Название: Robots: A Reference Handbook
Автор: David E. Newton
Издательство: ABC-CLIO
ISBN: 1440858616
Год: 2018
Страниц: 340
Язык: английский
Формат: pdf (true)
Размер: 10.17 MB

Robots: A Reference Handbook differs from most other books on robotics in the variety of resources that it provides to readers of all ages.

Robotics is a large and exciting field of study and application. The author hopes that this text provides an overview of the type of progress that has occurred throughout human existence, including the present day; promises of that which is to come in the field; opportunities for young adults interested in the topic; and issues of concern and interest to anyone who wants to know about robots.

How could a single book deal with the vast number of applications of robots in the world today, let alone the social, ethical, economic, political, and other issues raised by their increasing presence in everyday life? The answer to that question was, it can’t. Indeed, a reader who wants to become really well informed about the science of robotics, its historical development, and its role in modern society should consult a variety of resources. To assist in this research, the author strongly recommends that the reader pay special attention to the references listed at the end of Chapters 1 and 2, as well as the annotated bibliography in Chapter 6.

It hardly needs to be said that robots have now become an essential part of the industrial, domestic, research, medical, and other parts of human life. They are used to manipulate heavy machine parts and the smallest components of specialized devices; they travel to environments that are inaccessible or too hazardous for human exploration; they perform surgical procedures with the precision of a human physician; they offer new ways of educating humans; they increase the scope and efficiency of military operations; they make domestic chores easier to perform or even relieve humans from worrying about such chores entirely; they act as aids to many types of scientific research that are repetitious and boring or too dangerous for humans to conduct; and they even act as comforting devices for the aged, young children, and those with medical problems. Indeed, it sometimes seems difficult to mention an aspect of human life in which robots have not or cannot make a significant contribution.