.. _glossary:

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Glossary of Robotics Terms
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.. :sorted:

.. glossary::

    Actuators
        Actuators cause the effectors to perform action. (motors, relay
        switches, pneumatic solenoids ... )

    Autonomy
        Autonomy is the ability to make decisions independent of human control
        and act on them.

    Controllers
        The brains of the robot that uses information from sensors and human
        users to control the actuators.

    Control System Theory 
        Control Sytems deal with dynamic systems. These are abstractions
        that describe something that changes over time. Control System
        Theory deals with how we can influence this change of the
        system.

    Differential Drive
        Two drive wheels on either side of the robot. Other wheels are used to
        provide balance, but movement and steering is controlled by setting the
        velocities of the two drive wheels.

    Effectors
        Effectors enable a robot to take action.  (wheels, arms, grabbers,
        wings, ...)

    Kinematics
        Kinematics is the branch of classical mechanics which describes the
        motion of points, bodies (objects) and systems of bodies (groups of
        objects) without consideration of the causes of motion.

    Robot 

        A robot is an autonomous system which exists in the physical world,
        can sense its environment, and can act on it to achieve some goals.
        The term *Robot* is actually a Czech word meaning worker or slave.
        It was coined in a 1920 play, by the Czech playwright Karel Capek,
        entitled Rossum's Universal Robot or RUR. 

    Sensors
        Sensors detect information about the robot's environment.