Robotics Industry Glossary
H
Hand Guiding
A collaborative operation mode where a human operator physically moves the robot arm to program or guide it.
Haptic Feedback
Technology that recreates the sense of touch by applying forces, vibrations, or motions to the user (common in teleoperation).
Haptics
The science of touch and the integration of tactile feedback into human-computer interactions.
Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL)
A software layer that provides a uniform interface to diverse robot hardware, simplifying driver development and portability.
Harmonic Drive / Strain Wave Gear
A compact, zero-backlash gear system enabling high reduction ratios in compact robotic joints.
Head (Robot)
The upper section of a humanoid or social robot, often housing cameras, microphones, speakers, and display screens for interaction.
Heterogeneous Robot Team
A group of robots with different capabilities, morphologies, and roles working cooperatively on a common task.
Heuristic
A practical rule or strategy that guides robot planning and problem-solving when optimal solutions are computationally infeasible.
Hexapod
A six-legged robot offering excellent stability and terrain adaptability, inspired by insect locomotion.
HMI (Human-Machine Interface)
The hardware and software that allows humans to interact with robots, including teach pendants, touchscreens, and gesture recognition.
Holonomic
Describes a robot that can move in any direction instantaneously such as omnidirectional robots with Mecanum wheels, having full mobility in its workspace.
Homography
A projective transformation between two image planes, used in robot vision for planar surface mapping and camera calibration.
HRI (Human-Robot Interaction)
The interdisciplinary study of how humans and robots communicate, collaborate, and coexist, encompassing safety, usability, and social aspects.
Humanoid Robot
A robot with a body shape resembling a human, typically featuring a head, torso, two arms, and two legs, designed to operate in human environments.
Hybrid Control
A control architecture combining deliberative (planning-based) and reactive (sensor-driven) approaches for robust robot behavior.
Hydraulic Actuator
An actuator powered by pressurized fluid, offering high force and power density, commonly used in heavy industrial and construction robots.
Hydrostatic Transmission
A fluid-based power transmission system used in robots to transfer actuation from remote motors to joints with high force capability.