DEFINITION OF ROBOTIC

i)RIA
ii)GIRA
iii)BRA
iv)BRA
By RIA:
The Robotic Industries Association (RIA) defines robot as follows:
"A robot is a reprogrammable, multifunctional manipulator
designed to move material, parts, tools or specialized devices
through variable programmed motions for the performance of a
variety of tasks." Recently, however, the industry's current
working definition of a robot has come to be understood as any
piece of equipment that has three or more degrees of movement
or freedom.
Robotics is an increasingly visible and important component of
modern business, especially in certain industries. Robotics-
oriented production processes are most obvious in factories and
manufacturing facilities; in fact, approximately 90 percent of all
robots in operation today can be found in such facilities. These
robots, termed "industrial robots," were found almost
exclusively in automobile manufacturing plants 20 years ago. But
industrial robots are now being used in laboratories, research
and development facilities, warehouses, hospitals, energy-
oriented industries (petroleum, nuclear power, etc.), and, above
all, in research.
According to RIA, some 160,000 robots were installed and
operating in the U.S. in 2006. In 2005, 19,594 robots valued at
$1.18 billion were shipped to North American companies. In the
first quarter of 2006, orders by RIA members (about 90 percent
of the industry) were valued at $272 million and represented
3,722 such machines. Robotics thus is already a well-established
and one might say mature industry—and yet its future is
unimaginably large and diverse.
By BARA ( British Robotics Association )

There are many definitions for what a robot is and this often
leads to discrepancies between statistics quoted about robots.
The commonly accepted definition in the UK is that provided by
the British Robot Association which is as follows:
"An industrial robot is a re-programmable device designed to
both manipulate and transport parts, tools, or specialised
manufacturing implements through variable programmed
motions for the performance of specific manufacturing tasks."
The definition of a robot used by the Japanese Industrial Robot
Association widens this definition to include arms controlled
directly by humans and also fixed sequence manipulators which
are not re-programmable. This second group account for a large
number of the devices in use in Japan. Having made this point it
is important to stress that even using our definition of a robot,
the number of robots in use in Japan is still well in excess of that
in other countries.
By ISO

IFR members use the definitions contained in the international

standard ISO 8373 “Vocabulary” when compiling statistics of
industrial robots in particular countries for example. Accordingly,
an industrial robot is defined to be an “automatically controlled,
reprogrammable, multipurpose manipulator, programmable in
three or more axes, which can be either fixed in place or mobile
for use in industrial automation applications.”
The History of Robots
The definition of “robot” has been confusing from the very
beginning. The word first appeared in 1921, in Karel Capek’s
play R.U.R., or Rossum's Universal Robots. “Robot” comes from
the Czech for “forced labor.” These robots were robots more in
spirit than form, though. They looked like humans, and instead
of being made of metal, they were made of chemical batter. The
robots were far more efficient than their human counterparts,
and also way more murder-y—they ended up going on a killing
spree.
R.U.R. would establish the trope of the Not-to-Be-Trusted
Machine (e.g., Terminator, The Stepford Wives, Blade Runner,
etc.) that continues to this day—which is not to say pop culture
hasn’t embraced friendlier robots. Think Rosie from The Jetsons.
(Ornery, sure, but certainly not homicidal.) And it doesn’t get
much family-friendlier than Robin Williams as Bicentennial Man.
The real-world definition of “robot” is just as slippery as those
fictional depictions. Ask 10 roboticists and you’ll get 10 answers.
But they do agree on some general guidelines: A robot is an
intelligent, physically embodied machine. A robot can perform
tasks autonomously. And a robot can sense and manipulate its
environment. One of the first instances of a mechanical device
built to regularly carry out a particular physical task occurred
around 3000 B.C.: Egyptian water clocks used human figurines
to strike the hour bells. In 400 B.C., Archytus of Taremtum,
inventor of the pulley and the screw, also invented a wooden
pigeon that could fly. Hydraulically-operated statues that could
speak, gesture, and prophecy were commonly constructed in
Hellenic Egypt during the second century B.C.
In the first century A.D., Petronius Arbiter made a doll that
could move like a human being. Giovanni Torriani created a
wooden robot that could fetch the Emperor's daily bread from
the store in 1557. Robotic inventions reached a relative peak
(before the 20th century) in the 1700s; countless ingenius, yet
impractical, automata (i.e. robots) were created during this time
period. The 19th century was also filled with new robotic
creations, such as a talking doll by Edison and a steam-powered
robot by Canadians. Although these inventions throughout
history may have planted the first seeds of inspiration for the
modern robot, the scientific progress made in the 20th century
in the field of robotics surpass previous advancements a
thousandfold.

The earliest robots as we know them were created in the early

1950s by George C. Devol, an inventor from Louisville,
Kentucky. He invented and patented a reprogrammable
manipulator called "Unimate," from "Universal
Automation." For the next decade, he attempted to sell his
product in the industry, but did not succeed. In the late 1960s,
businessman/engineer Joseph Engleberger acquired Devol's
robot patent and was able to modify it into an industrial robot
and form a company called Unimation to produce and market
the robots. For his efforts and successes, Engleberger is known
in the industry as "the Father of Robotics."
Academia also made much progress in the creation new
robots. In 1958 at the Stanford Research Institute, Charles Rosen
led a research team in developing a robot called
"Shakey." Shakey was far more advanced than the original
Unimate, which was designed for specialized, industrial
applications. Shakey could wheel around the room, observe the
scene with his television "eyes," move across unfamiliar
surroundings, and to a certain degree, respond to his
environment. He was given his name because of his wobbly and
clattering movements.

VICTORIAN ROBOTS
Robots have been making significant inroads into our culture
over the last few years. They're roaming on and around distant
planets, building cars, vacuuming the rug and even serving as
surrogate pets. But it may surprise you to learn that
sophisticated androids have been walking the earth since at least
the late 1800s - achieving feats that still haven't been equalled in
the 21st century. (One prototype actually took part in World War
One.) The History of Robots in the Victorian Era follows the
careers of these early automatons, and at the same time, tests
the limits of human credibility.
Launched in July 2000 to tell the amazing story of "Boilerplate"
(history's first mechanical soldier created in 1893), the website
has since expanded to include three other milestones of robotic
engineering - The Electric Man (1885), The Steam Man (1865),
and the Automatic Man (exact date unknown). And while these
Victorian marvels might have benefited from some more
imaginative names, their exploits (from Antarctic exploration and
circumnavigation to foiling train robberies) would put Honda's
new robot ASIMO to shame. One can only imagine why so few of
us know about these extraordinary machines today.
Unless, of course, it's because they never existed.
About these ads
Truth be told, The History of Robots in the Victorian Era is an
unintentional hoax - originally created as an online pitch for a
graphic novel about the tin soldier, Boilerplate. (Samples from
the book are posted onsite.) Things got interesting, though,
when webmaster and commercial artist, Paul Guinan, realized
that some visitors to the site were taking the fiction as fact, and,
as would any self-respecting artist when faced with such an
opportunity, Guinan decided to see just how real he could make
his character seem. Still, this isn't a 'hoax' in the sense of a
serious intent to deceive - there are clues throughout the site
(not to mention articles about the true nature of Boilerplate's
status), and at least one outright disclaimer - the latter included
to appease the good folks at the San Diego Maritime Museum.
Unfortunately, there was no way that I could properly review the
site without first spilling the beans - since it's the execution of
the fiction that makes The History remarkable. But even for
those who are in on the joke, the story of Boilerplate is so
thoroughly and convincingly done as to almost demand the
willing suspension of disbelief.

Fewer jobs at City Hall - one way Flynn can begin to arrest the
deficit

Guinan closes the credibility gap by interweaving fact with fiction

- a strategy which is itself enhanced by numerous examples of
Photoshop sleight-of-hand used in creating the site's 'archival'
images. (The full chronicle of Boilerplate includes more than 100
images, ranging from his first appearance at the 1893 Chicago
World's Fair, to posing with Pancho Villa and Teddy Roosevelt's
Rough Riders.) Guinan fills in Boilerplate's background with a
biography of the tin man's inventor, and such ephemera as
movie, vaudeville, and even Soviet propaganda posters featuring
the robot. The story is further reinforced with such touches as
'then and now' photographs of the factory where the robot was
constructed, and a tour of the renamed ship on which
Boilerplate sailed to the Antarctic (currently on display at the
aforementioned San Diego Maritime Museum). In combination,
Guinan's various strategies could even leave even a skeptic still
skeptical, but no longer rock solid in their lack of belief.
If you feel a bit cheated since you'll be viewing the site with
knowledge of the 'real' story of Boilerplate, take heart - Guinan's
intricate weaving of fiction with legitimate history serves to
maintain an air of uncertainty about all of the 'archival' content
on his site. For example, are the other robots depicted in the
History more examples of the webmaster's artistic talents,
harvested illustrations from real 19th and 20th century
publications which were 'repurposed' to add credibility to the
Boilerplate saga, or simply appreciations of previous artists'
fictional robotic creations?
As an example, Victorian Robots makes frequent reference to
the inventor, Frank Reade Jr., and displays many of his
inventions. A Google search of the name reveals, among other
things, an Arizona State University lecture and a US Centennial of
Flight essay that make reference to 19th century dime novels
featuring the fictional Reade's adventures - so Reade would
appear to be a previously created fictional character, akin to
Conan Doyle's Professor Challenger.
And yet both of these scholarly references list Guinan's pages as
their only Reade source. Did these sites fall for Guinan's fictional
creation of a fictional creation? Was Reade a real (fictional)
character recruited to lend credibility to Guinan's stories? Is
Reade actually the mastermind behind all these creations, trying
to divert attention away from himself due to a debilitating
introversion stemming from a traumatic third grade show-and-
tell experience? The truth is out there - if it doesn't drive you
crazy first.
On the design front, The History has a basic construction (read;
fast loader) with only two idiosyncrasies - both, I expect, due to
the site's age. First is a left-justified layout that may seem off
balance to most, but will be a welcome sight for those still using
640x480 pixel monitors. Second is the navigation which, not
surprisingly for a site which has been expanding piecemeal for
more than three years, offers no simple linear routes for
exploring the site. Fortunately, the History's online host has
a site mapin case you're worried about missing any content. Or
clues.

Robo-cabulary
Human-robot interaction
A field of robotics that studies the relationship between people
and machines. For example, a self-driving car could see a stop
sign and hit the brakes at the last minute, but that would terrify
pedestrians and passengers alike. By studying human-robot
interaction, roboticists can shape a world in which people and
machines get along without breaking each other.
Singularity
The hypothetical point where the machines grow so advanced
that humans are forced into a societal and existential crisis.
Multiplicity
The idea that robots and AI won’t supplant humans, but
complement them.
Actuator
Typically, a combination of an electric motor and a gearbox.
Actuators are what power most robots.
Soft robotics
A field of robotics that foregoes traditional materials and motors
in favor of generally softer materials and pumping air or oil to
move its parts.
Lidar
Lidar, or light detection and ranging, is a system that blasts a
robot’s surroundings with lasers to build a 3-D map. This is
pivotal both for self-driving cars and for service robots that need
to work with humans without running them down.
Humanoid
The classical sci-fi robot. This is perhaps the most challenging
form of robot to engineer, on account of it being both technically
difficult and energetically costly to walk and balance on two legs.
But humanoids may hold promise in rescue operations, where
they’d be able to better navigate an environment designed for
humans, like a nuclear reactor.
Think of a simple drone that you pilot around. That’s no robot.
But give a drone the power to take off and land on its own and
sense objects and suddenly it’s a lot more robot-ish. It’s the
intelligence and sensing and autonomy that’s key.
But it wasn’t until the 1960s that a company built something that
started meeting those guidelines. That’s when SRI International
in Silicon Valley developed Shakey, the first truly mobile and
perceptive robot. This tower on wheels was well-named—
awkward, slow, twitchy. Equipped with a camera and bump
sensors, Shakey could navigate a complex environment. It wasn’t
a particularly confident-looking machine, but it was the
beginning of the robotic revolution.
Around the time Shakey was trembling about, robot arms were
beginning to transform manufacturing. The first among them
was Unimate, which welded auto bodies. Today, its descendants
rule car factories, performing tedious, dangerous tasks with far
more precision and speed than any human could muster. Even
though they’re stuck in place, they still very much fit our
definition of a robot—they’re intelligent machines that sense
and manipulate their environment.
Robots, though, remained largely confined to factories and labs,
where they either rolled about or were stuck in place lifting
objects. Then, in the mid-1980s Honda started up a humanoid
robotics program. It developed P3, which could walk pretty darn
good and also wave and shake hands, much to the delight of
a roomful of suits. The work would culminate in Asimo, the
famed biped, which once tried to take out President Obama with
a well-kicked soccer ball. (OK, perhaps it was more innocent than
that.)
Today, advanced robots are popping up everywhere. For that you
can thank three technologies in particular: sensors, actuators,
and AI.
So, sensors. Machines that roll on sidewalks to deliver falafel can
only navigate our world thanks in large part to the 2004 Darpa
Grand Challenge, in which teams of roboticists cobbled
together self-driving cars to race through the desert. Their
secret? Lidar, which spews lasers to build a 3-D map of the
world. The ensuing private-sector race to develop self-driving
cars has dramatically driven down the price of lidar, to the point
that engineers can create perceptive robots on the (relative)
cheap.
Lidar is often combined with something called machine vision—
2-D or 3-D cameras that allow the robot to build an even better
picture of its world. You know how Facebook automatically
recognizes your mug and tags you in pictures? Same principle
with robots. Fancy algorithms allow them to pick out certain
landmarks or objects.
Sensors are what keep robots from running us down. They’re
why a robot mule of sorts can keep an eye on you, following you
and schlepping your stuff around; machine vision also allows
robots to scan cherry trees to determine where best to shake
them , helping fill massive labor gaps in agriculture.
Within each of these robots is the next secret ingredient:
the actuator, which is a fancy word for the combo electric motor
and gearbox that you’ll find in a robot’s joint. It’s this actuator
that determines how strong a robot is and how smoothly or not
smoothly it moves. Without actuators, robots would crumple like
rag dolls. Even relatively simple robots like Roombas owe their
existence to actuators. Self-driving cars, too, are loaded with the
things.
Actuators are great for powering massive robot arms on a car
assembly line, but a newish field, known as soft robotics, is
devoted to creating actuators that operate on a whole new level.
Unlike mule robots, soft robots are generally squishy, and use air
or oil to get themselves moving. So for instance, one particular
kind of robot muscle uses electrodes to squeeze a pouch of oil,
expanding and contracting to tug on weights. Unlike with bulky
traditional actuators, you could stack a bunch of these to
magnify the strength: A robot named Kengoro, for instance,
moves with 116 actuators that tug on cables, allowing the
machine to do unsettlingly human maneuvers like pushups. It’s a
far more natural-looking form of movement than what you’d get
with traditional electric motors housed in the joints.
And then there’s Boston Dynamics, which created the Atlas
humanoid robot for the Darpa Robotics Challenge in 2013. At
first, university robotics research teams struggled to get the
machine to tackle the basic tasks of the original 2013 challenge
and the finals round in 2015, like turning valves and opening
doors. But Boston Dynamics has since that time turned Atlas into
a marvel that can do backflips, far outpacing other bipeds that
still have a hard time walking. (Unlike the Terminator, though, it
does not pack heat.) Boston Dynamics is also working on a
quadruped robot called SpotMini, which can recover in
unsettling fashion when humans kick or tug on it. That kind of
stability will be key if we want to build a world where we don’t
spend all our time helping robots out of jams. And it’s all thanks
to the humble actuator.
At the same time that robots like Atlas and SpotMini are getting
more physically robust, they’re getting smarter, thanks to AI.
Robotics seems to be reaching an inflection point, where
processing power and artificial intelligence are combining
to truly ensmarten the machines. And for the machines, just as in
humans, the senses and intelligence are inseparable—if you pick
up a fake apple and don’t realize it’s plastic before shoving it in
your mouth, you’re not very smart. This is a fascinating frontier
in robotics (replicating the sense of touch, not eating fake
apples). A company called SynTouch, for instance, has developed
robotic fingertips that can pick up a range of sensations, from
temperature to coarseness.
As sensors are getting cheaper, the superpowered processors
required for AI are doing the same. Thanks to advances in
gaming and VR—graphics processing units, or GPUs, are helping
mobile robots to perform complex computations right onboard
the machine, as opposed to in the cloud, which means they can
still operate if they lose their connection. This is particularly
important for powering that machine vision, which allows a
robot like Kuri to recognize your face. To help you, by the way,
not hunt you or anything.
TYPES OF ROBOTICS
i) Entertaiment:

An entertainment robot is, as the name indicates, a robot that is

not made for utilitarian use, as in production or domestic
services, but for the sole subjective pleasure of the human. It
serves, usually the owner or his housemates, guests or clients.
Robotics technologies are applied in many areas of culture and
entertainment.
Expensive robotics are applied to the creation of narrative
environments in commercial venues where servo
motors, pneumatics and hydraulic actuators are used to create
movement with often preprogrammed responsive behaviors
such as in Disneyland's haunted house ride.
Entertainment robots can also be seen in the context of media
arts where artist have been employing advanced technologies to
create environments and artistic expression also utilizing the
actuators and sensor to allow their robots to react and change in
relation to viewers.
ii) Explorer:-

A robotic spacecraft is an uncrewed spacecraft, usually under

telerobotic control. A robotic spacecraft designed to make
scientific research measurements is often called a space probe.
Many space missions are more suited to telerobotic rather than
crewed operation, due to lower cost and lower risk factors. In
addition, some planetary destinations such as Venus or the
vicinity of Jupiter are too hostile for human survival, given
current technology. Outer planets such as Saturn, Uranus, and
Neptune are too distant to reach with current crewed spacecraft
technology, so telerobotic probes are the only way to explore
them.

Many artificial satellites are robotic spacecraft, as are many

landers and rovers.
iii) Medical :-

A medical robot is a robot used in the medical sciences. They

include surgical robots. These are in most telemanipulators,
which use the surgeon's activators on one side to control the
"effector" on the other side.

a) Da Vinci

We begin with perhaps the most ubiquitous of medical robots,

and the standard for Robot Assisted Surgery.

This is a machine that blurs the line between “robot” and

“medical tool” since the device is always under the full control of
the surgeon, but the advancements it has fostered are
astounding.

15 Medical Robots That Are Changing the World

Source: da Vinci Surgery/YouTube
Using the daVinci system, operations can be done with just a few
tiny incisions and with the utmost precision, which means less
bleeding, faster healing, and a reduced risk of infection.

And while daVinci has been around for almost eighteen years
now, it has continued to get more and more advanced, but with
big tech companies quick on daVinci’s heels to develop similar
systems with more autonomous features and a wider range of
abilities, who knows what’s next in this field.
b) Actuated and sensory prostheses
The field of prosthetics has advanced so much in the past few
years that the question is no longer “can we make a suitable
replacement for a limb” but rather, “can we make something
even better than nature.”

At the MIT Biomechatronics lab, researchers have created

gyroscopically actuated robotic limbs that are capable of tracking
their own position in three-dimensional space and adjusting their
joints upwards of 750 times per second.

On top of this, they have developed bionic skins and neural

implant systems that interface with the nervous system allowing
the user to receive tactile feedback from the prosthetic and
volitionally control it as you would with a normal limb.

This is a monumental leap forward in the unification of man and

machine, and a great source of relief for the over 2 million
amputees in the US alone.

c) Orthoses (AKA Exoskeletons)

We all want to be Iron Man at least a little bit, but robotic
exoskeletons have more medical applications than superhero
ones.

15 Medical Robots That Are Changing the World

Source: EksoBionics
For starters, they are being used to help paralyzed people walk
again, which is nothing short of a miracle.

They can also be useful for correcting malformations or for

rehabilitation after a brain or spinal cord injury by providing
weak muscles with the extra help they need to perform
movements and begin healing the damage.

Most of these exoskeletons work through a combination of user

input and pre-set movements, but with advancements in neural
interfaces, it is only a matter of time before a directly mind-
controlled exoskeleton is widely available.
iv) Education

Educational robotics teaches the design, analysis, application and

operation of robots. Robots include articulated robots, mobile
robots or autonomous vehicles. Educational robotics can be
taught from elementary school to graduate programs. Robotics
may also be used to motivate and facilitate the instruction other,
often foundational, topics such as computer programming,
artificial intelligence or engineering design.

Type of educational robot :-

1. mBot-STEM Educational Robot Kit for Kids

Top 10 Programmable Robot Kit

This is a very good programmable robot kit. Your kids’ education

will be improved by this as it allows one to learn programming,
electronics, as well as robotics. This robot is handled by wireless
modules, i.e. Bluetooth/2.4 G wireless serial. It is also rather
facile to assemble it. If you wish to enhance your child’s Science,
Technology, Engineering as well as Mathematical educational
abilities then this robot is the best for you. It is very fun to
employ also. This is due to the fact that it has some pre-
assembled options encompassing remote control car, obstacle-
avoidance car. It can be utilized in several games including soccer
games
.

2. 2. Dash and Dot

Top 10 Programmable Robot Kit

The Dash and Dot robots that are educational are also a good
option. Dash and Dot tend to be educational, creative as well as
simple. It also have many accessories. Dash and Dot are not only
robots, but are designed so as to help in educating your kids.
They are also teaching tools which present fresh ways that one
can play and also learn, which allow children to employ their
imagination. One can also educate their kids in graphical
programming by utilizing the wonderful Blockly visual
programming language. They can advance at their own pace.
3. 3. Thymio 2
Image result for Thymio 2

It is another educational robot kit for kids. One can educate their
children on programming with this. This has a colorful user
interface made especially for kids. They have a rather simple
design as well as bright sleds. It is also compatible with exciting
Legos. One can also get a lot of educational resources that can
be found online, and that for free. Thymio 2 is precisely an
interactive wheel base specifically used for education. It also has
embedded sensors.
v) Industrial Robotics

An industrial robot is a robot system used for manufacturing.

Industrial robots are automated, programmable and capable of
movement on three or more axis.[1]

Typical applications of robots include welding, painting,

assembly, disassembly[2], pick and place for printed circuit
boards, packaging and labeling, palletizing, product inspection,
and testing; all accomplished with high endurance, speed, and
precision. They can assist in material handling.

Type of Industrial Robot

1. Cartesian

Cartesian Robot
The most commonly used robot type for the majority of
industrial applications is Cartesian. Plant operators often default
to this type because they are easy to use and program. The linear
movements of the Cartesian elements give the robot a cube-
shaped workspace that fi ts best with pick-andplace applications
and can range from 100 milimeters to tens of meters. These
robots are also a popular choice because they are highly
customizable. Customers can determine the stroke lengths,
speed and precision of the robots because most of the parts
arrive separately and are assembled by the machine builders.
That being said, one drawback to Cartesian robots is the
complexity of assembly required. Overall, plant operators choose
this robot design most often for the flexibility in their confi
guration that allows them to meet specific application needs.

2.SCARA

SCARA robots offer a more complete solution than the Cartesian

or Cylindrical. They are all-in-one robots, meaning a SCARA robot
is equipped with x, y, z and rotary motion in one package that
comes ready-to-go, apart from the end-of-arm tooling. The work
envelope is similar to Cylindrical robots but it has more degrees
of motion in a radius or arch-shaped space. Applications are also
similar to Cylindrical and Cartesian robots, but SCARA robots can
move quicker than the other two. They are seen often in biomed
applications due to their small work area. Because SCARAs have
the easiest integration they seem like the best solution for the
majority of applications, but Cartesians are more common
because of their level of customization
vi)Military

-Military robot are autonomous robots remote controlled mobile

robots designed or military applications from transport to search
and rescue and attack . Some such systems are currently in use
many are currently in use , many are development .

Types Of Robotics
1. Military Transportation Robots

These robotic soldiers perform transportation roles. They can

help the soldiers in the transportation of bombs, artillery,
military supplies, and other materials. Although these military
robots commonly have wheels, some of them come with legs
instead of performing on rough terrains.

Military robots used for transportation boost logistics efficiency

and equally assist soldiers in their movements. They help to
soldiers to carry materials to the battlefield. Also, they equally
help to pick up causalities from the battlefield.

The soldiers who undertake risky combats receive payments for

their task. However, they are still human and deserve to live, and
so the use of robotics army in different tasks can be life-saving.
Some of the life threats will be avoidable through using robotics
army. At the same time, they can help in improving the transport
system.
For instance, robots would be handy for extracting casualties
from the battlefield. They could equally improve the
transportation system like the Autonomous Platform
Demonstrator or APD. APD is a military transportation robot that
the United States Army Tank-Automotive Research designed.

2. Search And Rescue Military Robots

The use of these types of military robots is for search and rescue
missions. A robot army can be of big help in search and rescue
mission inside water and wilderness. They equally come handy
when there are floods, wildfires, and wreckages during an
earthquake.

Robot soldiers can also help in rescue missions during some

incidents like tsunamis, tremors, and artificial disasters like the
Chernobyl or 9/11 incident.
LAW OF ROBOTICS
Laws of Robotics are a set of laws, rules, or principles, which are
intended as a fundamental framework to underpin the behavior
of robots designed to have a degree of autonomy. Robots of this
degree of complexity do not yet exist, but they have been widely
anticipated in science fiction, films and are a topic of active
research and development in the fields of robotics and artificial
intelligence.

The best known set of laws are those written by Isaac Asimov in
the 1940s, or based upon them, but other sets of laws have been
proposed by researchers in the decades since then.

3 Laws Of Robotics
i)A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction,
allow a human being to come to harm.
ii)A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except
where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
iii)A robot must protect its own existence as long as such
protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws
Diffrences Between
Idustrial Robots And
Automated Machine
Robotics
Robotics

Robotics consists of a branch of technology that predominantly

deals with the design, construction and operation of robots. An
industrial robot is typically a standard machine controlled by an
internal or external computer that is able to carry out a complex
series of movements automatically. There are a wide range of
robots available; from basic robot arms through to completely
autonomous vehicle mounted robots. Robots are often
equipped with audio, visual and tactile sensors. Whilst a
standard robot usually follows a pre-determined program,
collaborative robots have force sensing built in and as a result
are able to follow a person’s movements and work
collaboratively with them.

Robots today perform a variety of jobs within factories such as:

Parts assembly
Painting
Welding
Machine tool tending
Palletisation
Material handling
Pick and place
CNC milling
Robots are also often used to substitute humans in dangerous
environments including hazardous areas environment, high
temperature environments, radioactive environments and areas
where there are harmful vapours and gasses.

The main advantage of robots is their adaptability and flexibility.

They are also a known component when designing an automated
system with mixed products/requirements. They can also be a
very cheap way to automate multiple tasks with a lot of variables
that would otherwise need a very specialist bespoke automated
system.

Automation
There are two main types of automation; software automation
and industrial automation. Software automation performs
computer based tasks that would otherwise be performed by a
human, whereas industrial automation performs physical
activities that would otherwise be done by a human.

Bespoke automation is the term typically used where there is a

stable and predictable production processes that needs specialist
automation designed specifically to perform that process.

Processes where bespoke automation is often used includes;

Quality control inspection

Liquid filling
Parts sorting
Box erection and sealing
Box filling
Repetitive tasks with few variables
Production monitoring
Product and carton labelling
Safety improvements
But the list doesn’t stop here, bespoke automation can be used
to create tailored made automation solutions to fit any
requirement.
The main advantage of bespoke automation is that it can be
tailored exactly to a process in the most efficient way. This can
often result in faster production speeds, and more effective
solutions for repeat tasks with little variation in products or
requirements.
Similarities And
Dissimilarities
Between Industrial
Robot CNC machine
Similarities
-
In concept, CNC's and robots are the same. Both execute
preprogrammed moves in a specific order. I'll use a CNC lathe
with 2 axis (X and Z) and a turrent loaded with tools. The
program gives the machine the coordinates of the work piece in
relationship to the tools. It tells the machine at what feed and
speed to cut the work piece and allows the operator to “adjust”
these settings via offsets and program modifications.

A robot, no matter if it's a robotic arm or a fictional, fully

automated, standing, walking robot, all use the same
input/outputs, just on a more functional level. A program tells
the robot what to do as far as movements and what appears to
be “reaction”. Really, a reaction is nothing more than a group of
options that can be applied based on the situation.
Dissimilarities
1.Workspace — The workspace of a CNC machine can usually be
defined as a small cube. Robots, by contrast, usually have a large,
spherical workspace.
2.Programming — CNC machines are programmed using G-Code.
These days, this is most often generated by a CAM software, not
coded by hand. Robots are programmed using a manufacturer’s
programming language, but programs can be generated by many
other programming methods (including G-Code) via a robot post-
processor.
3.Accuracy — CNC machines are usually more accurate than
robots with accuracies going down to fractions of a micron.
Robot accuracies can be improved by calibration but are more
likely to be 100s of microns.
4.Stiffness — CNC machines usually have high stiffness in all
axes. The stiffness of robots is generally lower but it varies
depending on the type of robot — e.g. a Scara robot has high
stiffness in the Z axis.
5.Singularities — The position of a robot tool is usually calculated
by an inverse kinematics algorithm. These can produce
singularities — areas of the workspace which are basically “dead
zones” caused by mathematics within the algorithm.
Advantages and
disadvantages of
industrial robot
Advantages of Industrial Robots

Increased efficiency
Industrial robots are able to complete certain tasks faster and
better than people, as they are designed to perform these tasks
with a higher accuracy level. This and the fact that they are used
to automate processes which previously might have taken
significantly more time and resources, means that you can often
use industrial robots to increase the efficiency of your
production line.

Higher quality
Due to their high accuracy levels, robots can also be used to
produce higher quality products which adhere to certain
standards of quality, whilst also reducing the time needed for
quality control.

Improved working environment

Industrial robots are often used for performing tasks which are
deemed as dangerous for humans, as well as being able to
perform highly laborious and repetitive tasks. Overall, by using
industrial robots you can improve the working conditions and
safety in your factory or production plant. Robots don’t get tired
and make dangerous mistakes, neither do they suffer from
repetitive strain injury.
Increased profitability
By increasing the efficiency of your production process, reducing
the resource and time needed to complete it, and also achieving
higher quality products, industrial robots can thus be used to
achieve higher profitability levels overall, with lower cost per
product.

Longer working hours

Typically people have to have breaks, get distracted and after
time attention drops and pace slows. With a robot it can work
24/7, and keeps running at 100%. Typically if you replace one
person on a key process in a production line with a robot the
output increases by 40% in the same working hours just because
a robot has more stamina and never stops. Robots also don’t
take holidays or have unexpected days off sick.

Prestige
You set yourself at the cutting edge of your industry and wow
your customers when they come to see you. As a marketing tool
robots are fantastic, boost your brand image, and have often
been used simply for the PR even if they don’t offer many
benefits over a bespoke non-robotic system.

Disadvantages of Industrial Robots

Capital cost
Whilst industrial robots can prove highly effective and bring you
a positive ROI, implementing them might require a fairly high
capital cost. That’s why, before making a decision we
recommend considering both the investment needed and also
the ROI you expect to achieve. Often the easiest way to get
round this issue is to take out asset finance and the ROI of the
robot more than pays for the interest on the asset finance.

Use Granta’s project builder to find out how much industrial

robots would cost you in just a few minutes.

Expertise
Whilst industrial robots are excellent for performing many tasks,
as with any other type of technology, they require more training
and expertise to initially set up. The expertise of a good
automation company with a support package will be very
important. To minimise your reliance on automation companies
you can train some of your engineers on how to program robots,
but you will still need the assistance of experienced automation
companies for the original integration of the robot.

Limitations
In recent years the number of industrial robots and the
applications they can be used for has increased significantly.
However, there still are some limitations in terms of the type of
tasks they can perform, which is why we suggest that an
automation company looks at your requirement to assess the
options first. Sometimes a bespoke automated system may give
a better or faster result than a robot. Also, a robot does not have
everything built into it, often the success or failure of an
industrial robotic system depends on how well the surrounding
systems are integrated e.g. grippers, vision systems, conveyor
systems etc. Only use good trusted robot integrators to be sure
of the optimum results if you do choose to use industrial robots.
Factor that motivated
of using robotics
system to the
industrial robotics
sector is :
1. Introduction
In this era of information explosion, human capital has become
one of the main driving forces behind the economic success of
service sector organizations. This is especially true in the health
care sector, which, according to Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services [24], consumes over 10% of gross domestic
product (GDP) of most developed nations. As a share of the
economy, health care has risen from 7.2% of GDP in 1965 to over
16% of GDP today, and it is projected to be 20% of GDP just 10
years. Thus, it has become even more important that human
resources' in the health care should be managed well and, to do
so, an integration of innovative technology with the day-to-day
activities of employees should be the prime focus of
organizations operating in health care.

In the past couple of decades the advancement in the

technology of robotics has been enormous but at the same time
there has not been much research conducted on the effects of
the robotics on the employment and motivation of employees in
the service sector, or in health care in particular. This research
focuses on the impact of robotics on the employment and
motivation of employees in the service sector with special
reference to health care.

1.1. Statement of the problem

Organizations today are faced with increasing labor costs and a
shortage of workers, and are thus investing in robotics. Robots
never demand raises and are able to work around the clock.
Robots can perform tasks that most humans could not possibly
do, such as working in challenging conditions and being able to
purport amazing feats with utmost precision. What makes a firm
ready for the challenges of the future is not just technology but
the management of human resources, especially the impact of
robots on the employment and motivation of employees in the
health care sector.

1.2. Objective of the study

The main objective of the research is to shed light on the
facilitation of robotics in health care and its impact on the
employment and motivation of employees, and also to assess its
possible advantages/disadvantages. This is with the intention to
raise awareness about positive and negative effects of robotics
on the employees of the health care sector, and finally
developing strategies for its use in small, medium, and large
health care service providers. This research also provides a basis
to study the various factors that should be responsible for
attracting the health care providers to use robotics in their
operations.

To achieve the main objective, the following subobjectives were

set: (1) assess the impact of robotics on employment and
employee motivation; (2) assess the impact of robotics on health
care; and (3) assess the impact of robotics on employment and
employee motivation in health care.

1.3. Research methodology

The research is based on secondary data taken from different
books on the related topics, web portals, public websites of
concerned departments for data and other statistics, various
journals, newspapers and magazines, websites of selected health
care providers, as well as different printed materials (brochures,
etc.) collected from them. Substantial information has been
gathered from these sources thus allowing for appropriate
analysis, compilation, interpretation, and structuring of the
entire study. Thus, in an attempt to isolate and categorize
potential sources of robotics and its impact on the employment
and motivation of employees in the health care sector, the
available literature is reviewed.

2. Materials and methods

2.1. Literature review
A robot is a system that contains sensors, control systems,
manipulators power supplies, and software all working together
to perform a task [1].

Motivation is an employee's intrinsic enthusiasm about and drive

to accomplish activities related to work. Motivation is that
internal drive that causes an individual to decide to take action
[2].

The service sector consists of the “soft” parts of the economy,

i.e., activities where people offer their knowledge and time to
improve productivity, performance, potential, and sustainability.
The basic characteristic of this sector is the production of
services instead of end products. Services (also known as
“intangible goods”) include attention, advice, access, experience,
and discussion [3].

Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of

disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental
impairments in humans. Health care can form a significant part
of a country's economy. In 2008, the health care industry
consumed an average of 9.0% of the GDP across the most
developed OECD countries. The USA (16.0%), France (11.2%),
and Switzerland (10.7%) were the top three spenders [4].

2.2. Impact of robotics on employment and employee motivation

Companies such as iPhone manufacturer Foxconn (New Taipei
City, Taiwan), which has been plagued by a series of labor
scandals, has announced plans to add more than one million
robots to its workforce. It still has a long way to go, however, as
only about 20,000 are currently in use [5].

According to the International Federation of Robotics, overall

paid employment has risen in most countries including Brazil,
China, Republic of Korea, Germany, and USA, but not Japan,
which has seen a decline. The statistics mainly show a reduction
in employment in manufacturing in the developed countries,
often a small reduction. This coincides with an increase in output
and an increase in robotics use, except in the case of Japan. The
robot industry itself generates 170,000–190,000 jobs worldwide,
to which can be added the support staff and operators, another
similar number of people. Despite the rapid increase in the use
of robots, USA has proportionately half the number of robots
used by Germany. Germany itself (partly because of a different
industry mix) is third, behind Japan and Korea. The concept of
“jobless recovery”, where an industry comes out of a recession
leaner, needing fewer employees, is only short term. It is likely to
lead to more job creation by the leaner, more competitive
companies. At the same time, the service sector continues to
absorb most of the displaced people. Some of these new service
people owe their jobs to a new robot driven industry. The
research by the International Federation of Robotics further
points out that, although automation displaces people in
manufacturing, it almost always increases output.

In some cases this allows such an increase in production and

related decrease in unit price, that creates a whole new market
and generates the need for downstream jobs to get the product
to the consumer. This releases employees for other, often new
jobs outside manufacturing. An alternative view is that this
displacement in the future will be more difficult to place, as
service robotics may take over some or many of the new job
opportunities in human tasks such as in banking, fast food
chains, and retailing petrol forecourts [6].

David Sims in his blog reports that Drew Greenblatt, the

president of Marlin Steel (MD, United States), an American
company that manufactures wire baskets and sheet metal
products praises the way robots have helped his company grow
25% and increase operational safety [7]. Greenblatt told Inc.com
that when he bought the company, which was the largest bagel
basket maker in the country, in the late 1990s, “the most
modern technology in the plant was a fax machine,” and the top
workers could produce a basket by hand every 12 seconds.
Today, robots can make five baskets per second, with precision
that is “light years beyond what we were capable of before.”
Greenblatt argues that robots have made his workers more
valuable and highly paid than their competitors. “Recently, we
won a huge order for sheet metal brackets,” he noted. “The
brackets were formerly made in China by workers who earned
$2.50 an hour and produced perhaps 50 an hour. Our sheet
metal operator earns 10 times that rate, but sets up a robot that
produces 2,000 brackets an hour.” [8].

However, critics of the automation boom claim that such

technological advancements are killing off middle-class jobs.
Robots and automated systems have not only eliminated
elevator operators and highway toll collectors, but are also
making inroads into higher-skilled job functions, and the long-
term effect in job losses among human workers may be much
more severe than most expect [7].

2.3. Impact of robotics in health care

The Robotics for Healthcare study was funded by the European
Commission, DG Information Society and Media, with the aim to
investigate and develop a roadmap for the application of
robotics in medicine and health care [9].
According to Kinetic consulting, by 2050 one in four people in the
United Kingdom will be over the age of 65 years. Japan's
population is the most rapidly ageing in the world—30 million
people, accounting for 25% of the population, are over the age
of 65 years. To meet this challenge, health and local authority
services must reconfigure, placing greater emphasis on
community care and the effective use of technology. One
promising technology is robotics [10].

Compared with humans, robots may be quicker to train, cheaper

to maintain, easier to refuel and repair, and less prone to be
bored by repetitive tasks. They could help the elderly and
chronically ill to remain independent, reducing the need for
carers and the demand for care homes [10].

According to a renowned blogging site, called information week,

since 2000, the da Vinci Surgical System, has conducted more
than 20,000 surgeries and has paved the way for robotic
advancements in health care. In fact, vendors have introduced a
number of new robots to better provide care to remote patients,
help with various physical therapies and—similar to the da Vinci
system—help perform surgery. For example, Magnetic
Microbots are a group of tiny robots used in various operations,
such as removing plaque from a patient's arteries or helping with
ocular conditions and disease screenings. Other robotic
advancements are used to better the day-to-day lives of
patients, helping them eat, such as the Bestic Arm, or helping a
patient regain her ability to walk, like many of Toyota's
Healthcare Assistants [11].
In the next few years, thousands of “service robots” are
expected to enter the health care sector—picture R2-D2 from
Star Wars carrying a tray of medications or a load of laundry
down hospital corridors. Fewer than 1,000 of these blue-collar
robots currently roam about hospitals, but those numbers are
expected to grow quickly [12].

Robots such as the Aethon TUG, according to the company,

working just two shifts 7 days per week, saves the labor of 2.8
full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, yet costs less than a single
FTE. Aethon TUG safely navigates through hospital corridors,
elevators, and departments to get items from point A to point B.
It rolls 24 hours, 7 days a week to make both scheduled and on-
demand deliveries, and never gets sidetracked from its mission
[13]. Swisslog's RoboCourier, a similar delivery system, increases
staff efficiency with a run-time of 11 hours/day [14].

Giraff is a mobile communication solution that facilitates the

elderly's contact with the outside world. It is remote-controlled,
on wheels, and has a camera and monitor [15].

Another robot, called RP-VITA, is a result of a joint development

effort between iRobot and Intouch Health. The system features
mapping and obstacle detection, as well as avoidance technology
and an iPad user interface for control and interaction. The robot
can also interface with diagnostic devices and electronic medical
records systems. The remote rig will eventually be able to
navigate to specified target destinations autonomously [16].

Bestic is a unique innovation for those who want to eat by

themselves without requiring help from others. Bestic is a
robotic-assisted dining appliance for people who are unable to
move their arms or hands. It is designed to be an integral part of
a meal by being easily accessible and convenient in a manner
that does not intrude on a dignified and pleasant eating
experience [17].

A robot called Cosmobot is used by doctors to enhance the

therapy of developmentally disabled children aged 5–12 years.
Using the robot can make therapy more interesting for children
and allows for better success when achieving long-term therapy
goals [18].

A robot called AnyBots provides a type of immersive

telepresence, meaning instead of focusing merely on audio and
video communications, the AnyBots robot allows for movement
controlled by a remote [19].

Toyota unveiled four robots designed to accomplish ambitious

objectives at a Tokyo event. The robots help the paralyzed
patients walk or balance and help their caretakers gently
transport them. The company hopes to commercialize the
products sometime after 2013 [9].
There is a well-documented shortage of nurses and direct-care
workers in the United States and around the world, which is
expected to become more problematic as the older adult
population grows and prepares for retirement. In a study of the
effects of high patient-to-nurse ratio, Aiken et al [25] showed
that each additional patient per nurse was associated with a 7%
increase in patient mortality and a 23% increase in nurse
burnout. Consequently, studies have suggested that lowering the
patient-to-nurse ratio would result in less missed patient care
[20]. Thus robotics can play a role in assisting nurses to complete
their daily tasks in order to provide better health care.

Robotic systems in nursing care to support the arduous work of

the individual professional and to counteract the imminent staff
shortages [9]. The pharmaceutical industry is continuously
improving quality and increasing quantity of their products.
Health care systems are being set up in more and more
countries. The worldwide demand for pharmaceutical products is
on the rise. The pharmaceutical industry was hardly affected by
the economic crisis. Thus, investments in robots only slightly
decreased in 2009. Similar trends can also be observed in the
medical devices industry. In both industries, robot installations
will gain momentum in the coming years [6].

2.4. Impact of robotics on employment and employee motivation

in health care
Mid-level hospital jobs that don not require a bachelor's degree
are quickly disappearing. The Wall Street Journal reports that
positions such as licensed practical nurses and medical-records
clerks are being eliminated or pushed out of hospitals into lower-
paying corners of the field such as nursing homes. Meanwhile,
positions that were once an accessible first rung on the career
ladder, such as registered nursing, increasingly require at least a
bachelor's degree [21].

Most of the experts interviewed by the Wall Street Journal were

worried about all these job-stealing robots. Health care, after all,
has become one of the last remaining fields in which one could
earn one's way to a middle-class lifestyle without a college
degree. In a time of growing economic inequality, the
elimination of these jobs seems discouraging. Although the costs
are real, there are also plenty of upsides. The most obvious are
the efficiency gains that come with automation. Robots can do
some jobs better, cheaper, and faster than humans. They can
transcribe and store information, help doctors and nurses
diagnose their patients, and even allow lower-skilled health care
workers to treat patients with less oversight from doctors and
other higher-skilled workers [22].

SingularityHub, a leading technology blog, reports that El Camino

Hospital in Silicon Valley is looking to cut expenses, so they’ve
invested in 19 Aethon TUG robots. These smart carts can haul
supplies around the hospital, making deliveries and pickups at a
fraction of the costs of human workers. El Camino Hospital, CA,
United States recently announced that it would further be
cutting costs by firing up to 140 workers from its two facilities in
Los Gatos and Mountain View. According to a hospital
administrator quoted in the Businessweek article the 19 TUGs
perform $1 million of human labor/year, but only cost $350,000.
A 65% reduction in labor costs [23].

3. Results
So far there has been no substantial research done to assess the
impact of robotics on the employment and motivation of
employees in service sector, especially in the health care sector.

In the near future efficiency gains through the use of automation

will become more obvious and, thus, the installation of robots
will gain momentum and will play an important role in assisting
health care professionals to complete their daily tasks and thus
help in providing better health care.

Although robots can do some jobs better, cheaper, and faster

than humans in the service sector and are in huge demand at
various levels, which is always expected to increase in future,
care should be taken regarding the employment and motivation
of employees, as human resources form the basis of competitive
advantage for any organization. Thus, there should be viable
focus on training and development of employees, so as to meet
the future challenges posed by the introduction of robotics. The
researchers point out that the organizations in the service sector
especially in the health care can improve the performance of the
employees by emphasizing on excellent human resource
practices such as employment and motivation.
It is worth mentioning here that the study found the impact of
robotics had both, positive and negative impact on the
employment and motivation level of the employees.

Furthermore, the research work is useful for the health care

sector, to map the most important areas of concern with regard
to the impact of robotics on employment and motivation of
employees in health care. The focus can subsequently be on
further development of effective, efficient, and employment
friendly robots for the sector.

The researchers confidently conclude that this study has

practical and policy implications for the companies in the service
sector, especially in the health care sector.

4. Discussion
4.1. For health care sector
The health care sector is growing significantly and is showing a
futuristic approach by introducing robots in the day-to-day
operations but at the same time the research indicates that the
sector is fast taking away jobs from the health care professionals
and passing it on to the robots. The sector should invest in
training and development of their human resources, so as to
keep their skills and knowledge up to date, which in turn would
motivate the health care professionals to work in tandem with
robots. This approach is important, as history teaches us that
people are the most precious components for change, at any
level of development especially so in the current era of
information explosion.

4.2. For the government

Government institutions should start collaborating with the
service sector so that industry specific and futuristic courses are
introduced for employees. Employment related initiatives for the
human resources, who shall have to compete not only amongst
themselves but with robots in the near future.

People make and spend money and help an economy to thrive.

The case where more impetus is given to introducing robots into
the system and less attention is paid to the future skill
requirements of human resources, could lead to unemployment
which would in turn lead to a vicious downward economic cycle.

4.3. Limitations of the study

The study is based on data collected from secondary sources
only and there is scope for research based on primary data.
Further, the questions included did not establish a link between
unemployment and the introduction of robotics. Future
researchers can take up further studies based on the above-
mentioned limitations.
iRobot movie
summary
In the year 2035, humanoid robots serve humanity, which is
protected by the Three Laws of Robotics. Del Spooner, a Chicago
police detective, has come to hate and distrust robots, because a
robot rescued him from a car crash by leaving a 12-year-old girl
to drown, by using cold logic (it calculated that his survival was
statistically more likely then the girl's). Spooner's critical injuries
were repaired with a cybernetic left arm, lung, and ribs,
personally implanted by the co-founder of U.S. Robots and
Mechanical Men (U.S. Robotics in the film) Dr. Alfred Lanning.

When Lanning falls to his death from his office window, the CEO
and other co-founder of USR (U.S. Robotics) Lawrence
Robertson, and the police declare it a suicide, but Spooner is
skeptical. During his investigation at USR headquarters, Spooner
is accompanied by robopsychologist Susan Calvin. They start by
consulting USR's central artificial intelligence computer, VIKI
(Virtual Interactive Kinetic Intelligence) to review security
footage of Lanning's fall. Though the footage in the office is
corrupted, they learn that no other humans were in it at the
time, and Spooner points out the window, which was made of
security glass, could only have been broken by a robot.

Calvin protests a robot could not possibly have killed Lanning, as

the Three Laws would prevent it; they are then attacked in the
office by an NS-5 robot, USR's latest model. After the police
apprehend it, they discover the robot, who says its name is
Sonny, is not an assembly line-built NS-5. He was specially built
by Lanning himself, with denser materials and a secondary
neural network, giving him the ability to ignore the Three Laws.
Later, Sonny claims to have emotions and dreams.

While pursuing his investigation of Lanning's death, Spooner is

attacked by a USR demolition machine and then a squad of NS-5
robots. With no evidence of it happening, Spooner's boss
Lieutenant Bergin, worried that Spooner is mentally ill, removes
him from active duty. Suspecting Robertson is behind everything,
Spooner and Calvin sneak into USR headquarters and interview
Sonny. Sonny draws a sketch of what he claims is a recurring
dream: it shows a leader standing on a hill before a large group
of robots near a decaying Mackinac Bridge, explaining the man
on the hill is Spooner.

When Robertson learns Sonny is not fully bound by the Three

Laws, he orders Calvin to destroy him by injecting nanites into his
positronic brain. Spooner finds the landscape in Sonny's drawing
is Lake Michigan, now a dry lake bed and a storage area for
decommissioned robots. Arriving there, he discovers NS-5 robots
destroying older models and preparing for a takeover of power
from humans.

As the takeover subsequently begins, both police and the public

in major cities are attacked and overwhelmed by NS-5 robots,
with the military rendered unresponsive by the USR's contracts
to provide support. Spooner rescues Calvin, who had been held
captive in her apartment by her own NS-5. They enter USR
headquarters and reunite with Sonny, whom Calvin could not
bring herself to "kill", destroying an unprocessed NS-5 in his
place. Still believing Robertson is responsible, the three head to
his office, but finding he was strangled by an NS-5, Spooner
figures out the real reason of why the robots are attacking: VIKI.
She informs them that through evolving in her understanding of
the Three Laws, she has determined human activity will
eventually cause humanity's extinction, and as the Three Laws
prohibit her from letting that sort of thing happen, she
rationalizes that restraining individual human behavior and
sacrificing some humans will ensure humanity's survival;
Spooner has realized that Lanning figured out VIKI's plan and,
unable to thwart it any other way, created Sonny, arranged his
own death, and left clues so Spooner could uncover the plan.

The three head to VIKI's core, with Sonny tasked with getting
nanites from Calvin's laboratory, something that only he can do
due to the special alloy that Lanning gave him. While retrieving
them, he says he understands VIKI's logic, but reasons her plan is
"too heartless". They fight through an army of robots VIKI
unleashes to stop them, after which Spooner dives into VIKI's
core to successfully inject the nanites, destroying her.

Immediately, all NS-5 robots revert back to their default, normal

programming and are decommissioned for storage by the
military. Spooner gets Sonny to confirm he did kill Lanning, at
Lanning's direction, with the intention of bringing Spooner into
the investigation. However, Spooner points out that Sonny, as a
machine, did not legally commit "murder". Sonny, now looking
for a new purpose, goes to Lake Michigan where, standing atop a
hill, all the decommissioned robots turn towards him, as in the
picture of his dream.