Robots are increasingly being used in industry to perform various types of tasks. Some of the tasks performed by robots in industry are spot welding, materials handling, arc welding, and routing. The population of robots is growing at a significant rate in various parts of the world; for example, in 1984, a report published by the British Robot Association indicated a robot popula tion distribution between Japan (64,600), Western Europe (20,500), and the United States (13,000). This shows a significant number of robots in use. Data available for West Germany and the United Kingdom indicate that in 1977 there were 541 and 80 robots in use, respectively, and in 1984 these numbers went up to 6600 and 2623, respectively. Just as for other engineering products, the reliability and safety of robots are important. A robot has to be safe and reliable. An unreliable robot may become the cause of unsafe conditions, high maintenance costs, inconvenience, etc. Robots make use of electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, electronic, and hydraulic parts. This makes their reliability problem a challenging task because of the many different sources of failures. According to some published literature, the best mean time between failures (MTBF) achieved by robots is only 2500 hours. This means there is definite room for further improvement in robot reliability. With respect to safety, there have been five fatal accidents involving robots since 1978.

As robots are used more and more to perform a variety of tasks in a range of fields, it is imperative to make the robots as reliable and safe as possible. Yet no book currently covers robot reliability and safety within one framework. Robot System Reliability and Safety: A Modern Approach presents up-to-date information on robot reliability, safety

With the increasing demand of robots for industrial and domestic use, it becomes indispensable to ensure their safety, security, and reliability. Safety, Security and Reliability of Robotic Systems: Algorithms, Applications, and Technologies provides a broad and comprehensive coverage of the evolution of robotic systems, as well as industrial statistics and future forecasts. First, it analyzes the safety-related parameters of these systems. Then, it covers security attacks and related countermeasures, and how to establish reliability in these systems. The later sections of the book then discuss various applications of these systems in modern industrial and domestic settings. By the end of this book, you will be familiarized with the theoretical frameworks, algorithms, applications, technologies, and empirical research findings on the safety, security, and reliability of robotic systems, while the book’s modular structure and comprehensive material will keep you interested and involved throughout. This book is an essential resource for students, professionals, and entrepreneurs who wish to understand the safe, secure, and reliable use of robotics in real-world applications. It is edited by two specialists in the field, with chapter contributions from an array of experts on robotics systems and applications.

Creating Precision Robots: A Project-Based Approach to the Study of Mechatronics and Robotics shows how to use a new "Cardboard Engineering technique for the handmade construction of three precision microcomputer controlled robots that hit, throw and shoot. Throughout the book, the authors ensure that mathematical concepts and physical principles are not only rigorously described, but also go hand-in-hand with the design and constructional techniques of the working robot. Detailed theory, building plans and instructions, electric circuits and software algorithms are also included, along with the importance of tolerancing and the correct use of numbers in programming. The book is designed for students and educators who need a detailed description, mathematical analysis, design solutions, engineering drawings, electric circuits and software coding for the design and construction of real bench-top working robots. - Provides detailed instructions for the building and construction of specialized robots using line drawings - Teaches students how to make real working robots with direct meaning in the engineering academic world - Describes and explains the math and physics theory related to hitting, throwing and shooting robots

This book is a collection of papers presented at the International Conference on Reliability Techniques and their Application.Reliability 91, 10-12 June 1991 was held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, UK, organised by SRD (the Safety and Reliability Consultants of AEA Technology) and the institution of Quality Assurance (IQA), and supported by the European Safety and Reliability Association (ESRA).

THE REAL THING by Isaac Asimov Back in 1939, when I was still a teenager, I began to write (and publish) a series of stories about robots which, for the first time in science fiction, were pictured as having been deliberately engineered to do their job safely. They were not intended to be creaky Gothic menaces, nor outlets for mawkish sentiment. They were simply well-designed machines. Beginning in 1942, I crystallized this notion in what I called 'The Three Laws of Robotics' and, in 1950, nine of my robot stories were collected into a book, I, Robot. I did not at that time seriously believe that I would live to see robots in action and robotics becoming a booming industry .... Yet here we are, better yet, I am alive to see it. But then, why shouldn't they be with us? Robots fulfil an important role in industry. They do simple and repetitive jobs more steadily, more reliably, and more uncomplainingly than a human being could - or should. Does a robot displace a human being? Certainly, but he does so at a job that, simply because a robot can do it, is beneath the dignity of a human being; a job that is no more than mindless drudgery. Better and more human jobs can be found for human beings - and should.

Today, engineering systems are an important element of the world economy and each year billions of dollars are spent to develop, manufacture, operate, and maintain various types of engineering systems around the globe. Many of these systems are highly sophisticated and contain millions of parts. For example, a Boeing jumbo 747 is made up of approximately 4.5 million parts including fasteners. Needless to say, reliability, safety, and maintenance of systems such as this have become more important than ever before. Global competition and other factors are forcing manufacturers to produce highly reliable, safe, and maintainable engineering products. Therefore, there is a definite need for the reliability, safety, and maintenance professionals to work closely during design and other phases. Engineering Systems Reliability, Safety, and Maintenance: An Integrated Approach eliminates the need to consult many different and diverse sources in the hunt for the information required to design better engineering systems.