_{Professor of computer science at the University of Freiburg and head of the research lab for Autonomous Intelligent Systems, Ph.D. - University of Bonn.}

_{Silver Professor of the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University, and Vice President, Chief AI Scientist at Facebook. Ph.D. - Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris.}

_{Professor in the Department of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington, Ph.D. - University of Bonn.}

_{CEO of Kitty Hawk Corporation, and chairman and co-founder of Udacity, Ph.D. - University of Bonn.}

Robotics is a field of electrical and computer engineering that deals with the design, construction, and operation of robots. Robots are mechanical devices that can be programmed to perform a wide range of tasks, such as manufacturing, assembly, inspection, and transportation. Robotics also involves the integration of sensors, actuators, and control systems to enable robots to interact with their environment.

Robotics systems typically consist of several key components:

The mechanical structure, also known as the kinematic structure, which provides the physical form of the robot and allows it to move. The actuators, which provide the force and motion needed to move the robot. Common actuators include electric motors, pneumatic cylinders, and hydraulic cylinders. The sensors, which provide the robot with information about its environment. Common sensors include cameras, force sensors, and encoders. The control system, which processes the sensor data and generates control signals to operate the actuators. The control system is responsible for the robot’s ability to perceive its environment, make decisions, and execute tasks. One of the key areas of study in robotics is robot kinematics, which deals with the geometric and mathematical description of the robot’s movement. This includes the study of the robot’s configuration space, the relationship between the robot’s end effector and its base, and the inverse and forward kinematics of the robot.

Another important area of study in robotics is robot dynamics, which deals with the forces and torques that act on the robot and how they affect its motion. This includes the study of the robot’s mass, inertia, and center of mass, and the dynamic modeling of the robot’s motion.

A third area of study in robotics is robot control, which deals with the design of control systems to operate the robot. This includes the study of control algorithms, such as PID control, trajectory planning, and motion control, and the implementation of these algorithms on the robot’s control system.

A fourth area of study in robotics is robot perception, which deals with the robot’s ability to perceive its environment. This includes the study of sensor technologies, such as cameras, lidar, and ultrasonic sensors, and the processing of sensor data to extract information about the environment.

A fifth area of study in robotics is robot intelligence, which deals with the robot’s ability to make decisions and adapt to its environment. This includes the study of artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques, such as decision trees, neural networks, and reinforcement learning, and their implementation on robotic systems.

A sixth area of study in robotics is robot grasping and manipulation, which deals with the robot’s ability to manipulate objects. This includes the study of different grasping techniques, such as power grasping and precision grasping, and the design of end effectors to enable the robot to manipulate objects.

A seventh area of study in robotics is robot localization and mapping, which deals with the robot’s ability to determine its position and construct a map of its environment. This includes the study of localization algorithms, such as Kalman filters and particle filters, and mapping algorithms, such as SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping).

An eighth area of study in robotics is robot networking, which deals with the communication and coordination of multiple robots. This includes the study of communication protocols, such as ROS (Robot Operating System), and the design of distributed control systems to enable multiple robots to work together. Robotics networking allows the robots to share information and coordinate their actions, which is important for applications such as swarm robotics and search and rescue operations.

Overall, Robotics is a rapidly growing field of electrical and computer engineering that deals with the design, construction, and operation of robots. It involves the integration of mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering to create intelligent machines that can perform a wide range of tasks. Robotics has a wide range of applications in fields such as manufacturing, transportation, and healthcare, and it plays a critical role in the development of new technologies and systems.