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Robotics and Automation sits at the intersection of mechanical engineering, electronics, and computer science, which makes it both challenging and exciting for a computing student to learn. This book is written specifically for the T.Y.B.Sc. (Computer Science) Semester V Minor Course on Robotics and Automation at Savitribai Phule Pune University, presenting the subject rigorously enough to build genuine understanding while remaining accessible to students whose training lies in computing rather than mechanical or electrical systems. The motivation is simple: robotics is no longer confined to mechanical and electronics laboratories. Autonomous vehicles, warehouse robots, surgical assistants, agricultural drones, and intelligent manufacturing cells are, at their heart, computational systems driven by sensing, control algorithms, communication protocols, and increasingly, artificial intelligence. A computer science graduate entering this field needs a working understanding of a robot’s physical components and the principles governing its motion, alongside the software and intelligence layers a computing background naturally emphasizes — and this book aims to bridge that gap.
The book’s structure mirrors the four units of the syllabus so it can be used directly alongside classroom instruction. Unit I lays the conceptual groundwork — the definition and evolution of robots, the Sense–Think–Act architecture, the various types and configurations of robots, and their principal components. Unit II forms the technical core, covering sensors, actuators, robot motion, basic kinematics, and feedback control — the building blocks that let a robot perceive its environment, move with precision, and correct its own behaviour. Unit III turns to automation and intelligent robotics, introducing programmable logic controllers, SCADA systems, industrial work cells, and the emerging paradigms of Industry 4.0, IoT-enabled robotics, and edge and cloud computing. Unit IV surveys robotic applications across industry, healthcare, agriculture, and logistics, alongside autonomous navigation, robot safety, human–robot interaction, and the emerging trends and ethical considerations shaping the field’s future.
