Kinds of work robots can do

• Robots can repeat precise tasks, move objects, inspect hard-to-reach spaces, help in surgery, explore dangerous places, and support manufacturing or delivery.
• They are especially useful when a task is dull, dirty, dangerous, very precise, or needs to happen many times the same way.

Similarities and differences

• A remote-control vehicle is directed directly by a human operator and usually does not make many decisions on its own.
• A telerobot is also controlled by a human, but often at a distance and with sensors, cameras, or tools that let the operator work in a remote environment.
• An autonomous robot uses programming and sensor input to make at least some decisions without constant human control.

Ways robots move without wheels or tracks

• Legs are useful for uneven ground, stairs, or terrain where wheels struggle.
• Propellers or rotors are useful for flying robots and drones that need to move through the air.
• Arms, joints, or crawling/serpentine bodies are useful when a robot must reach, climb, slither, or maneuver through tight spaces.