Arobotisamechanicalorvirtual,artificialagent.Arobotisusuallyanelectro-mechanicalsystem,which,byitsappearanceormovements,conveysasensethatithasintentoragencyofitsown.Thewordrobotcanrefertobothphysicalrobotsandvirtualsoftwareagents,butthelatterareoftenreferredtoasbots.

　　Robotsaregrowingincomplexityandtheiruseinindustryisbecomingmorewidespread.Themainuseofrobotshassofarbeenintheautomationofmassproductionindustries,wherethesame,definabletasksmustbeperformedrepeatedlyinexactlythesamefashion.Carproductionistheprimaryexampleoftheemploymentoflargeandcomplexrobotsforproducinggoods.Robotsareusedinthatprocessforthepainting,weldingandassemblyofthecars.Robotsaregoodforsuchtasksbecausethetaskscanbeaccuratelydefinedandmustbeperformedthesameeverytime,withlittleneedforfeedbacktocontroltheexactprocessbeingperformed.Industrialrobotscanbemanufacturedinawiderangeofsizesandsocanhandlemoretasksrequiringheavyliftingthanahumancould.

　　Theyarealsousefulinenvironmentswhichareunpleasantordangerousforhumanstoworkin,forexamplebombdisposal,workinspace(eg.Canadarm2)orunderwater,inmining,andforthecleaningoftoxicwaste.Robotsarealsousedforpatrollingthesetoxicareas,robotsequippedforthisjobaree.g.theRobowatchOFRO,andRobowatchMOSRO.

　　Oftenthisisreferredtoasthe"ThreeD's:Dull,DirtyandDangerous"work.HundredsofbombdisposalrobotssuchastheiRobotPackbotandtheFoster-MillerTALONarebeingusedinIraqandAfghanistanbytheU.S.militarytodefuseroadsidebombs,orimprovisedexplosivedevices(IEDs)inanactivityknownasExplosiveOrdinanceDisposal(EOD).

　　AutomatedGuidedVehicles(AGVs)aremovablerobotsthatareusedinlargefacilitiessuchaswarehouseshospitalsandcontainerports,forthemovementofgoods,orevenforsafetyandsecuritypatrols.Suchvehiclesfollowwires,markersorlaser-guidancetonavigatearoundthelocationandcanbeprogrammedtomovebetweenplacestodelivergoodsorpatrolacertainarea.TopmanufacturersincludeEgemin,Transbotics,FMCandJervisBWebbmakesAGV"brains"usedinfreelymovingautonomousvehiclesthatdonotrequirefixedpathsasearlierAGVshavedone.

　　OnerobotbeingusedintheUnitedStatesistheTugrobotbyAethonInc,anautomateddeliverysystemforhospitals.Thisrobottravelsaroundhospitalstodelivermedicalsupplies,medication,foodtrays,orjustaboutanythingtonursingstations.Onceitisfinisheditgoesbacktoitschargingstationandwaitsforitsnexttask.

　　HeadThere,Inc.hasintroducedatelepresencerobotthatcanbemovedarounditslocationbyremotecontrolusingtheInternet.Therobotenablesausertohear,see,speak,andbeseenatafarawaylocation.Inasense,therobotactsasastand-infortheuser.

　　Domesticrobotsarenowavailablethatperformsimpletaskssuchasvacuumcleaningandgrasscutting.Bytheendof2004over1,000,000vacuumcleanerunitshadbeensold.ExamplesofthesedomesticrobotsaretheScoobaandRoombarobotsfromiRobotCorporation,FriendlyRobotics'Robomower,andElectrolux'sAutomower.

　　Otherdomesticrobotshavetheaimofprovidingcompanionship(socialrobots)orplaypartners(ludobots)topeople.ExamplesareSony'sAibo,acommerciallysuccessfulrobotpetdog,Paro,aro