Categories: All - automation - appliances - future - robotics

by Jason Lovins 14 years ago

282

Electricity to Robotics

The progression of technology has seen significant advancements from the basics of direct and alternating current to the development of complex electronics and computer systems. Initially, innovations like transformers and timed motor controls paved the way for more sophisticated electronics, incorporating diodes, resistors, and capacitors, and later, computer chips like the 555 timer.

Electricity to Robotics

Direct Current

Alternating Current

Electric Timer Devices
Basic Timed Motor Controls via Capacitor Contactors

Simple Electronics with diodes, resistors, and capacitors

Complex Electronics with "Computer Chips" such as the classic 555 timer chip.

Industrial Computers by IBM become popular

Advanced Object-Based Computer Programming Languages (like C++) flourish

Personal Computers become smaller, more powerful, and less expensive

Automation Moves from Industry to the Home, making many unpleasant tasks, particularly cleaning, less difficult.

Furby and Aibo are released, making robots into cute pets that play with children while educating them about language and math.

Future Expectation: As people become more and more attached to robots, they will treat robots more and more like a combination of pet and servant. A useful entity that one still has emotional attachments to.

Future Expectation: Robots will be used as heavily upgraded "baby monitors", tracking and corralling children to designated areas, teaching children about math, science, and art, as well as providing friendship and companionship.

iRobot markets the wildly successful Roomba Vacuum Cleaner Robot, creating other, similar models for pools, rain gutters, and other places that are difficult or annoying to clean.

Future Expectation: Robots will be used in ever more complex tasks, such as driving us to and from work, the preparation fo food, and of course security.

Future Expectation: Most appliances will become self-cleaning with the addition of simple robotics algorithims and components, resulting in a cleaner, healtheir world.

Unimate Robotic Welding Machine becomes the first mass-implemented industrial robot

Numerical Control Machines replace hand-operated machines in most industrial usages due to their high accuracy and repeatibility.

Transformers
Brushless Motors