Non-silicon robot
Encyclopedia
Non-silicon robot
s are robotic systems that include no traditional computers, integrated digital
or analog
solid state
devices, or other solid-state electronic devices. The term non-silicon robot is often used to describe a robot that has some autonomous abilities.
As a simple example, a non-silicon mobile robot
could consist of a platform base with drive wheels and steering system connected to a series of mechanical switches arranged around the exterior of the robot
so that when the robot collides with an object the switches are triggered so that it reverses direction.
One of the most important areas of non-silicon robotics includes molecular and nano-scale machines.
has been a significant component of industry for over 150 years and pre-transistor control systems of the 1930s and 1940s were fairly sophisticated. These control methods are largely forgotten. Such systems use pneumatic, mechanical and electric control systems.
With some notable early exceptions (W. Grey Walter
), in the modern era, non-silicon robots have been mainly confined to obscure research and purely teleoperated robots and have received relatively little attention. However, this is changing with the development of non-traditional computing technologies such as molecular computing (unconventional computing
and non-silicon computing).
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s are robotic systems that include no traditional computers, integrated digital
Digital
A digital system is a data technology that uses discrete values. By contrast, non-digital systems use a continuous range of values to represent information...
or analog
Analog signal
An analog or analogue signal is any continuous signal for which the time varying feature of the signal is a representation of some other time varying quantity, i.e., analogous to another time varying signal. It differs from a digital signal in terms of small fluctuations in the signal which are...
solid state
Solid state (electronics)
Solid-state electronics are those circuits or devices built entirely from solid materials and in which the electrons, or other charge carriers, are confined entirely within the solid material...
devices, or other solid-state electronic devices. The term non-silicon robot is often used to describe a robot that has some autonomous abilities.
As a simple example, a non-silicon mobile robot
Mobile robot
A mobile robot is an automatic machine that is capable of movement in a given environment.-Overview:Mobile robots have the capability to move around in their environment and are not fixed to one physical location...
could consist of a platform base with drive wheels and steering system connected to a series of mechanical switches arranged around the exterior of the robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
so that when the robot collides with an object the switches are triggered so that it reverses direction.
One of the most important areas of non-silicon robotics includes molecular and nano-scale machines.
History
Any robotic system that was built before the advent of modern electronics could be considered a non-silicon robot. AutomationAutomation
Automation is the use of control systems and information technologies to reduce the need for human work in the production of goods and services. In the scope of industrialization, automation is a step beyond mechanization...
has been a significant component of industry for over 150 years and pre-transistor control systems of the 1930s and 1940s were fairly sophisticated. These control methods are largely forgotten. Such systems use pneumatic, mechanical and electric control systems.
With some notable early exceptions (W. Grey Walter
William Grey Walter
W. Grey Walter was a neurophysiologist and robotician.-Overview:Walter was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1910. His ancestry was German/British on his father's side, and American/British on his mother's side. He was brought to England in 1915, and educated at Westminster School and afterwards...
), in the modern era, non-silicon robots have been mainly confined to obscure research and purely teleoperated robots and have received relatively little attention. However, this is changing with the development of non-traditional computing technologies such as molecular computing (unconventional computing
Unconventional computing
Unconventional computing is computing by a wide range of new or unusual methods. It is also known as alternative computing. The different methods of unconventional computing include optical computing, quantum computing, chemical computing, natural computing, biologically-inspired computing, wetware...
and non-silicon computing).