The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group The Origin Of Robot — The Stuff Of a PhD Thesis Major Keary |
The word came into English in the early 1920s from a play, R.U.R (Rossum's Universal Robots), by Karel Căpek. It was first performed in Prague (1921) and later New York and London. It was published in English (translated by P. Selver) in 1923.
Gareth Branwyn in Absolute Beginner's Guide to Building Robots says it was Căpek's brother, Josef, who suggested the word and "the English spelling of it appealed to Karel, and he decided to use English for the title .". Josef, according to Branwyn, had already used 'robot' in a short story some years before.
Like others before him, Gareth Branwyn relates that the word, robot, "comes to us from the Czech word robota, which means forced labour or servitude. In Czech, a robotnik is a peasant or serf". In Chambers Biographical Dictionary 7/e, in an the entry for Karel Căpek, it says robota means 'drudgery'. The word robota (and its derivatives) occurs in the Czech, Polish, Russian, and - as I recollect - Ukrainian languages (in Russian it transliterates as rabota) and seems to have the same meaning in each: work, and robotnik means worker. Modern speakers of Czech - at least the ones I have talked with - have never heard of it meaning, or having a connotation of, serfdom, forced labour, or servitude. It is possible such a meaning existed in older forms of the language, and that at the time (early 1920s) the translated meaning was taken from an out-of-date dictionary. There is nothing to indicate that Căpek intended it to have a meaning other than 'worker'.
Gareth Branwyn makes another interesting comment. He says that Căpek gave the play its title in English, even when the script was written (and originally performed) in Czech. The reason was "to call attention to the globalising effects of science and technology". Căpek was a man who was well in advance of his times.
Beginner's Guide To Building Robots
Getting involved in recreational robotics use to involve either buying a (usually very expensive) product, or technical skills. Build-your-own projects required a pliers-and-screwdriver background, familiarity with electronic components and finding suppliers, and some knowledge of programming. These days life is much easier; the novice roboticist still needs assembly skills, but finding components is much easier (there are even complete kits available) and programming is not so daunting. An important factor is the availability of literature for raw novices.
An example of that is QUE's Absolute Beginner's Guide to Building Robots. I was taken by the introductory chapters, which gently place robotics in its proper context, provide an interesting historical overview, and discussions of topics that the nascent robot builder needs to appreciate. There is a particularly informative discussion of definitions-just what is a robot?
The author then presents a Robot Anatomy Class in which types of robots are described with explanations of the 'anatomy' of various designs, and the components (including sensors) and materials used for construction.
Readers are taken through the kind of tools and equipment needed for construction, including hints on workplace design and the basic task of soldering. From there we are introduced to kits, building sets, ready-mades, and a "thumbnail guide to electronics" (which includes helpful illustrations of components and their respective schematic symbols). A number of robot products are described in detail; prices are mentioned in US dollars, but provide local readers with a guide.
The author then describes three from-the-ground-up projects. The detail is very good and the text is supported with illustrations. The projects range from simple to complex (that is, for a novice) and introduce the reader to 'breadboarding', which is a method that enables circuits to be tested before final assembly. There is a "thumbnail guide to breadboards" that explains the equipment and how to use it. I like the `recycle' approach that employs readily available material, such as converting a mouse to become a light-seeking robot. The third project introduces the use of a microcontroller unit that requires programming.
The last part of the book is about resources. Information about materials and component suppliers is not likely to help local robot enthusiasts; there are Australian suppliers, and LEGO has an Australian presence. A number of books and magazines are listed, and there is a very useful listing of web sites. There is also a good glossary.
This is highly recommended to anyone interested in recreational and educational robotics, but who has no prior experience. The first part is an interesting and informative read, and the second - hands-on construction - part is well presented. The book encourages experimentation; the author does not present a few set-piece projects, but seeks to use the projects as a launching pad for further exploration.
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Gareth Branwyn: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Building Robots ISBN 0-7897-2971-7 Published by QUE, 366 pp., RRP $39.95 incl. GST |
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Computer Animation
A fascinating field, animation is an ancient technology, the principles of which
have given us the moving picture. Optical toys developed by the ancient
Egyptians were based on even earlier 'magical' methods of creating the illusion
of a moving image. For almost a century there has been a significant Australian
connection with animation. In 1917 Felix the Cat was created in the American
studios of an expatriate Australian, Pat Sullivan, who published the animated
adventures of Felix in flip-books. Felix appeared on the screen in animated
cartoons in 1933.
The first animated film version of Charles Dickens' A
Christmas Tale was created in Australia, and all the animation artwork for
The
Flintstones was created in a studio at St Leonards in Sydney. Marcia
Kuperberg, an Australian expatriate has a long association with animation and is
presently Deputy Head of the School of Media, Arts, and Technology, West Herts
College, U.K.; she is also the lead author of A Guide to Computer Animation. The
full title is, A Guide to Computer Animation for TV, Games, Multimedia, and Web,
and it is no surprise that the publisher is Focal Press.
This title is not a tutorial for animation novices. On the software side there
is no hand-holding; the reader is assumed to have, and knows how to use, some
graphics application(s) suitable for animation. The book discusses principles
and techniques, describes - with step-by-step illustrations - practical
applications, and presents some self-test projects. I have not seen any other
text on animation that contains so much
attention to detail. For example, in a chapter on 3D animation there is a
discussion on the creation of an antique chair that goes into how the padded
back is digitally constructed, and even "the little padded parts on top of the
armrests". Creating artwork is one thing; transforming it to realistic, lifelike
movements is another.
The discussion on forward kinematics (FK), inverse kinematics (IK), and morph
target animation (MTA) provides a valuable insight into how lifelike movements
are achieved in games animation. This is the most thorough treatment of FK, IK,
and MTA I have seen, and is contained in a chapter, Creating artwork for
computer games: from concept to end product, by Martin Bowman. He discusses a
wide range of issues, including information for those interested in
working in the games industry. Computer games is just one of the many aspects of
animation covered in this title.
The first two chapters provide an overview of
the tools and techniques of computer animation
(including a discussion of perception and `persistence of vision', better known
as POV), and a discussion of "the technical constraints of creating for
different digital media". There is an excellent account of lighting techniques
for 3D animation. Many of the chapters contain information useful to those who
are considering or actively seeking employment in related industries. There is
an interesting chapter on "the art and craft of telling a story: narrative and
characterisation". A beautifully presented book with plenty of
illustrations to support the text.
Highly recommended to those with a serious interest in animation. Libraries with
holdings on graphics arts should consider it as an acquisition for its technical
information.
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Marcia Kuperberg: A Guide to Computer Animation ISBN 0-240-51671-0 Published by Focal Press, 249 pp., RRP $80.85 incl. GST. |
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Reprinted from the February 2004 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
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