What would be the best way to describe the field of robotics to a non-techie? Simply, as an interdisciplinary field that includes engineering and science. It involves the design, operation, and construction of robots. And the goal of this discipline is to create machines with artificial intelligence that can assist humans in their daily activities.
Robots are not only used in industries such as car manufacturing. They are also used in agriculture and construction. Scientists had even created robots that can diffuse bombs in war zones. Before, humans placed their lives in danger to neutralize bomb threats. Today, robots are used for the job. If anything happens in the field, the robot ensures that no life is lost.
Seeing the countless uses of robots, many aspire to create their own and sell them to a specific industry. If you're planning to create your automated machine, you have to be acquainted with the different parts that make a robot work. In this article, let's discuss one of the most important parts that run a robot - servo motors. Indeed, how effective is a servo for robot movement?
What is a Servo?
Servo motors are used to create a variety of robots. They consist of four parts, namely: the electronic assembly, the case, the drive gears, and the output spline.
To further understand how servo motors work, let's discuss its components. The electronic assembly consists of either an AC or DC motor, a potentiometer, and a controller. The case, on the other hand, serves as the housing of the servomotor and all of its components. Additionally, the drive gears reduce the motor's speed output to generate a higher servo output.
Lastly, the output spline, attached to the output shaft, is the final interaction point between a servo motor and the activity it will deploy. The output spline of the servo is usually attached through a control rod. It transmits the commands from the control booth and allows the machine to move in an equivalent movement.
Now that we know the parts, let’s see how the servo motor functions. The servo motor works by receiving the signal from a motion controller. The servo will then rotate at a specific angle depending on the PWM or the pulse width modulation of the signal.
According to the studies and observations of experts, a pulse frequency of 20 ms and a pulse width of 1.5 ms will generate a 90° rotation of the output spline. A pulse width of 2 ms, on the other hand, will make the output spline continue rotating until it reaches a 180° position. Lastly, if the pulse width is at 1 ms, the output spline will rotate 180° backward to reach the 0° position. This is the angle where the servo is at rest.
Servo motors have a potentiometer that monitors the position of the spline. When the output spline reaches a specific position, the power to the motor is immediately cut. Even without power, the servo will hold the commanded position until it receives another signal.
One of the key features of innovative servomotors is proportional operation. It can operate as fast as it can to move the robot in the desired position. The best part is, servos have a loop system that allows them to adjust, depending on the need of the machine. For example, if the command says the motor should be at 180° but it stopped at 140°, the servo will detect the discrepancy between the actual output and the desired output. After its computation, it will do its best to match the commanded position.
How Are Servos Useful in Robotics
There are countless benefits of using servo motors in robotics. Aside from being powerful, servos are easily programmable to carry out motions that the robots need to deploy. One application of servos is in robotic welding. These motors are mounted to each joint of the robot to actuate movement and add dexterity to the machine.
Servos are also used in robotic vehicles. Believe it or not, servo motors are essential in the steering system of autonomous vehicles. This is not only applicable to robotic cars and airplanes but also bomb diffuser robots.
Servo motors are likewise used on robots that supersede the physical abilities of human beings. An example of this is the Growbot that can plant seeds faster than human beings. Another example is the Ocean One Robot, which is made to reach the bottom of the ocean to gather coral specimens gently without damaging the aquatic ecosystem.
Conclusion
Now that you know the importance of servo motors and drives to robots, you can use them to create efficient and competent robots that can aid and benefit human activities. Thanks to the continuous innovation of engineers, there are countless servo motor brands for each kind of a robot.
This is just the introduction to servos as an essential part of robotics. Your learning should not stop there! Visit Online Threat Alerts to learn more about technology. With persistence, you can be the next legend that sparks the fifth industrial revolution!
Online Threat Alerts Security Tips
Pay the safest way
Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.
Guard your personal information
In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.
Be careful of the information you share
Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with
Know who you’re dealing with
Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.
Check your accounts
Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.
Don’t believe promises of easy money
If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.
Do not open email from people you don’t know
If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.
Think before you click
If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.
Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond
If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.
Be careful with links and new website addresses
Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.
Secure your personal information
Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.
Stay informed on the latest cyber threats
Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.
Use Strong Passwords
Strong passwords are critical to online security.
Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs
Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.
Update the operating systems on your electronic devices
Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.
What if You Got Scammed?
Stop Contact With The Scammer
Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.
Secure Your Finances
- Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
- Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:
- Equifax
- Experian
- TransUnion
Check Your Computer
If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.
Change Your Account Passwords
Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.
Report The Scam
Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.
Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:
- Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
- Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
- Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.
How To Recognize a Phishing Scam
Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.
Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:
Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might
- say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
- claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
- say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
- include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
- want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
- say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
- offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real
About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)
Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.
By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.
With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.
Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.
Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).