History of Development of Robots (Research Paper Sample)

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Robotics
Introduction
Robotics is a branch of engineering, which specializes in the design, construction, operation, and application of robots and other related technologies including computer programs for controlling and processing information used by robots (Craig 15). The idea behind developing robots was to automate normal human tasks and function including those that are risky, repetitive, and physically demanding. Initially, before the age of robotics, human beings were required to perform highly risky and demanding activities including lifting heavy loads, working under environments with very high temperatures, which put their lives at risk. As such, automated machines were deemed necessary to take over some of these risky tasks. The process of design and construction of robots hugely rely on technologies, which are designed to mimic human behavior, appearance, and cognition.
History of development of robots
The origin of robotics traces back to the ancient world, the ancient mythology of robots sites evidences of the idea in a number of ancient work. For instance, among the Greek, Hephaestus developed a mobile three-legged table while Roger Bacon developed statutes that had the ability to move and mimic human voice. However, due to lack of sufficient infrastructure to explore and develop robots, nothing substantial were achieved. The concept was developed significantly during the Industrial revolution more so due to the discovery and introduction of electricity. During this period, as the then predominantly agrarian population in Europe made efforts to become industrialized, sophisticated machines, which were powered by small motors, were needed to perform the manufacturing process. However, the difficulties experienced then meant that further development in technology were necessary to run the manufacturing process effectively. Consequently, the 20th century witnessed the development of the first hominoid machine. Currently, human sized robots exhibiting inherent human characteristics have been developed to carry out different activities in big industries (Rosheim 63).
Initially, during the onset of the industrial revolution, industrial robots designed to conduct manufacturing processes were immobile machines capable of conducting the manufacturing process as stand-alone machines without the need for human assistance (Rosheim 37). Further developments and improvements have been incorporated in these machines in way of further enhancing their ability. Since the early 1960’s, industrial robots with digital control ability have been developed
Current applications of robots
Robots have found the application in almost every aspect of human life. Today, they are generally known to replace human being in performing the dangerous, repetitive and dirty work. The tremendous growth in the application of robot is hugely due to its functional justification and need to guard human life against harm caused by either bad working conditions or dangerous working environments (Issac 172). As such, majority of the work done by these robots relate to protection of human operators under bad working environment and conditions. Below are some of the current areas of application of robots and their specific uses;
1 In industries: industrial robots are used in the manufacturing process in industries. They have proven to be efficient in producing large amount of output within short period. They are widely used in the automobile industry to perform dangerous and time-consuming tasks such as welding and painting. Because robots work according to a preprogrammed and reprogrammable systems, they are known to deliver quality services and to generally improve the manufacturing process
2 In healthcare facilities – Robots are used to perform robotic surgery. As a result of advancement in technology, doctors and engineers have been able to come up with highly intelligent robots that can eliminate human errors in surgery processes and deliver safe and quality surgeries
3 In military activities: the dangerous nature of military activities such as combats makes the deployment of robots necessary to safeguard human life. Although highly criticized for lack of human emotion and morality, robots are efficient tools for conducting military operations which might have put the lives of human soldiers at risk
4 As pets: experts have developed with striking human resemblance both in terms of behavior and characteristics. They are viewed as pets to human being and even assist in performing some of the basic household tasks.
5 In space exploration: robots have been used to exploring the universe due to their ability to withstand harsh conditions including conditions that do not support human life. For instance, robots were used to explore prevailing conditions in other planets
Unfortunately, robots are also being used in nefarious ways. Below are a few examples:
1 Artificially intelligent robots are being applied in war in the form of drones or otherwise, in which case they operate as autonomous weapons resulting in atrocities of the kind we would regard as war crimes. This involves killing innocent people and destroying property. Already, this has happened in Iraq and Afghanistan (Sparrow 63).
2 Robots are reported of being used in carrying out extrajudicial killings in spite of the basic law that robots should not have power over human life. Already, plans to have robots be used to take life under certain circumstances in future are underway although receiving criticism. (United Nations 6).
3 The application of robots in conducting private investigations upon unsuspecting people has been criticized as an intrusion into peoples’ privacies as warranted in the human rights acts or bills as was witnessed in the case of US vs. Kyllo in June 2001 (Cowper, Buerger, and Michael 48).
4 Universal robot operating systems used on computers have created a major loophole to enhance cybercrime because criminals have the way of accessing them and reprogramming computers using such operating systems to commit serious cybercrimes including fraud (Sharky, Goodman and Ross 116).
Despite these remarkable achievements in the applications of robots in conducting activities, which would otherwise have been dangerous and risky to human beings, concerns relating to displacement of human labor and widespread unemployment, mass destruction and violation of human rights during military combats as well as moral justification for developing robots are still rife among individuals. In healthcare and space exploration, application of robotics has efficiently enhanced the processes involved without posing any substantial risks.
In order to distinguish a bad robot from bad one, Isaac Asimonov laws of 1949 should be invoked. Isaac argued that a good robot must not harm human beings through their either actions or inactions; they must obey instructions given to them by human beings unless such orders go against the initial law and that a good robot must guard its existence unless such action contradicts the initial laws. The major setback in following these laws lies in the conflict between codified laws and morality. Although these laws are structured to mimic the human common senses, it is not possible to program common sense.
The future of robotics
Robots are continuously being...