| Today everybody knows about robots. Robots are | | | | Robots in Space |
| one of the best inventions of science and technology. | | | | Robots are also being used for scientific or space |
| But how many of us actually know about robots in | | | | explorations. Today, two important devices exist |
| depth? I am sure that many of you might not know | | | | which are proven space robots. One is the Remotely |
| so much. In simple words, a robot is a virtual or | | | | Operated Vehicle (ROV) and the other is the |
| mechanical artificial agent. The word robot refers to | | | | Remote Manipulator System (RMS). One |
| both virtual software agents and physical robots as | | | | of the best known ROV's is the Sojourner rover that |
| well. | | | | was deployed by the Mars Pathfinder spacecraft. |
| However, today the robots are not limited to specific | | | | Several NASA centers are involved in developing |
| applications and are used in many different tasks. | | | | planetary explorers and space-based robots. |
| Robots are extensively used in the agriculture, | | | | Robots Used in Agriculture |
| medical, industrial and other fields; they are also being | | | | The idea of using robots in agriculture may sound |
| used at homes as caregivers for the elderly and the | | | | new to you but in reality robots have been used in |
| handicapped. Some classes of robots are mentioned | | | | agriculture for quite some time now. There are |
| below: | | | | several robots being used for agricultural purposes: |
| Telerobots | | | | such as robots that can pick apples, prune |
| Telerobots are used in places dangerous to human | | | | grapevines, and transplant seedlings. In fact, there |
| beings or far away. A human operator located at a | | | | already is a type of robot that shears sheep in |
| distance from a telerobot controls its action, which | | | | Australia. |
| was accomplished with the arm of the space shuttle. | | | | Robots are increasingly used today in almost all the |
| Telerobots are also useful in nuclear power plants | | | | fields and there may be a day when we will not be |
| where they and can handle dangerous material or | | | | able to imagine life without them. |
| undertake operations potentially harmful for humans. | | | | |