Once the subject of speculative fiction, robots are now reality in many spheres of life, including business, law enforcement, the military, the sciences, entertainment, and even in our homes. They will play bigger roles in the near and distant future. This book traces the development of robots from antiquity through the modern era and into the myriad possibilities of their future practical uses, including the exciting potential intersection of robots and artificial intelligence. A lively historical narrative and stimulating imagery of robots throughout the ages make this book a valuable resource for robot fans and casual readers alike.

Do you know that the first industrial robot started work in 1959? Now robots are in factories, in homes, laboratories, and the sky. Robots explore other planets as well as ocean depths. They also carry out jobs that are dangerous for humans. From the first robots of the 1950s to the drones and androids of the present day, this book charts the amazing history of robots.

Once the subject of speculative fiction, robots are now reality in many spheres of life, including business, law enforcement, the military, the sciences, entertainment, and even in our homes. They will play bigger roles in the near and distant future. This book traces the development of robots from antiquity through the modern era and into the myriad possibilities of their future practical uses, including the exciting potential intersection of robots and artificial intelligence. A lively historical narrative and stimulating imagery of robots throughout the ages make this book a valuable resource for robot fans and casual readers alike.

"As Dustin Abnet shows, the robot-whether automaton, Mechanical Turk, cyborg, or iPhone, whether humanized machine or mechanized human being-has long been a fraught embodiment of human fears. Abnet investigates, moreover, how the discourse of the robot has reinforced social and economic inequalities as well as fantasies of social control. "Robots" as a trope are not necessarily mechanical but are rather embodiments of quasi humanity, exhibiting a mix of human and nonhuman characteristics. Such figures are troubling to dominant discourses, which cannot easily assimilate them or identify salient boundaries. The robot lurks beneath the fears that fracture society"--

Master the principles and practices of industrial robotics Written by a pair of technology experts and accomplished educators, this comprehensive resource provides a solid foundation in applied industrial robotics and robot technology. You will get straightforward explanations of the latest components, techniques, and capabilities along with practical examples and detailed illustrations. The book takes a look at the entire field of robotics―from design and production to deployment, operation, and maintenance. Valuable appendices provide information on specific robot models, pendants, and controllers. Robots and Robotics: Principles, Systems and Industrial Applications covers: • Robot and robotics fundamentals • Identification of components • Robot parts and robotic motion capabilities • Programs, programming languages, and microprocessors • Drive systems, pumps, motors, and sensors • Control methods • Industrial applications • Specifications and capabilities • Troubleshooting and maintenance • Emerging technologies and the future of robotics

In the coming decades robots and artificial intelligence will fundamentally change our world. In doing so they offer the hope of a golden future, but there are dangers. This book looks at both the history of robots, in science and in fiction, as well as the science behind robots. Specific chapters analyse the impact of robots on the labour market, people’s attitudes to robots, the impact of robots on society, and the appropriate policies to pursue to prepare our world for the robot revolution. Overall the book strikes a cautionary tone. Robots will change our world dramatically and they will also change human beings. These important issues are examined from the perspective of an economist, but the book is intended to appeal to a wider audience in the social sciences and beyond.