Future Genius: Robots

Have you watched a robot in a movie, or read about a robot in a book? Maybe you have seen a robot in real life! There are robots in the world all around us. Robots come in every size, shape and colour. Some robots look like people, others look like animals, and some look like machines. A robot is a machine that can move and perform tasks without the help of a human. Robots collect information from the world around them. They process information and use it to make decisions, after which they can perform a task. Most robots are built to do a specific job or task. Robots perform jobs that people do not want to do or find boring. For example, robots sweep floors and clean cat-litter boxes.…

Robots may look different, but they all have the same basic parts. A robot’s computer acts like a brain. It uses instructions programmed by the robot’s operator to control the robot, telling it what to do and how to do it. The robot’s computer is usually inside the robot’s body. Sometimes, a robot can be controlled remotely by people who give it precise instructions. Robots also have a power source that supplies the energy it needs to move and perform its job. Many robots use batteries for power, while others plug into the wall for electricity. Some robots use solar power or fuel cells. Many robots use sensors to gather information from their environment. Robots use cameras to help them see as they move. Cameras also help robots find objects…

For thousands of years, people have been dreaming about and inventing robot machines. In the 3rd century BCE, people in Ancient Greece and China built lifelike mechanical objects such as puppets and birds. These objects were called automatons. They used power from water, steam or – later – steel springs to make them move. One of the earliest automatons was a wooden bird built by Greek scientist Archytas of Tarentum around 350 BCE. The bird could flap its wings and travel a short distance along a cable. Automatons were popular for several centuries. Scientists and engineers built different automatons. In the late 15th century, inventor and artist Leonardo da Vinci built a mechanical lion. He also designed a human-like robot knight. His design used pulleys and gears to move the…

Robots come in all shapes and sizes. Some robots help us at home, school and work, while others make jobs easier in factories and hospitals. Each has a different job and purpose – for instance, industrial robots work in factories. They are usually stationary, which means they do not move around. Industrial robots often perform simple, repetitive tasks, and can do jobs such as loading boxes or welding parts. Unlike human workers, industrial robots do not get tired or make mistakes. Exploration robots are used to explore places that are difficult or dangerous for humans to reach. Exploration robots explore outer space and travel down to the deepest parts of the ocean. They often have advanced cameras and sensors to gather information during their travels. Some exploration robots are operated…

You might not realise it, but robots are working all around you. The next time you go to the supermarket, you might run into a robot like Marty. Marty is an autonomous robot, which means that it can act without a human controlling it. Marty looks like a tall, grey pillar, and has cameras and sensors, a navigation system to help it move through the store and a software system that tells it what to do. Marty rolls through the grocery store and looks for spills, obstacles and misplaced items. It also scans price tags and checks to see what items are low on the shelves. At the shopping mall, security robots keep shoppers safe. These robots roll silently through the mall. Their cameras gather video of everyone and everything…

Robots are part of popular culture worldwide. They amaze readers in books and comics, thrill audiences in movies and television shows, and entertain children and adults with their abilities. Many famous movies feature robots. In 1927, Metropolis was the first film to feature a robot character. In the movie, an inventor builds a robot called Maria to replace a real person. The robot creates chaos and ruins the real Maria’s life. In the Star Wars movies, several robot characters work side by side with humans. Luke Skywalker, played by actor Mark Hamill, is a human character helped by two robots named R2-D2 and C-3PO. R2-D2 is shaped like a barrel, moves around on three legs with wheels and communicates through beeps and whistles. C-3PO is a humanoid robot – he walks and talks like…