Gear Motor Robots

These robots are powered by a DC motor usually with an attached reduction gearbox. They can be hand controlled with joystick and the best electronic control is with pulse width modulation, but ordinary switched control can be used. The human eye is the feedback for positioning.

For computer control, some form of feedback is required and this can be an impulse counter or a limit switch or an optical encoder. The robot is first taught a series of movements all of which are recorded. The program is then run, and the robot will then go through the same series of movements with accuracy and repeatability.