Classification of Robots: Rolling, Walking, Autonomous Robots
Science & Technology › Materials Science, Nanotechnology and Robotics · Topic 15.8
Robots can be classified by how they move and by how much they decide on their own. Rolling robots move on wheels or tracks and are the simplest and fastest on flat ground, for example warehouse carts and robot vacuum cleaners. Walking or legged robots use two, four or more legs to cross uneven ground and stairs, like humanoid robots and four legged robots. Other types fly, swim, slither or crawl. By control, a teleoperated robot is directed by a human, a semi-autonomous robot does some tasks itself, and an autonomous robot senses, plans and acts without human control, such as a self driving car or a Mars rover that picks its own path. Robots are also classed by use as industrial, service, medical, military and space robots.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Science & Technology · Materials Science, Nanotechnology and Robotics
At a Glance
- Rolling Wheels or tracks
- Walking Two or more legs
- Autonomous Decides on its own
- Teleoperated Human controlled
- Indian rover Pragyan, 2023
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Science & Technology: Materials Science, Nanotechnology and Robotics
Where Does It Fit?
This topic follows the account of robot parts. It sorts robots by movement and autonomy, which prepares for the next topic on where robots are used. Previous topic: Parts of a Robot: Controller, Manipulator, End Effector, Sensor. Next topic: Applications of Robotics: Industry, Aerospace, Healthcare, Military, Agriculture, Disaster Response.
How Are Robots Classified by Locomotion?
| Type | Features and examples |
|---|---|
| Rolling robots | Wheels or tracks. Simple, energy efficient and fast on smooth ground. Examples: warehouse robots, robot vacuum cleaners, bomb disposal robots with tracks, planetary rovers |
| Walking robots | Legs let them climb stairs and cross rough terrain, but balance is hard. Bipeds (humanoids), quadrupeds such as Boston Dynamics’ Spot, hexapods |
| Flying robots | Drones with rotors or wings, used for surveying, delivery and agriculture |
| Swimming robots | Underwater vehicles, remotely operated or autonomous, used for ocean research and inspection |
| Crawling and climbing robots | Snake like robots for pipes and rubble, and wall climbing robots for inspection |
| Hybrid robots | Wheel-leg designs and amphibious robots combine modes |
| Fixed robots | Industrial arms bolted to a base |
How Are Robots Classified by Autonomy and Use?
- Teleoperated: a human controls the robot remotely and sees through its camera, as in bomb disposal and surgical systems
- Semi-autonomous: the robot performs some functions on its own, with a human to supervise
- Autonomous: senses, plans and acts without constant human input. Examples: self driving cars, warehouse robots and rovers on Mars, such as Perseverance
- Industrial robots: arms for welding, painting, assembly and packing
- Service robots: cleaning, delivery, hotel and home robots
- Medical robots: surgical systems such as the da Vinci and rehabilitation devices
- Military robots: unmanned ground, air and underwater vehicles
- Space robots: rovers, robotic arms like Canadarm and Indian Pragyan rover of Chandrayaan-3, which landed on the Moon on 23 August 2023
What Else Should You Remember?
- Humanoid robots: shaped like a human, designed to work in human spaces; examples include Honda’s Asimo and Tesla’s Optimus; India’s Vyommitra is a half humanoid for Gaganyaan
- Manav: an Indian 3D printed humanoid developed by a start-up A-SET Training and Research Institutes in 2016
- Biomimetic robots: copy animals, such as robotic fish and insects
- Swarm robots: many simple robots working together like ants
- Soft robots: made of flexible materials for safe handling
- Modular robots: parts that reconfigure themselves
- Self driving levels: the Society of Automotive Engineers defines levels 0 to 5 of driving automation
- Autonomous underwater vehicles: India has built vehicles such as Matsya 6000 under the Deep Ocean Mission
- Unmanned aerial vehicles: drones are flying robots, regulated by the Drone Rules, 2021 in India
- Tracks versus wheels: tracks give better grip on soft ground while wheels are faster
- Balancing: walking needs constant balance control
- Energy: rolling is most efficient, legged robots use more power
- Autonomy and AI: deep learning improves perception, as in Artificial Intelligence: Concepts and Applications
- Link: parts are in Parts of a Robot: Controller, Manipulator, End Effector, Sensor
- Degrees of autonomy: from remote control to full independence
- DRDO robots: Daksh for bomb disposal and the Muntra series of unmanned ground vehicles
- Legal and safety questions: liability for autonomous vehicles is unsettled
- Teleoperated robot in surgery: in a teleoperated robot such as a surgical system, the surgeon at a console moves instruments inside the patient
- Disaster response: crawling and tracked robots enter collapsed buildings where rescuers cannot
- Autonomous mobile robots: warehouse robots use maps and sensors to move around without fixed tracks
- Robot rovers on Mars: Sojourner (1997), Curiosity (2012) and Perseverance (2021) are rolling autonomous rovers
Why Does It Matter for the Exam?
- Locomotion: rolling, walking, flying, swimming
- Control: teleoperated, semi-autonomous, autonomous
- Examples: Pragyan, Vyommitra, Daksh
- Current affairs link: humanoids and robotaxis
- Common errors: calling a remote control drone autonomous
As an analytical point, rolling robots dominate in practice because they are cheap and efficient, while legged and humanoid machines are valuable where the world is built for humans. Autonomy raises questions of safety and accountability.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Movement Wheels and legs
- Control Levels of autonomy
- Examples Rovers, humanoids
What Came Next?
The next topic covers applications of robotics in industry, aerospace, healthcare, military, agriculture and disaster response. Next topic: Applications of Robotics: Industry, Aerospace, Healthcare, Military, Agriculture, Disaster Response.
Key People and Terms
- Rolling robot Wheeled or tracked
- Legged robot Walks on legs
- Autonomous robot Self governing
- Teleoperation Remote control
- Swarm Many cooperating robots
- Humanoid Human shaped
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Pragyan rover landing: 23 August 2023.
- Vyommitra is a half humanoid.
- Drone Rules, 2021.
- Rolling is the most energy efficient.
- Driving automation has levels 0 to 5.
Do Not Confuse With
- Teleoperated and autonomous Human drives versus robot drives
- Humanoid and android Human shaped robot versus human-like in looks
- Rolling and walking Wheels versus legs
Memory Hook
Wheels roll, legs walk, rovers think; remote is not autonomous.
Mains Angle
Questions ask for types with examples. These points help.
- Types By movement
- Autonomy Levels
- Issues Safety
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Classify robots based on locomotion and autonomy, giving examples of each from India and abroad.”
How to Answer
- Locomotion Rolling, walking.
- Control Three levels.
- Examples Pragyan, Daksh.
- Issues Safety.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What are rolling robots?
Rolling robots move using wheels or tracks. They are the simplest, cheapest and most energy efficient kind of mobile robot on flat or moderately rough ground. Examples include warehouse carts, robot vacuum cleaners, tracked bomb disposal robots and planetary rovers such as India's Pragyan.
What are walking robots?
Walking or legged robots move on two, four or more legs, which lets them climb stairs and cross uneven ground where wheels fail. Examples are humanoid robots, quadruped robots like Spot, and hexapods. They need complex balance control and more energy than wheeled robots.
What is an autonomous robot?
An autonomous robot can sense its surroundings, plan and carry out tasks on its own without constant human control. Self driving vehicles, warehouse robots, space rovers and some drones are examples. Autonomy is a matter of degree, from remote control to full independence.
What is the difference between teleoperated and autonomous robots?
A teleoperated robot is controlled directly by a human operator, usually through a camera view, and cannot work without that input, as in bomb disposal. An autonomous robot makes its own decisions about movement and actions using sensors and software.
What is Vyommitra?
Vyommitra is a female looking half humanoid robot developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation for the Gaganyaan programme. It was meant to fly on uncrewed test missions to study conditions in the crew module, respond to commands and monitor systems before astronauts fly.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Pragyan was a rolling robot.
A six wheeled rover of Chandrayaan-3.
2 A robot controlled by a human through a camera is autonomous.
It is teleoperated.
3 Legged robots can climb stairs.
Wheels often cannot.
4 Vyommitra was built for the Gaganyaan programme.
By ISRO.
Past Mains Questions on This Topic
This topic comes under Materials Science, Nanotechnology and Robotics. UPSC Mains questions asked on the matching syllabus topic, year-wise with marks:
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