Robot Anatomy

EC368 ROBOTICS
2. Robot Anatomy
Robot Anatomy:
Manipulator or the rover: This is the main body of the
robot which consists of the links, the joints, and other
structural elements of the robot. Without other elements,
the manipulator alone is not a robot
End effector: This part is connected to the last joint (hand)
of a manipulator that generally handles objects, makes
connections to other machines, or performs the required
tasks . Robot manufacturers generally do not design or sell
end effectors. In most cases, all they supply is a simple
gripper. Generally, the hand of a robot has provisions for
connecting specialty end effectors specifically designed for
a purpose. This is the job of a company’s engineers or
outside consultants to design and install the end effector
on the robot, and to make it work for the given situation. A
welding torch, a paint spray gun, a glue laying device, or a
parts handler are but a few possibilities. In most cases, the
action of the end effector is either controlled by the robot’s
controller, or the controller communicates with the end
effector’s controlling device (such as a PLC).
Actuators: Actuators are the ‘‘muscles’’ of the
manipulators. The controller sends signals to the actuators,
which, in turn, move the robot joints and links. Common
types are servomotors, stepper motors, pneumatic
actuators, and hydraulic actuators.
Sensors: Sensors are used to collect information about the
internal state of the robot or to communicate with the
outside environment. As in humans, the robot controller
needs to know the location of each link of the robot in
order to know the robot’s configuration. When you wake
up in the morning, even without opening your eyes, or
when it is completely dark, you still know where your arms
and legs are. This is because feedback sensors in your
central nervous system embedded in muscle tendons send
information to the brain.
The brain uses this information to determine the length of
your muscles and, consequently, the state of your arms,
legs, and so on. The same is true for robots, where sensors
integrated into the robot send information about each joint
or link to the controller that determines the configuration
of the robot. Still similar to your major senses of sight,
touch, hearing, taste, and speech, robots are equipped with
external sensory devices such as a vision system, touch and
tactile sensors, speech synthesizer, and the like that enable
the robot to communicate with the outside world.
Controller: The controller is rather similar to your
cerebellum; although it does not have the power of the
brain, it still controls your motions.
The controller receives its data from the computer (the
brain of the system), controls the motions of the actuators,
and coordinates the motions with the sensory feedback
information. Suppose that in order for the robot to pick up
a part from a bin, it is necessary that its first joint be at
350o If the joint is not already at this magnitude, the
controller will send a signal to the actuator—a current to
an electric motor, air to a pneumatic cylinder, or a signal to
a hydraulic servo valve— causing it to move. It will then
measure the change in the joint angle through the
feedback sensor attached to the joint (a potentiometer, an
encoder, etc.). When the joint reaches the desired value,
the signal is stopped.
Processor: The processor is the brain of the robot. It
calculates the motions of the robot’s joints, determines
how much and how fast each joint must move to achieve
the desired location and speeds, and oversees the
coordinated actions of the controller and the sensors. The
processor is generally a computer, which works like all
other computers, but is dedicated to this purpose. It
requires an operating system, programs, peripheral
equipment like a monitor, and has the same limitations
and capabilities. In some systems, the controller and the
processor are integrated together into one unit.
Software: Three groups of software programs are used in a
robot. One is the operating system that operates the
processor. The second is the robotic software that
calculates the necessary motions of each joint based on
the kinematic equations of the robot. This information is
sent to the controller. This software may be at many
different levels, from machine language to sophisticated
languages used by modern robots. The third group is the
collection of application-oriented routines and programs
developed to use the robot or its peripherals for specific
tasks such as assembly, machine loading, material
handling, and vision routines.

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EC368 ROBOTICS

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