A robot is an electro-mechanical contraption that is designed for performing a certain task or a certain set of tasks repeatedly without fail. The chief feature of robots that distinguishes them from purely mechanical or purely electronic devices is in the property of self-locomotion, limited intelligence, and in the element of automation built into them.
Humans react to a robot with curiosity about its working and admiring glances at its indefatigability. They wonder if it can work to their commands. Some robots do understand certain elements of certain languages and can perform limited tasks in response to voice commands.
A robot has a brain wired with electronic circuits, microprocessor controllers, sensors, a well-devised control system, and interfaces with mechanical elements. It can find its way about by sensing obstructions in its environment. In response to the way it is programmed, a robot can carry out movements of its arms and limbs with almost as much degrees of freedom as a human being can.
The chief difference is that a robot is a tool that works in exactly the same way on every occasion in response to preset commands. On the other hand, a human can respond in many different ways to the same stimulus as it has an intelligent brain that is under development all the time.
A robot is basically a machine that does not have any independent intelligence of its own except what has been programmed into its microprocessor chips. Another difference is that a human being becomes tired, falls ill, and requires rest, sleep, and nutrition to work. In contrast, a robot can do a preordained task continuously with full efficiency until its power source runs out.
In lighter vein, no robot can ever develop into a human being, whereas some men are so mechanical and unfeeling, they are called robots. A robot is chiefly an invention made by lazy men to serve them without having to pay it a salary and to hear its grouses. Men can shirk their responsibilities, but never a robot.
The best thing about a robot is that it does exactly what it is programmed to, nothing more and nothing less. Therefore, it is easy to control a robot. On the other hand, to control children you need to constantly divert their attention and only women can control men.
Robots are used for performing automobile assembly line tasks in industry and doctors are planning to use a robot to precisely conduct microsurgeries. The toy industry has made a lot of money offering expensive robots as toys to demanding children. The space exploration industry has also used robots to good effect to explore the surface of Mars through the Pathfinder Probe.
Use of a robot as a terrorist has been in the minds of extremists for which the world is wary about. However, thankfully till now this has been only a concept that has not been implemented. As far as countries go, the US, Japan, and Germany are leaders in developing robots for diverse tasks that also include military reconnaissance and for launching drone attacks on enemies.
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