4.Purpose and use of Robots

4. Purpose & Use of Robots

1. Robots have been designed for range of purposes. Provide a discussion of the purposes of robots anddescribe the two key areas they have been designed for (p. 249 to 250)

A robot is designed for a purpose, depending on whether the task is simple, complex and/or requires the robot to have some degree of 'intelligence'. The purpose of a robot will decide if it is designed to be a smart robot or a dumb robot. Smart robots are adaptive robots that operate under programmed control and are able to learn as they carry out their tasks. Dumb or non-adaptive robots do repetitive tasks well, but learn nothing from their operations. Smart robots are able to investigate volcanoes, go deep into the unknown chasms of oceans, detect active land mines and deactivate bombs left by wars or terrorists, visit other planets and carry out tasks in extreme heat or cold. Dumb robots are more valuable for industrial jobs in dust, heat and cold that would be uncomfortable or hazardous for humans.

2. List many repetitive, dangerous tasks and divide them into those which are possible for robots and those possible for humans.

The Automation in industry uses a wide range of robot devices to help reduce the costs of manufacturing, increase productivity and standardise goods to a high quality. Humans are only needed for tasks where initiative or discernment is needed, such as quality control.

Repetitive: Making cars

Dangerous: Defusing bombs

Possible for humans: Hand making cars and engines blocks.

3. Complete the following table

Robot use	Advantages of using robot in this role	Identify and describe repetitive and dangerous tasks involved	Picture of a robot performing the role
Exploration (give eg’s) Mining Space probe	Robots can stay in mines/ space for longer Robots are cheaper	Hitting rock Sitting in one place for long periods of time (inside a spacecraft), while a robot doesn't need patience
Assembly-line (give eg’s) BMW Mercedes Toyota	Can produce cars to a better standard	Can make cars that are the same
Maintenance & repair (give eg’s) Gas pipe repairer robot	Does not need oxygen	Human would need external oxygen system to work

4. The use of robots in the military is becoming more common. Based on the knowledge you have learnt above, explain why the use of robots in the military is becoming more prevalent.  Include some pictures of military robots.

The use of robots in the military and the warzone has become more prevalent over the most recent years because these robots have the ability over humans to take on jobs that are of too much of an opposed risk. An example of this would be a human exploring a large field filled with land mines.

Such robots like these also have the capability to perform missions remotely in the fields that some of these designated locations of investigation are of far in reach without endangering any human lives. Robots have also been developed to withstand more weaponised damage than humans. Through the use of robots it gives a greater chance of success of the mission especially in dangerous environments. In the instance of where a robot is shut down, the military have the ability to just simply roll out another war robot.

Examples:

5. Please undertake some research and add a video in this location that highlights the use of a military robot. Provide a brief description of the robot under the picture.

This robot is called the 'black hornet'. It is a nano-UAV built by the British Army. It has no weapons, but its purpose is not to kill, but to survey. It can potentially save a live, as this small UAV could go into a compound and scout it out, rather than a soldier going in there and having to look around, which carries the danger of the soldier getting killed.

6. Describe 3 social and ethical issues that can arise from using robots in the military. Add some appropriate pictures to highlight the issues you raise... a few examples below.


Changing nature of work- As huamsn have traditionally been known to fight on the front lines of a war, while robots due to their emerging technologies, are beginning to replace them with this aiding to the process of the changing of the nature of war with robots. Due to the development of robotic weapons, it has changed the capacity of many armies, and the result of this is that they feel more protected in investing in war robots. Military robots have also led to the issue of unemployment for men and women that are wishing to enter the force to train and fight for their country, while machines are replacing humans who fight on the front lines of wars.

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