Robotics Investigations 2

Any of these investigation reports can be prepared as a poster, a Word document, a PowerPoint presentation, or a HTML (web) page.

Investigation 1 - A Branch Of Robotics Research

The study of Robotics has developed into a series of more specialised research areas. Investigate one branch of robotics research.

Your report should attempt to address the following questions:

  • What does this branch study?
  • How is this branch different or more specific than other branches of robotics?
  • Who is working in this area?
  • What are they trying to achieve?
  • How/why will this make robots better in the future?
  • What success have they had so far?

Investigation 2 - A Robotic Locomotion System

Robots move with a variety of locomotion systems. Choose one real-world robotic locomotion system to investigate.

Your report should attempt to address the following questions about your selected locomotion system:

  • What does it do?
  • How does it work?
  • Who invented it?
  • When was it made?
  • Why (for what purpose) was it made?
  • What purposes has it been put to?
  • Which specific robots use it?

In addition, try to find the following for your robotic locomotion system:

  • photos or images.
  • a schematic or cut-away image, showing internal details.

Investigation 3 - A Robotic Sensory System

Robots sense their surroundings with a variety of "sensors". Choose one real-world robotic sensory system to investigate.

Your report should attempt to address the following questions about your selected sensory system:

  • What does it do?
  • How does it work?
  • Who invented it?
  • When was it made?
  • Why (for what purpose) was it made?
  • What purposes has it been put to?
  • Which specific robots use it?

In addition, try to find the following for your robotic sensory system:

  • photos or images.
  • a schematic or cut-away image, showing internal details.

Investigation 4 - A Robotics Inventor

There are many people and organisations that create robots in the world. Choose one robot inventor (be it an individual, team or company) to investigate.

Your report should attempt to address the following questions about your selected robot. For an individual:

  • What is the inventor’s name?
  • Where do they work?
  • What have they made?
  • When did they make it?
  • What did they do before they made robots?
  • Other life details (when and where they were born, what they studied at school, etc.)

For a team or company:

  • What is the company’s name?
  • Where is it based?
  • How long has it been running for?
  • What have they made?
  • When did they make it?
  • Who is currently a member of the team/company?
  • Any other interesting details.

In addition, try to find the following for your inventor/company:

  • a photo or image of the inventor/company;
  • a photo or image of some of their creations.

Investigation 5 - A Real World Robot

There are a number of individual named robots active in the world. Choose one real-world robot to investigate.

Your report should attempt to address the following questions about your selected robot:

  • What is the robot’s name?
  • Where is it?
  • Who made it?
  • When was it made?
  • Why (for what purpose) was it made?
  • What can it do?
  • What types of sensors does it have?

In addition, try to find the following for your robot:

  • a photo or image of the robot;
  • a photo or image of its creator(s);
  • a schematic or cut-away image of the robot, showing internal details.

Investigation 6 - A Fictional Robot

Entertainment media contains a wide variety of fictional robots. More and more movies, tv shows, and books use robots as main characters, supporting cast, or as background details. Choose one fictional robot to investigate.

Your report should attempt to address the following questions about your selected robot:

  • What is the robot’s name?
  • What work of fiction does it feature in?
  • In its fictional universe, where does it "live"?
  • Who made it?
  • Is it owned, or a free entity? If owned, who owns it?
  • Why (for what purpose) was it made?
  • What rights, restrictions and/or prohibitions does it face when dealing with organic life forms?
  • Does the robot take pivotal actions in the story? For example, does the robot rescue another character? Describe one such event.
  • Is the robot's value to its owner or other beings acknowledged?

Try to find a photo or image of the robot.

Make a detailed list of what functionality it possesses (what it can do). For each item on the list, critically assess whether that type of technology is available in current real-world times. In summary, could this robot actually be built with current technology (and unlimited funding)?

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