“A robot is an autonomous machine capable of sensing its environment, carrying out computations to make decisions, and performing actions in the real world.” –Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Really, there is no one-size-fits-all definition of robotics. Some roboticists classify robots according to how they move, or the environment in which they will operate: aquatic, terrestrial, airborne, etc. Others prefer to classify based on industry or application: manufacturing, medical, military, etc. No matter how you define them, robots are changing the world of work.

The goal is  to understand robotics well enough to solve relevant problems and shape a future of work that works for everyone. Use the resources on these pages to understand, explore, and apply robotics to the problems facing your community, organization, or the world at large.

Additional Resources

• What is a Robot? (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers): Your guide to the world of robotics.
• Automation and Robotics (Spatial): Learn the differences and overlap between robotics and automation.
• Types of Robots: How Robotics Technologies are Shaping Today’s World (Intel): Explore how the six most common types of robots are used across industries.
• Robots and AI Taking Over Jobs: What to Know About the Future of Jobs (builtin): Find out which industries are impacted most, which jobs are being replaced, and how AI and robotics are creating new jobs.

Robots are great for automating repetitive tasks, or going into dangerous, hard to reach, or dirty environments that are unsafe or unappealing for humans. The best way to understand what robots can do is by looking at a wide range of examples.

Examples of Robots Across Industries

As you explore robotics use cases across industries you will find the same types of robots cropping up repeatedly. So even if you’re not interested in construction robots, try it anyway to learn how cable robots work and how you might apply different concepts to your own industries and areas of interest. You never know what will spark a new idea!

Industrial Robots

(Material Handling Industry)

Learn how industrial robots are used in manufacturing, automotive and other industries to weld, glue, cut, paint and other repetitive, difficult, or potentially dangerous tasks.

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Healthcare Robotics

(Intel)

Explore medical robots, including surgical assistance robots, exoskeletons, medical delivery, educational simulations, and social robots from leaders in the field.

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Agricultural Robots

(Association for Advancing Automation)

Robots can automate harvesting and picking, weed and pest control, mowing, sorting and packing, and various other tasks. Wired covers precision agriculture in depth.

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Construction Robotics

(Parametric Architecture)

Learn which types of robots are best suited for bricklaying, painting, welding, drilling, material handling, frame building, and other vital tasks throughout the process of constructing homes, buildings, bridges and other structures.

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Warehouse Robots

(Oracle Netsuite)

This ultimate guide to warehouse robotics uncovers which types of robots work well for different use cases, how robots interact with people, and all the trends you need to know.

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Food Processing Robots

(Food Engineering)

Food processing robots can slice meat and seafood, automate cake decorating, clean and sanitize work surfaces, sort produce, package goods, and other rote tasks.

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Follow these blogs, podcasts, leading robotics associations to track overarching trends, stories, and vital news updates in the world of robotics.

Blogs & Websites

Podcasts

Associations & Organizations

A surprising number of people are required to design, build, test, implement and maintain a robotics solution over time. This information will come in handy if you want to build a robotics-based solution in your community or organization, or you want to explore careers in robotics.

Building the actual robot is just a small piece of the puzzle. Robots cannot be built until organizational leadership is convinced automation and robotics are necessary, and an effective implementation plan is developed. Use these resources to find out how robots are designed and implemented to suit different environments and industry needs.

How Robots Are Made

• Build an In-House Robotics Team Part II- Assign Roles and Responsibilities: This blog from Robotiq describes the people behind the robot, and how each individual contributes to the team.
• Overview of the Engineering Design Process: Boys’ Life featured Vex Robotics design process.
• How to Design Robots for Adoptibility, Automation Use Cases: Robotics Business Review digs deeper into the importance of understanding the environment in which the robot will be operating.

Implementing Robots in Organizations

• Beginner’s Guide to Robotics: The Association for Advancing Automation offers these articles, webinars and resources to help you understand and implement robotics automation in your organization.
• 8 Critical Steps for a Successful Autonomous Mobile Robotics Implementation: Robotics Business Review describes the major high-level steps necessary to plan and implement robotics.
• The Most Significant Challenges of Robotic Automation for 2020: Robotic Industries Association shows why robotics has not infiltrated every industry just yet.
• Automate Repetitive Tasks: IBM provides use cases and guides to Robotics Process Automation. They offer a suite of services and implementation assistance.

Like many other technologies, the primary concerns about robotics center around privacy, security, the impact of technology on society, human-robot interaction, automation, and the future of work.

Keep in mind that this is not the first time a new technology has been introduced to the world. While some jobs may be automated, other jobs will be created. The same privacy and security concerns that impact artificial intelligence also applies to robotics as AI is incorporated into many robotics tools.

Robot Ethics Videos

Learn major topics in robot ethics by exploring these overview videos and more in-depth articles.

Additional Resources:

• Will Robots Steal Our Jobs? The World Economic Forum tels both sides of the story.
• Automation and Inequality: MIT shows how job-replacing tech can increase the income gap.
• AI, Machine Learning and Robotics: Privacy, Security Issues: (Bank Info. Security)
• AI, Robotics, and Ethics in the Age of COVID-19 (MIT Sloan Management Review)
• Protecting Privacy in an AI-Driven World (Brookings)

If you actually want to interact and talk with other people about AI for developers, startups, executives, or any other perspective you may be coming from, here are some options.

Robotics Learning Communities

Learning communities come and go pretty frequently, so check Edx, Udacity, Facebook, Twitter, Discord, and Reddit for other active learning communities.