How to Learn Robotics ?

Robotics is a very vast field and the robots do find many applications in various fields. Robotics can basically be defined as a branch of science and technology which deals with the designing and construction of robots, their working and operation and identifying their applications. The use of robotics and robots are to implement and use machines which can work autonomously and perform the tasks which are hazardous and dangerous for humans. In the present scenario, robots can be found very commonly. One can find them at the offices, public places and even at homes. But there was a time when there was no name of the robots or the autonomous machines were not present. 

Isaac Asimov was the first to use the word robotics in his science fiction. In his science fiction only he coined the three laws of robotics which are as stated below:

1.     A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

2.     A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3.     A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

First of all let us discuss generally about the robots. Robots can be defined as an electro-mechanical machines which are controlled and guided by the computer and the electronic circuitries. Or simply they can be defined as a machine which can sense the external environment. By sensing the external environment it refers to sensing of the environmental parameters such as light, color, touch, sound, etc. Robots can work semi-autonomously or autonomously. With the help of robots, humans have gained many benefits including the increase in the productivity and performing the task with precision and accuracy. 

From a beginner’s point of view, one has to firstly select an educational robotics kit for working on it and exploring it. There are many educational robotics kits present, but one has to find thoroughly that exactly how many robotic projects can be made out. Generally from most of the robotic kits, only 6-10 robotic projects can be formed out. But one has to seek for the robotic kit from which numerous robotic projects can be made in order to explore the stuffs and make robotic projects of different shape and structure according to the particular set of task they are supposed to perform. 

Let me take the privilege to introduce you to one of the most advanced educational robotic kit “LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT”. This robotic kit comprises of building block parts which are made up of plastic and they can be interconnected so that different shape and structure can be provided to them, various kinds of attachments which are used for interlocking the building block parts, sensors, gears, servo motors and NXT brick. NXT brick is the brain of the robot which is used for controlling the operations of the robot. Servo motors are the motors which are having the feedback mechanism and hence they can be controlled with accurately for having a précised motion. 

The NXT robotic projects can be programmed in GUI environment. GUI is graphical user interface, in this programming environment different parts of the robots are programmed with the help of different iconic blocks. The NXT programming software itself contains many examples of robotic projects. The robotic projects which are given as illustrations contain building instructions of every robotic project. Along with the building instructions the robotic projects are also given with step by step programming.