About Robots
Technology is built from physical materials, scientific principles, design choices, software, infrastructure, and human decisions. This page explains the core ideas without turning the topic into a how-to manual for unsafe behavior.
Sensors
Sensors measure the environment.
Learn MoreActuators
Motors and actuators create movement.
Learn MoreControl
Controllers compare goals with sensor information.
Learn MoreIndustrial Robots
Factories use robots for repeated precise tasks.
Learn MoreMobile Robots
Robots can move on wheels, tracks, legs, through air, or underwater.
Learn MoreHumanoid Robots
Humanoid designs copy parts of human form.
Learn MoreAutonomy
Autonomy describes how much a robot can do without direct control.
Learn MoreSafety
Robots require safety engineering.
Learn MoreSensors
Cameras, microphones, force sensors, encoders, lidar, radar, and temperature sensors turn physical conditions into data.
Actuators
Electric motors, hydraulic cylinders, and pneumatic systems can rotate joints, move wheels, or grip objects.
Control
Simple systems use fixed rules, while advanced robots can use planning, computer vision, machine learning, or feedback control.
Industrial Robots
Welding, painting, assembly, packaging, inspection, and material handling are common applications.
Mobile Robots
Navigation requires sensing obstacles, estimating position, planning routes, and controlling motion.
Humanoid Robots
Arms, legs, hands, and human scale can help in spaces designed for people, but they create difficult engineering challenges.
Autonomy
Systems range from teleoperated machines to robots that make limited decisions within defined goals.
Safety
Emergency stops, barriers, collision detection, speed limits, testing, and training reduce risk around powerful machines.