Robots don’t have arms, eyes, and ears to be able to hear, see and touch to interact with the environment. That being said, how do companies like Boston Dynamics and DARPA build such high-end robots that are meant to be on the front line during war? The answer’s simple: sensors.
Robots need a multitude of sensors to be able to tell what’s going on around them. If you want your robot to see, you need either small cameras that are connected to the main circuit board, or photocells. Photocells are little devices that can sense light and make crude images of what is going on around the robot.
Another sensor that robots have are GPS. Some robots have this, but most don’t (that’s what I think anyway). The GPS is used so that the robot can pinpoint where it is on a bigger scale.
Yet another sensor, buttons can be used for the robot to be able to know when it comes in contact with something. That being said, buttons are also used to trigger certain functions as well.
Gyroscope technology, such as the type that is used in Boston Dynamic’s Atlas, can be used for the robot to be able to turn around move, and jump with out losing balance.
There are a lot more sensors out there, but I just mentioned some of them. If you plan on picking up robotics as a hobby, these are 2 very good sites to begin with: Arduino and MAKE.
Hope you enjoyed!
The Blogger 
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