Robots are one of the greatest technical innovations of the 20th Century. They have emerged from the pages of science fiction to play an important role in the life of modern man. They never tire, feel no fear, are undisturbed by emotions, are never lazy, never ask for more money, and are always honest and hard-working. The development of robots represents as revolutionary a change in man's progress as the Industrial Revolution in the 19th Century.
The government and people of the Republic of China have not been left out of this "robot revolution." Through assiduously developing the high technology involved, they have not only succeeded in producing robots, but have managed to export some of them as well.
At the beginning of this year, Premier Sun Yun-suan disclosed that a large overseas firm had asked for prices and was preparing to order l,000 robots. In April, Hou Cheng-yeh, who has studied in the U.S. for 18 years, returned to Taiwan to set up the Taiwan Automated Company, the first producer of robots in the country. He has already received orders from the U.S. and Japan after producing 3,800 educational robots, and plans to make the first shipment by the beginning of 1983.
The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) displayed the robot it developed in July and has transferred the technology to private industry. Many machinery manufacturing companies are eager to develop their own robots.
The word robot was first used by the Czech writer Capek in 1920 in a story about a machine that looked human and could think and do all kinds of work. In the Czech language, robot means to work or to serve. In the early 20th Century, electric humanoid robots were produced which could carry out simple operations, but they can only be regarded as toys. With the invention of the computer, however, scientists were able to take the first step in inventing the modern robot, which combines electronics with mechanics.
The most important of these new robots, industrial robots, hardly resemble humans at all. With their motorized arms and joints, and their computer "minds," they have replaced man on many production lines.
The U.S. produced the first industrial robot in 1958, but today, Japan leads the world in the technique, in terms of quantity, although most people still consider the U.S. ahead in quality.
So-called intelligent robots have a complex design, usually incorporating video and audio systems. They can see, hear, remember, judge, recognize, adapt and learn, in handling the most intricate work.
Many factories are automated, but automated machinery is far inferior to the industrial robot. The machines can only carry out one function and, often different processes call for different equipment. The robot, on the other hand, can adjust to a variety of situations, often more than one at a time. A robot can also be reprogrammed to handle new work.
To help industries in the Republic of China to automate production, the Executive Yuan set up the Production Automation Committee which has two main areas of emphasis. The first is to help industries which have already automated, by giving them advice in selecting robots, and training managers. The second lies in establishing an automated equipment industry producing robots for export.
Over the past few years, Taiwan's machinery and electronics industries have been progressing to the point where they already possess some robot technology. Last year, Taiwan's first robot, Chiao-Tung Robot 1, was produced by the Chiao Tung University's Institute of Computer Engineering. This year, the Institute brought out Chiao-Tung 2 which can perform many complex operations and even correct mistakes. It can measure things it is about to grasp, and compensate for their size. If its "eye" notices something glistening, the machine will automatically tighten its grasp to prevent it from slipping.
Hsu Chia-ming, secretary of the Production Automation Committee, explained that there are four standard types of robots, each with its own specialties. Factories can choose the one most suitable to their needs and make changes if necessary.
The Right Angular type is suitable for working on a level area and can perform highly precise work, although it is relatively slow.
In the Cylindrical type, the arm can rotate in a circle as well as up and down. It has a long grasp and a wide range of uses.
The Multi-Directional type has an arm which can rotate, stretch, move on a diagonal, and up and down.
The jointed types is humanoid, with shoulders and hands. Its movements are precise, and its design is the most complex. It cannot lift heavy objects, however.
The first robots being produced by the ITRI are the right angular type because they are most suited to electronics factories.
ITRI's electronics section makes a sensitive mechanical arm to follow the computer's orders, while the computer section produces the electronic brain. Engineers are conducting research into vision techniques so that the computer can recognize different shapes. It is hoped that a "seeing" robot will be developed by the end of the year.
Assistant director of the electronics section, Yang Ting-yuan, explained: "The visual system is basically like a camera. After photo-electronic transformation the information is passed on to the computer for processing. The computer decides what the next move will be based on its analysis."
The Industrial Technology Research Institute is planning to transfer robot technology to the private sector by the end of this year. It is hoped, given the ideal investment climate and the research currently under way in robotics, that a thriving robot industry will be developed in the Republic of China.
[Picture Caption]
1) Head of the ITRI mechanics section, Hsu Chia-ming, is helping to promote industrial automation. 2) A robot hand. 3) Chiao-Tung 2 can pick up and deliver objects. 4) ITRI's electronics section is developing a computer to direct robot movements.
1) & 2) The ITRI electronics section designing a circuit (left) and a circuit board (right). 3) Head of the ITRI electronics section, Yang Chin-chih.
Hou Cheng-yeh returned from the U.S. to set up the Republic of China's first robot manufacturing company.
Head of the ITRI mechanics section, Hsu Chia-ming, is helping to promote industrial automation.
Chiao-Tung 2 can pick up and deliver objects.
ITRI's electronics section is developing a computer to direct robot movements.
The ITRI electronics section designing a circuit （left） and a circuit board （right）.
The ITRI electronics section designing a circuit （left） and a circuit board （right）.
Head of the ITRI electronics section, Yang Chin-chih.
Hou Cheng-yeh returned from the U.S. to set up the Republic of China's first robot manufacturing company.
