation is a reflection of humanity’s interest and need for technology. These areas, which are constantly developing and progressing, will continue to play an important role in our lives in the future.
Industrial Robots
Industrial robots are mechanical devices that automatically perform repetitive or dangerous tasks in manufacturing, assembly, packaging and other work processes in industrial applications. These robots can perform various tasks by following pre-programmed commands or algorithms and generally operate without the need for human control.
Industrial robots are used in many different sectors and industries. These robots are preferred in many fields such as automotive, electronics, food, metal processing, plastic production, medicine, chemistry, to increase efficiency, reduce costs and ensure worker safety.
The main features of industrial robots are:
Programmability: Industrial robots can be programmed to perform movements and tasks. To perform the operations, the robot’s motion paths, speeds and other parameters are predetermined and the robot follows this program.
Flexibility: Industrial robots can be designed to perform different tasks. In this way, they can be easily reconfigured for the production or assembly of different products on the production line.
Sensor and Image Processing Integration: Some industrial robots can be equipped with sensors or image processing systems that can sense their surroundings. In this way, robots can interact with their environment, recognize objects and work more precisely.
Speed and Accuracy: Industrial robots can perform repetitive operations at high speed and with high accuracy. This helps increase speed and quality in production processes.
Safety: Industrial robots can take on dangerous jobs, protecting workers from dangerous environments. In addition, equipping robots with certain safety measures ensures safety during their interaction with humans.
Industrial robots help reduce labor costs and increase production speed by taking over repetitive work from humans on production lines. It also protects worker health and safety by taking on more challenging and dangerous tasks. Therefore, industrial robots have become an important part of modern manufacturing and industrial processes.
Service Robots
Service robots are autonomous or semi-autonomous robots designed to facilitate people’s daily lives, perform tasks in the service industry, and interact with people. Service robots, unlike industrial robots, usually take on tasks that have the ability to interact more closely with humans and generally aim to improve people’s quality of life.
Service robots can be designed for use in various fields. Some common service robot application areas are:
Health Services: Service robots used in health services such as patient care, rehabilitation, physiotherapy and drug delivery can help patients meet their daily needs.
Patient Care and Elderly Care: Service robots designed for the elderly and those in need of care can assist the elderly or disabled individuals by undertaking tasks such as basic care operations, food service and social interaction.
Education: In education, service robots can be used to deliver language teaching, tutoring, and interactive learning experiences.
Hotels and Restaurants: Service robots can be used in tasks such as room service in hotels, order taking in restaurants, and food service.
Retail: Service robots can be used in stores to guide customers, promote products, and provide customer service.
Cleaning: Service robots can automatically perform cleaning tasks in offices, public areas or homes.
Service robots have become smarter and more capable with the advancement of artificial intelligence and sensor technologies. Thanks to the developing artificial intelligence, service robots have become able to perceive their environment, understand voice commands and even interact with humans in a natural way.
Such robots are designed to give humans greater independence, safety and comfort. However, some ethical and social issues may also arise with the use of service robots, so the development and implementation of this technology must be carefully managed.
Robotics and Automation in Agriculture
Robotics and automation in agriculture is the general name of the technologies used in the agricultural sector to increase productivity, reduce the workload and make agricultural processes more effective and efficient. These technologies are applied in various fields from tractors to automatic irrigation systems, from agricultural robots to data analytics. The main uses of robotics and automation in agriculture are:
Automatic Agricultural Machinery: Tractors, harvesters and other agricultural machinery are automated to enable mechanization of agricultural processes. These machines can perform operations such as planting, harvesting, ploughing and fertilizing faster and more precisely.
Agricultural Robots: Agricultural robots are robots that perform various agricultural tasks such as planting, irrigation, weed control, harvesting autonomously or semi-autonomously. For example, drones can monitor farmland from the air and collect data to improve farming efficiency.
Intelligent Irrigation Systems: Irrigation systems that monitor soil moisture, plant needs and weather conditions by using sensors and automatic control systems ensure more efficient use of water resources.
Data Analytics and Agricultural Management: Artificial intelligence and data analytics are used to analyze large amounts of data collected in agriculture to optimize planting timing, fertilizer amount, disease prediction and other farming decisions.
Herd Management and Animal Tracking Systems: In agricultural livestock, sensor-based monitoring and management systems are used to monitor the health status of animals and facilitate herd management.
The use of robotics and automation in agriculture can increase agricultural production by increasing productivity, enable more efficient use of energy and water resources, and alleviate the burden of agricultural workers. In addition, thanks to agricultural robots and automation, less environmentally harmful and more sustainable agricultural practices can be developed. However, some difficulties and costs must be considered for the widespread use of these technologies.
Robotics and Automation in Medicine
Robotics and automation in medicine refers to the use of robotic devices and automated systems that perform treatment, surgery, diagnosis, and other operations in medical applications. These technologies aim to provide more sensitive, reliable and effective solutions in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in the medical field.
The use of robotics and automation in medicine is increasing to provide more opportunities for healthcare professionals and better care for patients. Some common medical robotics and automation applications include:
Robotic Surgery: Robotic surgery systems allow surgeons to perform complex and precise surgical procedures by remotely controlling robotic arms. These systems help to perform surgeries with smaller incisions and less tissue damage.
Medical Imaging: Imaging techniques play an important role in medical diagnosis. Robotic and automated imaging systems facilitate control and operation of devices such as MRI, CT, and ultrasound, supporting accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.
Medical Laboratory Automation: Automation systems in medical laboratories help to automatically perform blood tests, urine analyzes and other medical tests. In this way, fast and reliable results can be obtained.
Rehabilitation Robots: Robotic devices used in rehabilitation processes provide physical therapy and rehabilitation to paralyzed or injured patients. These devices help increase mobility and help patients perform activities of daily living more independently.
Medical Robotic Prosthesis: Robotic prostheses that replace limbs lost as a result of amputation help patients move more naturally and perform their daily activities.
Robotics and automation technologies in medicine can help reduce the workload of healthcare professionals while making patient care more personalized, more effective and safer. However, the use of these technologies also brings with it some ethical and safety issues, and people may still need to play an important role as part of the process. Therefore, the development and application of robotics and automation in medicine must be carefully managed on an ongoing basis.
Autonomous Vehicles and Driverless Technologies
Autonomous vehicles and driverless technologies are terms used for vehicles that can navigate independently and interact with other vehicles in traffic without the need for a human driver. These technologies work with the integration of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, sensors, radars, lidars and cameras.
Autonomous vehicles and driverless technologies offer the potential to make traffic safer, more efficient and more efficient. They can reduce driver errors, prevent traffic accidents and optimize traffic flow. There are many different levels of autonomous vehicles and they are generally classified using the autonomous driving levels set by the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers):
Level 0: The driver has full control of the vehicle and has no autonomous driving features.
Level 1: The driver can delegate certain driving functions to the vehicle, but continues to control other operations. For example, some assistive driving systems such as adaptive cruise control are included in this level.
Level 2: The vehicle partially automates basic driving tasks such as speed and direction, but the driver must be able to constantly monitor the vehicle and intervene. For example, lane tracking and automatic parking system can be given as examples of this level.
Level 3: The vehicle can drive fully autonomously under certain conditions, but there may be situations where driver intervention is required. The driver must intervene when he receives a special warning or if the system fails.
Level 4: The vehicle can drive fully autonomously under certain conditions and does not require any intervention or monitoring from the driver. However, it may be subject to certain limitations and driver intervention may be required outside of these circumstances.
Level 5: The vehicle is fully autonomous in all driving conditions and requires no human intervention.
Autonomous vehicles and driverless technologies hold great potential in the automotive industry and transportation sector. However, technological, legal and security challenges need to be overcome in order for these technologies to be popularized and put into daily use. Therefore, it is important that driverless technologies are implemented safely with appropriate testing and regulation.
Ethical and Safety Issues
Ethical and safety issues refer to aspects of technological developments and practices that have adverse effects or risks on people, society and the environment. While many technologies provide significant benefits that facilitate and improve our daily lives, they can also bring with them some ethical and safety concerns. Here are some of the key ethical and safety issues:
Privacy and Data Security: Collection, storage and use of personal data is an important issue in terms of privacy and data security of individuals. Data breaches can result in personal information falling into the hands of malicious individuals, thereby compromising personal privacy.
Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making: The use of artificial intelligence systems in decision-making processes can reduce the impact of the human factor, especially in important areas (eg medicine, law). Therefore, care should be taken about how AI makes decisions and their ethical dimensions.
Social Impacts and Inequality: In the diffusion of technology, inequalities may arise between certain groups or societies. Equitable distribution of access to technology and educational opportunities is important, otherwise the digital divide may increase.
Decreased Human Relationships: The prevalence of technology can reduce personal and social interaction between people. Technology use can increase the risk of loneliness and social isolation.
Job Loss and Workforce Change: Technologies such as automation and artificial intelligence can cause job losses by automating some jobs. Therefore, appropriate education and workforce policies are necessary to meet the future needs of the workforce.
Control of Autonomous Systems: The control and ethical use of autonomous systems such as autonomous vehicles, robots and weapon systems is a concern in the absence of the human factor. It is important that such systems are controlled by ethical and legal constraints.
These ethical and safety issues should be considered in the development, implementation and dissemination of technology. Ethical principles and safety precautions can help maximize the positive effects of technology and minimize its negative effects for people and society. Therefore, evaluating and regulating technology in terms of ethics and safety contributes to making future technology use more sustainable and people-oriented.
