Memorize the following words and expressions

5.13. Read the text.

ROBOTS

The origin of the word “robot” is said to have appeared first in a play called RUR (Rossum’s Universal Robots) written by a Chech playwight, Karel Č apec. Men riding on a fully-packed train in the outskirts of Prague were just like machines lacking in individuality, Č apec. called such men robots in his play by parodying the word ‘robota’ meaning slave labour. The word ‘robot’ came into being by the bitter satire of the condition of man who was deprived of his humanity and became like a machine.

For years robots have been quite familiar figures in our minds in the form of mechanical-driven dolls, or the heroes in children’s cartoons who exhibit superhuman qualities. However, the image of industrial robot used in manufacturing processes is far different from such. Among industrial robots, there are different types ranging from hand-operated “magic hands” to others equipped with intelligent faculties by incorporating micro-computers. Hence, there is no clear-cut definition for industrial robots.

The automatically controlled industrial manipulators are divided into three generations: programmed, adaptive and intellectual. Characteristic of the first generation – the programmed robots – is that their control system acts according to a rigid oft-repeated programme all the time. But the programmed robot ia easily retuned to various action programmes. All the industrial robots in stamping, mechanical processing, forge and foundry work, and in other auxiliary “manual” operations as well as in loading and unloading that have been widely introduced belong to this generation. They will continue to be the main type of robot.

Adaptive robots, or robots of the second generation, are being developed along with them.Where they differ is that they possess the most elementary senses in their manipulators – tactile (sense and touch), power (reaction to the magnitude of the work effort), locating (reaction to the distance to the object and the speed of approaching it), and light (reaction to the object located within a beam of light), and subsequently microprocess the information.

The third generation – the intellectual robots – possesses far richer means for sensing (including sight), for processing information with a view and carrying out a decision. It enables us to say that the robot possess “artificial intellect”.

Many of the robots in use today do jobs that are especially difficult for human workers. These are the types of jobs that require great strength or pose danger. For example, robots are particularly useful in the auto-manufacturing industry where parts of automobiles must be welded together. As a mechanical superman, robots may do anything from moving heavy components between workstations on a factory floor to carrying bags of cement.

Spray painting is another task suited to robots because robots do not need to breathe. Unlike human painters, they are unaffected by the poisonous fumes. Third in the list of useful jobs for robots is the assembly of electronic parts. Robots shine at installing chips in printed circuit boards because of a capability that robots have that people don’t. Their automatic accuracy is particularly valuable in this kind of industry because locating and fixing mistakes is costly.

Robots that are fitted with video cameras and other sensing devices can detect heat, texture, size and sound. These robots are used in space projects, nuclear reactor stations, and underwater exploration research.

The use of industrial robots has produced a number of economic and social advantages. Among them are the improvement in productivity, greater humanization of working life, prevention of labour accidents, improvement of product quality and the development of new industries.