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Robotics Technical Glossary - Comprehensive Terminology Guide | BotInfo.ai
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Robotics Technical Glossary

Comprehensive definitions of key robotics terms for engineers, researchers, and technical professionals. Each term includes practical applications, related concepts, and detailed technical diagrams.

Alphabetical Navigation

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Search Robotics Terms

A - Robotics Terms

Actuator

Hardware
A device that converts energy (typically electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic) into mechanical motion. In robotics, actuators are responsible for moving joints and limbs.
Applications: Joint control in humanoid robots, gripper operation, mobility systems.
Actuator System Diagram showing electric motor, gear reduction, and control components
Electric actuator system with motor, gear reduction, and control components
Servo Motor Degree of Freedom Kinematics

Autonomous Navigation

AI & Control
The ability of a robot to navigate through an environment without human intervention, using sensors and algorithms to perceive surroundings and plan paths.
Applications: Warehouse logistics, search and rescue operations, domestic service robots.
SLAM Path Planning Obstacle Avoidance

B - Robotics Terms

Bipedal Locomotion

Mobility
The ability to walk on two legs, a fundamental capability for humanoid robots. This involves complex balance control and gait generation.
Applications: Humanoid robot mobility, stair climbing, uneven terrain navigation.
Bipedal Gait Cycle Diagram showing walking phases and stability indicators
Complete bipedal gait cycle showing phases and stability indicators
Zero Moment Point Gait Generation Balance Control

C - Robotics Terms

Computer Vision

Sensing & Perception
A field of artificial intelligence that enables machines to interpret and understand visual information from the world, typically using cameras and image processing algorithms.
Applications: Object recognition, facial recognition, gesture interpretation, navigation.
Object Detection Image Segmentation Deep Learning

Control System

Systems & Control
A system that manages, commands, directs, or regulates the behavior of other devices or systems using control loops. In robotics, this includes everything from low-level motor control to high-level task planning.
Applications: Motion control, stability maintenance, task execution in autonomous systems.
Control System Hierarchy diagram showing layered architecture
Layered control system architecture for robotic systems
PID Controller Feedback Loop Motion Planning

K - Robotics Terms

Kinematics

Theory & Mathematics
The study of motion without considering the forces that cause it. In robotics, kinematics describes the geometric relationships between robot links and joints to determine end-effector position and orientation.
Applications: Robot motion planning, inverse kinematics solutions, workspace analysis.
Robot Kinematics Diagram showing forward and inverse kinematics
Forward and inverse kinematics for multi-joint robotic systems
Forward Kinematics Inverse Kinematics Denavit-Hartenberg Parameters

M - Robotics Terms

Mass Manufacturing

Production & Scale
The process of producing robotic systems at large scale using standardized components, assembly lines, and automated quality control. Learn how Figure 03 is designed for mass manufacturing with cost-effective components and modular architecture that enables rapid scaling for commercial deployment.
Applications: Commercial humanoid robot production, automotive robotics, consumer electronics assembly.
Robotics Mass Manufacturing Process Flow Diagram
Robotics mass manufacturing process flow diagram
Supply Chain Assembly Line Quality Control

P - Robotics Terms

Proprioception

Sensing & Perception
The sense of self-movement, force, and body position:cite[3]. In robotics, proprioceptive sensors provide information about joint angles, limb positions, and internal forces. See how Figure 03 implements advanced proprioception through high-resolution encoders and torque sensors that enable precise body awareness and dynamic balance control.
Applications: Balance maintenance, motion planning, collision detection, rehabilitation robotics.
Proprioception Sensors Diagram showing joint encoders and IMU placement
Proprioceptive sensor system with joint encoders, IMU, and torque sensors
IMU Joint Encoder Torque Sensor

R - Robotics Terms

ROS (Robot Operating System)

Software & Framework
A flexible framework for writing robot software. It provides services similar to an operating system, including hardware abstraction, low-level device control, message-passing between processes, and package management.
Applications: Standardized robotics development, research prototyping, industrial robot programming.
ROS Architecture Overview diagram
ROS architecture showing nodes, topics, and communication patterns
ROS Nodes ROS Topics ROS Packages

S - Robotics Terms

Sensor Fusion

Sensing & Perception
The process of combining sensory data or data derived from disparate sources such that the resulting information has less uncertainty than would be possible when these sources were used individually.
Applications: Autonomous navigation, environmental mapping, object tracking, state estimation.
Sensor Fusion Architecture diagram
Multi-sensor fusion system integrating LiDAR, vision, and inertial data
Kalman Filter SLAM State Estimation

SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping)

Navigation & Perception
A computational problem of constructing or updating a map of an unknown environment while simultaneously keeping track of an agent's location within it.
Applications: Autonomous vehicles, robotic exploration, indoor navigation systems.
LiDAR SLAM Visual SLAM Pose Estimation

T - Robotics Terms

Tactile Sensing

Sensing & Perception
The ability to detect and measure physical contact and pressure. In robotics, tactile sensors provide information about touch, force, texture, and temperature:cite[4]. Explore how Figure 03 incorporates advanced tactile sensing in its grippers to enable delicate object manipulation and human-like interaction capabilities.
Applications: Object manipulation, slip detection, human-robot interaction, quality inspection.
Tactile Sensor Array diagram showing pressure distribution
Tactile sensor array showing pressure distribution and force measurement
Force Sensing Pressure Sensor Haptic Feedback

V - Robotics Terms

Vision-Language-Action (VLA) Models

AI & Control
Artificial intelligence systems that integrate visual perception, natural language understanding, and physical action generation:cite[1]:cite[5]. These models enable robots to understand commands in natural language, perceive their environment visually, and execute appropriate physical actions. Discover how Figure 03 leverages VLA models to understand complex instructions and perform tasks with human-like reasoning and adaptability.
Applications: Natural language robot control, task learning from demonstration, human-robot collaboration.
VLA Model Architecture diagram showing vision, language, and action integration
VLA model architecture integrating visual inputs, language processing, and action generation
Multimodal AI Natural Language Processing Reinforcement Learning

H - Robotics Terms

Human-Robot Interaction (HRI)

Interaction & Interface
The study of interactions between humans and robots. HRI involves the design, implementation, and evaluation of robotic systems that work in close proximity with humans or are directly operated by them.
Applications: Collaborative robotics, social robots, teleoperation interfaces, assistive technologies.
Human-Robot Interaction Framework diagram
HRI framework showing perception, decision, and action components
Collaborative Robots Social Robotics Teleoperation

Frequently Asked Questions About Robotics

What's the difference between robotics and automation? +

Robotics involves machines that can perceive, reason, and act physically in the world, often with some level of autonomy. Automation refers to technology that performs predetermined tasks with minimal human intervention. All robots are automated systems, but not all automated systems are robots.

How do humanoid robots maintain balance while walking? +

Humanoid robots use sophisticated balance control algorithms like Zero Moment Point (ZMP) theory, which ensures the robot's center of mass stays within its support polygon. They combine inertial measurement units (IMUs), force sensors in the feet, and real-time control systems to make constant adjustments to joint angles and step placement.

What programming languages are most commonly used in robotics? +

The most common programming languages in robotics are C++ for performance-critical components, Python for high-level control and AI applications, and MATLAB for research and prototyping. ROS (Robot Operating System) provides a framework that supports multiple languages for different components of a robotic system.

How does sensor fusion improve robot perception? +

Sensor fusion combines data from multiple sensors (cameras, LiDAR, IMUs, etc.) to create a more accurate and reliable perception of the environment. It compensates for individual sensor limitations - for example, combining camera data (rich visual information but affected by lighting) with LiDAR (precise distance measurements but limited detail) to create a comprehensive environmental model.

What safety standards apply to industrial robots? +

Key safety standards include ISO 10218 (industrial robot safety), ISO/TS 15066 (collaborative robot safety), and ANSI/RIA R15.06. These standards cover risk assessment, safety-rated hardware, emergency stops, and requirements for collaborative workspaces where humans and robots interact directly.

How is AI used in modern robotics systems? +

AI enhances robotics through machine learning for object recognition, reinforcement learning for skill acquisition, computer vision for environmental understanding, natural language processing for human-robot interaction, and predictive maintenance algorithms. Deep learning enables robots to handle unstructured environments and learn from experience rather than relying solely on pre-programmed behaviors.

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