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Glossary

A​

Actuator​

A component of a robot that converts energy (usually electrical) into physical motion. Common types include servo motors, stepper motors, and hydraulic actuators.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)​

The simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. In robotics, AI enables robots to learn from experience, adapt to new inputs, and perform human-like tasks.

B​

Behavior Tree​

A hierarchical tree structure that represents a robot's behavior as a set of tasks and conditions. Behavior trees are commonly used in robotics for decision-making and action planning.

C​

Control System​

A system that manages, commands, directs, or regulates the behavior of other devices or systems. In robotics, control systems are used to regulate actuators and achieve desired robot behaviors.

D​

Degrees of Freedom (DOF)​

The number of independent movements a robot or mechanical system can make. Each joint typically contributes one or more degrees of freedom.

E​

End Effector​

The device at the end of a robot arm that interacts with the environment. Examples include grippers, welding tools, and cameras.

F​

Forward Kinematics​

The use of joint parameters to compute the position and orientation of the end effector of a robot arm. It is the opposite of inverse kinematics.

G​

Gazebo​

A 3D simulation environment for robotics that provides realistic physics simulation and rendering capabilities. Commonly used with ROS for testing and development.

H​

Humanoid Robot​

A robot with physical features resembling the human body, typically having a head, torso, two arms, and two legs.

I​

Inverse Kinematics​

Mathematical process for calculating the joint parameters needed to place a robot's end effector at a desired position and orientation.

Isaac Sim​

NVIDIA's robotics simulation application based on the Omniverse platform, providing high-fidelity physics simulation and AI training environments.

J​

Joint​

A connection between two or more links in a robotic mechanism that allows relative motion between them.

K​

Kinematics​

The study of motion without considering the forces that cause the motion. In robotics, kinematics describes the relationship between joint positions and end-effector position.

L​

Locomotion​

The ability of a robot to move from one place to another. Common types include walking, rolling, and flying.

M​

Manipulator​

A robot arm designed to manipulate objects in the environment, typically consisting of multiple joints and links.

N​

The process by which a robot determines how to move from its current location to a desired destination in an environment.

O​

Odometry​

The use of data from motion sensors to estimate change in position over time. Commonly used in robotics for localization.

P​

Path Planning​

The process of determining a sequence of movements for a robot to follow from a starting position to a goal position while avoiding obstacles.

R​

Robot Operating System (ROS)​

A flexible framework for writing robot software that provides services designed for a heterogeneous computer cluster.

ROS 2​

The second generation of the Robot Operating System, designed for production environments with improved security and real-time capabilities.

S​

Sensor​

A device that detects and responds to physical inputs from the environment, such as light, heat, motion, moisture, pressure, or other phenomena.

T​

Trajectory Planning​

The process of determining the path, velocity, and acceleration of a robot's motion over time to achieve a desired task.

V​

Visual Language Action (VLA)​

A type of AI model that combines visual perception, natural language understanding, and action generation capabilities for robotic manipulation tasks.

W​

Workspace​

The space within which a robot can position its end effector.