The textbook,
Introduction to Robotics, provides complete coverage of the concepts of industrial robots and explains how they can be used in a plant or manufacturing system. The primary focus of the book is on automated manufacturing processes as well as the role of robots and all support equipment. Areas of study include motion programming, palletizing, conveyor systems, computer networking, automated sorting systems, vision and tactile sensors, and computer integration. The book provides a unique interdisciplinary treatment of robotics, and shows the contributions of the various fields of mechanical, electrical, and industrial engineering, and computer science, to robotics. It covers state-of-the-art topics such as artificial intelligence, robotics simulators such as RoboLogix, object-oriented software, communications systems, and micro- and nano-robots.
Introduction to Robotics is intended for students who will install, design, repair, maintain, and develop industrial robotic systems. The level of content is suitable for colleges, universities, and technical institutions. Students using this book should have an understanding of algebra up to quadratic equations and of trigonmetry to the simple properties of triangles. Knowledge of programming languages is useful, but not essential.
This well-illustrated volume, with its numerous worked-out examples and chapter-ending questions, is sure to become indispensable in bridging the gap between design, automation, and control. The material covered in Introduction to Robotics reflects the new generation robotics developments. It is a powerful educational resource for students, engineers, and managers. It provides information on designing and building robotic manufacturing cells, and explores the capabilities of today's industrial equipment as well as the latest computer and software technologies. Special attention is given to the input devices and systems that create efficient human-machine interfaces, and how they help non-technical personnel perform necessary programming, control, and supervision tasks. The book covers such topics as end effectors, safety, programming, applications, machine vision, artificial intelligence an related socio-economic considerations. Key topics in the book include: - Current industrial robotic equipment including manipulators, control systems, and programming environments. - Software interfaces that can be used to develop distributed industrial manufacturing cells and techniques which can be used to build interfaces between robots and computers. - Comprehensive treatment of robotic programming techniques. - Real-world applications with practical examples.
Colin Simpson is the author of six textbooks, including the bestseller Principles of Electronics. With over 250,000 of his textbooks in print, Dr. Simpson is considered as an expert in the teaching of electronics and electronics simulation technology, and pioneered the development of the RoboLogix robotics simulation platform.
He has won numerous awards including the Award of Excellence from the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC), the TVOntario Lifelong Learning Challenge Award and the CODiE Award from the Software Publishers Association. Simpson holds two patents in electronics laboratory simulation and control systems technology, and is recognized as an authority on distance education and the integration of laboratory simulation software. He has been interviewed by the CBC, PBS, CTV, TVOntario, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Chicago Tribune, and has lectured at universities around the world.
During his tenure as an electronics professor at George Brown College in Toronto, Simpson found that students who were financially disadvantaged and unable to purchase electronics simulation software were achieving poorer grades than their counterparts who were able to purchase such products. In response to this unfair situation, Dr. Simpson developed his own electronics circuit simulation, called CircuitLogix and made it available free of charge to all students. As a result of using this software students grades improved significantly, and it has also removed a very divisive issue from the classroom.
To date, over 150,000 students worldwide have downloaded the free version of CircuitLogix and the software is used in more than 1,000 Colleges and Universities. In 1997, Colin Simpson developed the Electronics Technician distance education program, which has since become the largest distance education program of its kind in the world. With over 10,000 students studying electronics at a distance, Simpson has effectively broken down the barriers that prevent students from accessing technical course material on-line. Even more remarkable is the fact that Simpson has broken the gender barrier in the study of electronics. Typically, less than 2% of students who study electronics in Colleges and Universities are female. In Simpson s electronics distance education program almost 20% of the student s are female, which he attributes to the accessibility of the learning material and the non-threatening environment in which it is delivered. In 2007, Simpson and John (Bud) Skinner developed a robotics simulation software tool called RoboLogix, to provide users with access to a fully functioning 6-axis robot on a typical computer desktop. Simpson's textbook Introduction to Robotics was launched in March, 2008.
