Hullo, Robots -- Welcome to the Library!

You've probably heard of Quiz Bowl, Science Bowl, and Knowledge Bowl, all of which have High School teams competing against each other for trophies.

But the Chanhassen Library online Calendar asks: "Sure, you’ve heard of high school sports teams, but have you heard of robotic teams?"

Robotics, according to Wikipedia, is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering and science that includes mechanical engineering, electronics engineering, computer science, and others. Robotics deals with the design, construction, operation, and use of robots, as well as computer systems for their control, sensory feedback, and information processing.

Science-fiction author Isaac Asimov is often given credit for being the first person to use the term
robotics in a short story composed in the 1940s. In the story, Asimov suggested three principles to guide the behavior of robots and smart machines. Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, as they are called, have survived to the present:

1. Robots must never harm human beings.
2. Robots must follow instructions from humans without violating rule 1.
3. Robots must protect themselves without violating the other rules.

Wikipedia says these technologies are used to develop machines that can substitute for humans and replicate human actions. Robots can be used in any situation and for any purpose, but today many are used in dangerous environments (including bomb detection and deactivation), manufacturing processes, or where humans cannot survive.

Robots can take on any form but some are made to resemble humans in appearance. This is said to help in the acceptance of a robot in certain replicative behaviors usually performed by people. Such robots attempt to replicate walking, lifting, speech, cognition, and basically anything a human can do. Many of today's robots are inspired by nature, contributing to the field of bio-inspired robotics.

The concept of creating machines that can operate autonomously dates back to classical times, but research into the functionality and potential uses of robots did not grow substantially until the 20th century.[1]

Throughout history, it has been frequently assumed that robots will one day be able to mimic human behavior and manage tasks in a human-like fashion. Today, robotics is a rapidly growing field, as technological advances continue; researching, designing, and building new robots serve various practical purposes, whether domestically, commercially, or militarily.

Many robots are built to do jobs that are hazardous to people such as defusing bombs, finding survivors in unstable ruins, and exploring mines and shipwrecks. Robotics is also used in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) as a teaching aid.

Members of local high school robotics teams will present and demonstrate the robots they’ve created and used in competitions. Come and learn about what these robots can do!

Monday, July 16, 2018

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Chanhassen Library, 7711 Kerber Blvd, Chanhassen, MN 55317

Thornton Wilder Meeting Room

Event Type(s): Computers/Technology, Summer Learning

Age Group(s): Children, Family, School Age

Chanhassen Library, (952) 227-1500