Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots. Robotics is related to the sciences of electronics , engineering , mechanics , and software .

Robot ethics , sometimes known by the short expression " roboethics ", concerns ethical problems that occur with robots, such as whether robots pose a threat to humans in the long or short run, whether some uses of robots are problematic (such as in healthcare or as ' killer robots ' in war), and how robots should be designed such as they act 'ethically' (this last concern is also called machine ethics ). Robot ethics is a sub-field of ethics of technology, specifically information technology, and it has close links to legal as well as socio-economic concerns. Researchers from diverse areas are beginning to tackle ethical questions about creating robotic technology and implementing it in societies, in a way that will still ensure the safety of the human race.

Laws of Robotics are a set of laws, rules, or principles, which are intended as a fundamental framework to underpin the behavior of robots designed to have a degree of autonomy . Robots of this degree of complexity do not yet exist, but they have been widely anticipated in science fiction , films and are a topic of active research and development in the fields of robotics and artificial intelligence .

A humanoid robot is a robot with its body shape built to resemble the human body . The design may be for functional purposes, such as interacting with human tools and environments, for experimental purposes, such as the study of al locomotion , or for other purposes. In general, humanoid robots have a torso, a head, two arms, and two legs, though some forms of humanoid robots may model only part of the body, for example, from the waist up. Some humanoid robots also have heads designed to replicate human facial features such as eyes and mouths. Androids are humanoid robots built to aesthetically resemble humans.

Claytronics is an abstract future concept that combines nanoscale robotics and computer science to create individual nanometer-scale computers called claytronic atoms, or catoms , which can interact with each other to form tangible 3D objects that a user can interact with. This idea is more broadly referred to as programmable matter . Claytronics has the potential to greatly affect many areas of daily life, such as telecommunication, human-computer interfaces, and entertainment.

An industrial robot is a robot system used for manufacturing . Industrial robots are automated, programmable and capable of movement on two or more axes.

An articulated robot is a robot with rotary joints (e.g. a legged robot or an industrial robot ). Articulated robots can range from simple two-jointed structures to systems with 10 or more interacting joints. They are powered by a variety of means, including electric motors .

A domestic robot is a type of service robot , an autonomous robot that is primarily used for household chores , but may also be used for education , entertainment or therapy . Thus far, there are only a few limited models, though speculators, such as Bill Gates , have suggested that they could become more common in the future. Breakthroughs in universal picking , the ability for robots to rapidly and reliably grasp a diverse range of products, are responsible for enabling domestic robots to excel in tasks requiring dexterous manipulation of household objects previously thought to be too difficult for robots to grasp. While most domestic robots are simplistic, some are connected to WiFi home networks or smart environments and are autonomous to a high degree due to advances in fog computing and fog robotics . There were an estimated 3,540,000 service robots in use in 2006 , compared with an estimated 950,000 industrial robots .

A juggling robot is a robot designed to be able to successfully carry out bounce or toss juggling . Robots capable of juggling are designed and built both to increase and test understanding and theories of human movement, juggling, and robotics . Juggling robots may include sensors to guide arm/hand movement or may rely on physical methods such as tracks or funnels to guide prop movement. Since true juggling requires more props than hands, many robots described as capable of juggling are not.

An android is a humanoid robot or synthetic organism designed to resemble a human , especially one with a body with a flesh-like look. Historically, androids remained completely within the domain of science fiction where they are frequently seen in film and television. Only recently have advancements in robot technology allowed the design of functional and realistic humanoid robots .