Electrical Engineering & Robotics
As robotics contains the design, construction, operation, and control of the robots; it has a diverse field of study for Electrical Engineering. There are numerous examples of robotics’ key aspects within the scope of Electrical Engineering; such as power and energy systems. It’s critical to provide highly efficient energy systems as powering robots. Efficient energy usage is a crucial issue because energy consumption increases with the spread of RT (robot technology) application fields. [1] Power management and battery management would also be crucial for robotic devices’ longevity as we power the mechanisms. Electrical engineers also design power distribution systems that fit into power requirements and voltage regulations.
Another key aspect is control systems. As might be expected, it is important to develop algorithms and systems to maintain the precision of the desired tasks. Signal processing techniques, feedback systems, and control theory are all applied to achieve the coordination of many robotic components. Additionally, implementing communication systems is vital to provide interaction between control systems, but also with other robotic devices, and humans. A robotic device will probably have wireless communication protocols, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It allows systems to communicate without hard-wired connections. To achieve maximum efficiency, organizations need to leverage all the benefits available, and that means ensuring that robot communications are properly set up and managed. [2]
Sensors and actuators are integrated into robotic systems. Sensors give robots the ability for adaptation and perception, as well as decision-making. Actuators (e.g., servos and motors) obtain the translation of control signals to physical motion. Moreover, sensors and actuators combined with tactile electronics in terms of flexible electronics and circuits for interfacing/processing explore new technologies for robotic systems. [3] Electrical engineers choose the appropriate sensors and actuators to ensure compatibility, accuracy, and stability.
One of the milestones in technology is probably the miniaturization of electronics. As well as it impacts our daily lives, it also has allowed robotic systems to be more compact as time passes. This miniaturization movement resulted in the expansion of robotic platform applications, such as healthcare, research, and manufacturing. This also led to the emergence of micro-robots and swarm robotics, where lots of tiny robots create a multi-agent system to handle a task cooperatively. Such swarms could access small confined spaces (e.g., microfluidic channels as well as the human body), manipulate microscopic objects (e.g., microplastics or individual cells), and self-organize to support localized treatments (e.g., targeted drug delivery). [4]
Among many subfields of robotics that are also related to Electrical Engineering, one that stands out the most from my point of view is embedded systems, because it brings all the key aspects I mentioned above into the equation. It consists of hardware components, software components, and communication protocols. In the world of electrical engineering, embedded systems are like the brains inside devices. They are specially designed computer systems that are built into larger devices or systems. These systems are responsible for performing specific tasks and making sure everything works out smoothly. Embedded systems are the core component of robot control, ensuring safety and reliability. Real-time operating systems (RTOS) are a common software component in embedded systems that are used in robotic systems to communicate with the hardware. RTOSes are designed to handle multiple processes at one time, ensuring that these processes respond to events within a predictable time limit.[5] It offers proper control over timing constraints in applications, such as drones and autonomous vehicles. Embedded systems facilitate autonomous behavior and intelligent decision-making. By incorporating AI algorithms and ML models directly into embedded systems, robots can learn from their environment, make data-driven decisions, and improve performance over time. [6] It has a big innovative potential. Another trend in embedded systems includes the Internet of Things (IoT) Integration. Through seamless communication and data sharing across devices, the IoT is revolutionizing the way embedded systems interact with the external world. IoT integration in robotics applications may assist with remote monitoring and control and cooperative operation among multiple robots.
[1] OGAWA, K., KIM, H., MIZUKAWA, M., & ANDO, Y. (2006). 2P2-C27 Development of the Robot Power Management System Adapting to Tasks and Environments : The Instance that Applied the Power Control System to the Distributed Control Robot. The Proceedings of JSME Annual Conference on Robotics and Mechatronics (Robomec), 2006(0), _2P2-C27_1. https://doi.org/10.1299/jsmermd.2006._2p2-c27_1
[2] P. (n.d.). Robot Communication Methods. PPMA. https://www.ppma.co.uk/bara/expert-advice/robots/robot-communication-methods.html
[3] Altinsoy, E., Hulin, T., Vogel, U., Bobbe, T., Dachselt, R., Klamka, K., Krzywinski, J., Lenk, S., Lüneburg, L. M., Merchel, S., Nocke, A., Singh, H., Schwendicke, A., & Winger, H. (2021). Sensors and actuators. Tactile Internet, 223–247. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-821343-8.00022-8
[4] Dorigo, M., Theraulaz, G., & Trianni, V. (2021, July). Swarm Robotics: Past, Present, and Future [Point of View]. Proceedings of the IEEE, 109(7), 1152–1165. https://doi.org/10.1109/jproc.2021.3072740
[5] Gillis, A. S. (2022, February 14). real-time operating system (RTOS). Data Center. https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/real-time-operating-system#:~:text=Often%2C%20embedded%20systems%20are%20used,within%20a%20predictable%20time%20limit
[6] Harvie, L. (2023, August 5). Embedded System Design for Robotics Applications — Lance Harvie — Medium. Medium. https://medium.com/@lanceharvieruntime/embedded-system-design-for-robotics-applications-1c5387209d00
