Robotics

Terms related to robotics, including definitions about consumer or manufacturing robots and words and phrases about stepper motor systems, XY positioning tables, automation and artificial intelligence.
  • artificial intelligence of things (AIoT) - Artificial intelligence of things (AIoT) is the combination of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and the internet of things (IoT) infrastructure.
  • biotechnology (biotech) - Biotechnology is the use of biology to develop new products, methods and organisms intended to improve human health and society.
  • Blue Origin - Blue Origin is a private spaceflight company based in Kent, Wash.
  • bot - A bot -- short for robot and also called an internet bot -- is a computer program that operates as an agent for a user or other program or to simulate a human activity.
  • bottleneck - A bottleneck, in a communications context, is a point in the enterprise where the flow of data is impaired or stopped entirely.
  • chatbot - A chatbot is a software or computer program that simulates human conversation or "chatter" through text or voice interactions.
  • cognitive computing - Cognitive computing is the use of computerized models to simulate the human thought process in complex situations where the answers might be ambiguous and uncertain.
  • conservation of angular momentum - Conservation of angular momentum is a physical property of a spinning system such that its spin remains constant unless it is acted upon by an external torque; put another way, the speed of rotation is constant as long as net torque is zero.
  • deep tech - Deep technology, or deep tech, refers to advanced technologies based on some form of substantial scientific or engineering innovation.
  • degrees of freedom (mechanics) - In mechanics, degrees of freedom (DOF) is the number of independent variables that define the possible positions or motions of a mechanical system in space.
  • delivery drone - A delivery drone is a type of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used for distributing packages to consumers through advanced AI technology.
  • distributed control system (DCS) - A distributed control system (DCS) is a digital automated industrial control system (ICS) that uses geographically distributed control loops throughout a factory, machine or control area.
  • driver assistance - Driver assistance, also known as advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), are technologies used to make motor vehicle travel safer by automating, improving or adapting some or all of the tasks involved in operating a vehicle.
  • end effector - In robotics, an end effector is a device or tool that's connected to the end of a robot arm where the hand would be.
  • haptics - Haptics is the science of applying a sense of touch and control to interaction with computer applications.
  • hydraulics - Hydraulics is a mechanical function that operates through the force of liquid pressure.
  • kinematics - Kinematics is the study of the motion of mechanical points, bodies and systems without consideration of their associated physical properties and the forces acting on them.
  • knowledge engineering - Knowledge engineering is a field of artificial intelligence (AI) that tries to emulate the judgment and behavior of a human expert in a given field.
  • moonshot - In technology, a moonshot is an ambitious, exploratory and groundbreaking project undertaken without the assurance of near-term profitability or benefit and, perhaps, without a full investigation of potential risks and benefits.
  • nanosecond (ns or nsec) - A nanosecond (ns or nsec) is one-billionth (10-9) of a second.
  • neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) - A neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) is a type of battery-electric vehicle that is capable of traveling at a maximum speed of 25 mph and which has a maximum loaded weight of 3,000 lbs.
  • object recognition - Object recognition is at the convergence points of robotics, machine vision, neural networks and AI.
  • quantum theory - Quantum theory is the theoretical basis of modern physics that explains the nature and behavior of matter and energy on the atomic and subatomic level.
  • robo-advisor - A robo-advisor is a virtual financial advisor powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that employs an algorithm to deliver an automated selection of financial advisory services.
  • robot - A robot is a machine designed to execute one or more tasks automatically with speed and precision.
  • robot economy - The robot economy is a scenario in which most of the labor required to sustain human life is automated.
  • robotic surgery (robot-assisted surgery) - Robotic surgery is the use of computer technologies working in conjunction with robot systems to perform medical procedures.
  • self-driving car (autonomous car or driverless car) - A self-driving car -- sometimes called an autonomous car or driverless car -- is a vehicle that uses a combination of sensors, cameras, radar and artificial intelligence (AI) to travel between destinations without a human operator.
  • smart machines - A smart machine is a device embedded with machine-to-machine and/or cognitive computing technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) or deep learning, all of which it uses to reason, solve problems, make decisions and even take action.
  • social robot - A social robot is an artificial intelligence (AI) system that is designed to interact with humans and other robots.
  • SpaceX - SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corporation) is a space transportation and aerospace manufacturer founded in 2002 by Elon Musk.
  • spambot - A spambot is an automated system that sends unwanted, unsolicited messages to users, known as spam.
  • superposition - Superposition is the ability of a quantum system to be in multiple states at the same time until it is measured.
  • telepresence robot - A telepresence robot is a robotic device that enables a user to maintain a virtual presence in a remote location.
  • uncanny valley - The uncanny valley is a common unsettling feeling people experience when androids or humanoid robots and audio/visual simulations closely resemble humans in many respects but aren't quite convincingly realistic.
  • universal basic income (UBI) - Universal basic income (UBI) is a model for providing all citizens of a country or other geographic area with a given sum of money, regardless of their income, resources or employment status.
  • vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft - A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft is a vehicle that can depart, hover and land vertically.
  • What is a collaborative robot (cobot)? - A collaborative robot, also known as a cobot, is an industrial robot that can safely operate alongside humans in a shared workspace.
  • What is AI? Artificial Intelligence explained - Artificial intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems.
  • What is an AI assistant? - An AI assistant, or digital assistant, is software that uses artificial intelligence to understand natural language voice commands and complete tasks for the user.
  • What is artificial general intelligence (AGI)? - Artificial general intelligence (AGI) is the representation of generalized human cognitive abilities in software so that, faced with an unfamiliar task, the AI system could find a solution.
  • What is machine learning? Guide, definition and examples - Machine learning is a branch of AI focused on building computer systems that learn from data.
  • What is machine vision? - Machine vision is the ability of a computer to see; it employs one or more video cameras, analog-to-digital conversion and digital signal processing.
  • What is narrow AI (weak AI)? - Narrow AI is an application of artificial intelligence technologies to enable a high-functioning system that replicates -- and perhaps surpasses -- human intelligence for a dedicated purpose.
  • What is natural language understanding (NLU)? - Natural language understanding (NLU) is a branch of artificial intelligence (AI) that uses computer software to understand input in the form of sentences using text or speech.
  • What is Robotics? - Robotics is a branch of engineering that involves the conception, design, manufacture and operation of robots.
  • What is singularity in technology and AI? - In technology, the singularity describes a hypothetical future where technology growth is out of control and irreversible.
  • What is supervised learning? - Supervised learning is a subcategory of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) where a computer algorithm is trained on input data that has been labeled for a particular output.
  • What is the Turing Test? - A Turing Test is a method of inquiry in artificial intelligence (AI) for determining whether or not a computer is capable of thinking like a human being.
  • What is unsupervised learning? - Unsupervised learning is a type of machine learning (ML) technique that uses artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to identify patterns in data sets that are neither classified nor labeled.
  • workflow automation - Workflow automation is an approach to making the flow of tasks, documents and information across work-related activities perform independently in accordance with defined business rules.