The bigger picture
The field of robotics is vast, so let us look from a birds-eye perspective to see where our learning from this book fits in the bigger picture.
Robotics not only encompasses several engineering disciplines and many of their specialized subfields but it also covers a myriad of applications. We touched on several disciplines, but we focused on the application of small, wheeled mobile robots. Some of the other important areas for applications of robots include the following:
- Stationary robot arms, used in manufacturing and material handling
- Smart conveyor systems for automatic material handling in warehouses and process logistics
- Flying robots for autonomous delivery, aerial photography, and surveillance
- Space robots for the exploration of harsh, extraterrestrial environments
- Large mobile robots, such as automated equipment for agriculture or mining
- Social robots for companionship and everyday support
- Humanoid robots for advanced research...
