Robot Industry Glossary

A standardized convention for assigning coordinate frames to robot links and describing their kinematic relationships using four parameters.

A numerical method used in inverse kinematics to avoid singularities by adding a damping factor to the pseudoinverse calculation.

A direct current electric motor widely used in small to medium robots for rotational actuation.

A middleware standard for real-time, scalable, and reliable data communication (used in ROS 2).

Estimation of a robot’s position by integrating velocity or displacement from a known starting point, prone to drift over time.

A subset of machine learning using multi-layer neural networks, applied in robot perception, grasping, and decision-making.

The number of independent motions a robot can perform. Often corresponds to the number of joints in a manipulator.

A robot control architecture that builds a world model, plans actions, and then executes them, as opposed to reactive architectures.

A parallel kinematic manipulator using three arms connected to universal joints, enabling extremely high-speed picking over small workspaces.

See D-H Parameters.

The process of installing, configuring, and commissioning a robot in its operational environment.

A camera that captures per-pixel distance information (depth maps), including structured light, ToF, and stereo cameras.

The measurement of distances to objects in a robot’s environment using cameras, LiDAR, sonar, or infrared sensors.

Product design principles that optimize components for efficient and reliable robotic assembly.

A small, table-mounted robot arm or platform used for light tasks such as pick-and-place, education, or prototyping.

Precise positioning of a robot in a known environment using predefined coordinates and calibration data.

A robot’s ability to manipulate objects with skill and precision, often defined by the number of DOF and end-effector design.

A mobile robot locomotion method using two independently driven wheels on a common axis, with speed differences controlling direction.

The integration of digital technologies into manufacturing processes.

A seamless data flow across the entire product lifecycle, from design to service.

A virtual replica of a physical robot or system, updated in real-time, used for simulation, monitoring, and predictive maintenance.

A motor configuration where the output load is attached directly to the motor shaft without gears, eliminating backlash and improving precision.

A system model used in robot coordination where state changes occur at discrete points in time, modeled with finite state automata or Petri nets.

A sensor measuring the linear or angular position of a robot component, including LVDTs, potentiometers, and encoders.

Located farther from the robot’s base; in a robot arm, the distal end is the end-effector or tool.

See Degrees of Freedom.

A wheeled platform or fixture used to move heavy objects or robots in manufacturing environments.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of autonomous or remote-controlled flight, used in surveying, delivery, agriculture, and inspection.

A robot with two arms that can perform coordinated bimanual manipulation tasks, mimicking human two-handed operations.

Control strategies that account for the full dynamics (inertia, Coriolis, gravity) of a robot for precise high-speed motion.

A mathematical representation of the forces and torques acting on a robot, including mass, inertia, friction, and external loads.

The study of forces and torques required to produce robot motion, governed by Newton-Euler or Lagrangian equations.