ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces basic approaches of robotics, explains the state of the art, and shows how to get started with a robot based computer-integrated manufacturing system. It discusses basic aspects of robot components, architectures, design, control methods and applications. An industrial robot is a general-purpose machine that is programmable and performs skillfully manipulation tasks. It is designed as a programmable, multifunctional manipulator to handle materials, parts, tools, or special devices in various manufacturing operations. A robot system comprises the functional elements and components that are necessary to prepare and execute a manipulation and/or locomotion task. Sensor systems, tactile and nontactile, internal or external, perceive the interaction between the robot and the environment. A sensor processing system interpreting sensor data from the actual operation enhances the autonomy of the robot. Trajectory planning is a basic on-line task of the robot control system to determine the motion parameters of the manipulator under sensor control.
