The history of robotics

The history of robotics Abstract: The project gives a brief introduction to the history of robotics while going on to explain the various types of robots that are built and their classification. A detailed description of the various mechanical platforms and driving mechanisms has been provided. The commonly used robotic designs have also been looked into and their characteristics have been explained. Finally, the fabrication process of the robotic gripper has been studied and explained. Grippers are key components in robotized assembly system. 1. Introduction The design and construction of highly dexterous robot hands has been a major research and development objective for at least the past two decades. Many of the above robot hands have the general objective of achieving a high degree of dexterity in a wide variety of situations, and this generality in their objective may sometimes lessen their effectiveness in specific classes of applications. This project focuses on the development of a universal robot gripper. The gripper utilizes a2minimal amount of hardware, and can be employed in a wide variety of pick-and-place applications with minimal changes to the mechanical and control program configurations. The gripper is the mechanical interface between the robot and its environment. The robot performs the pick-and-place functions needed for assembly tasks. As with other peripheral equipment, grippers should have sufficient versatility to deal with the variety of parts an assembly robot has to handle. This project focuses on strategies for fabrication of an effective gripping device. The main section of the project covers the introduction for fabrication of grippers. 2. History Machines and mechanization are the ancestors of todays robots. The ancients started with things like water clocks and irrigation equipment. Later, windmills and water wheels turned gears and equipment to help produce a product. These ancient machines did tasks with or without human help. Industrialization made use of heavy mechanization to mass produce merchandise. In the 20th century, machines took some form of intelligence. They were able to work independently, solve problems and execute solutions. Cybernetics involved improving robot intelligence. Today, robots explore sea floors, wander inside caves, explore and study other planets and build cars. Leonardo da Vinci created many robot-like sketches and designs in the 1500s. The word robot first appeared in print in the 1920 play R.U.R. (Rossums Universal Robots) by Karl Kapek, a Czechoslovakian playwright. Robota is Czechoslovakian for worker or serf (peasant). Typical of early science fiction, the robots take over and exterminate the human race. 1954: The first programmable robot is designed by George Devol, who coins the term Universal Automation. He later shortens this to Unimation, which becomes the name of the first robot company (1962). Isaac Asimov popularized the term robotics through many science-fiction novels and short stories. Asimov is a visionary who envisioned in the 1930s the positronic brain for controlling robots; this pre-dated digital computers by a couple of decades. Unlike earlier robots in science fiction, robots do not threaten humans since Asimov invented the three laws of robotics: A robot may not harm a human or, through inaction, allow a human to come to harm. A robot must obey the orders given by human beings, except when such orders conflict with the First Law. A robot must protect its own existence as long as it does not conflict with the First or Second Laws. Joseph Engleberger and George Devoe were the fathers of industrial robots. Their company, Unimation, built the first industrial robot, the PUMA (Programmable Universal Manipulator Arm, a later version shown below), in 1961. 1980s: The robot industry enters a phase of rapid growth. Many institutions introduce programs and courses in robotics. Robotics courses are spread across mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science departments. 3. Types and classification of robots. Industrial robots are available commercially in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and configurations. They are designed and fabricated with different design configurations and a different number of axes or degrees of freedom. These factors of a robots design influence its working envelope 4. Common Robot Designs 4.1. Cartesian Robots which have three linear (prismatic joints P, as opposed to rotational R joints) axes of movement (X, Y, Z). Used for pick and place tasks and to move heavy loads. They can trace out rectangular volumes in 3D space. 4.2. Cylindrical The positions of these robots are controlled by a height, an angle, and a radius (that is, two P joints and one R joint). These robots are commonly used in assembly tasks and can trace out concentric cylinders in 3D space. 4.3. Spherical Spherical robots have two rotational R axes and one translational P (radius) axis. The robots end-effectors can trace out concentric spheres in 3D space. 4.4. Articulated The positions of articulated robots are controlled by three angles, via R joints. These robots resemble the human arm (they are anthropomorphic). They are the most versatile robots, but also the most difficult to program. 4.5 SCARA (Selective Compliance Articulated Robot Arm) SCARA robots are a blend of the articulated and cylindrical robots, providing the benefits of each. The robot arm unit can move up and down, and at an angle around the axis of the cylinder just as in a cylindrical robot, but the arm itself is jointed like a revolute coordinate robot to allow precise and rapid positioning. The robot consists of three R and one P joints; an example is shown below. We will mostly deal with robotic arms; some other interesting types of robots are mobile robots, humanoid robots, and parallel robots. 4.6. Mobile robots Mobile robots have wheels, legs, or other means to navigate around the workspace under control. Mobile robots are applied as hospital helpmates and lawn mowers, among other possibilities. These robots require good sensors to see the workspace, avoid collisions, and get the job done. 4.7. Parallel robots Most of the robots discussed so far are serial robots, where joints and links are constructed in a serial fashion from the base, with one path leading out to the end-effector. In contrast, parallel robots have many legs with active and passive joints and links, supporting the load in parallel. Parallel robots can handle higher loads with greater accuracy, higher speeds, and lighter robot weight; however, a major drawback is that the workspace of parallel robots is severely restricted compared to equivalent serial robots. Parallel robots are used in expensive flight simulators, as machining tools, and can be used for high-accuracy, high-repeatability, high-precision robotic surgery. 5. Mechanical platforms the hardware base A robot consists of two main parts: the robot body and some form of artificial intelligence (AI) system. Many different body parts can be called a robot. Articulated arms are used in welding and painting; gantry and conveyor systems move parts in factories; and giant robotic machines move earth deep inside mines. One of the most interesting aspects of robots in general is their behavior, which requires a form of intelligence. The simplest behavior of a robot is locomotion. Typically, wheels are used as the underlying mechanism to make a robot move from one point to the next. And some force such as electricity is required to make the wheels turn under command. 5.1. Motors A variety of electric motors provide power to robots, allowing them to move material, parts, tools, or specialized devices with various programmed motions. The efficiency rating of a motor describes how much of the electricity consumed is converted to mechanical energy. Lets take a look at some of the mechanical devices that are currently being used in modern robotics technology. DC motor: Permanent-magnet, direct-current (PMDC) motors require only two leads, and use an arrangement of fixed- and electro-magnets (stator and rotor) and switches. These form a commutator to create motion through a spinning magnetic field. AC motor: AC motors cycle the power at the input-leads, to continuously move the field. Given a signal, AC and DC motors perform their action to the best of their ability. Stepper motor: Stepper motors are like a brushless DC or AC motor. They move the rotor by applying power to different magnets in the motor in sequence (stepped). Steppers are designed for fine control and will not only spin on command, but can spin at any number of steps-per-second (up to their maximum speed). Servomotors: Servomotors are closed-loop devices. Given a signal, they adjust themselves until they match the signal. Servos are used in radio control airplanes and cars. They are simple DC motors with gearing and a feedback control system. 5.2 Driving mechanisms Gears and chains: Gears and chains are mechanical platforms that provide a strong and accurate way to transmit rotary motion from one place to another, possibly changing it along the way. The speed change between two gears depends upon the number of teeth on each gear. When a powered gear goes through a full rotation, it pulls the chain by the number of teeth on that gear. Gears are most often used in transmissions to convert an electric motors or in this case the drive shafts high speed and low torque to a shafts requirements for low speed high torque. Gears essentially allow positive engagement between teeth so high forces can be transmitted while still undergoing essentially rolling contact. The basic law of gearing says that a common normal (the line of action) to the tooth profiles at their point of contact must in all positions of the contacting teeth; pass through a fixed point on the line-of-centers called the pitch point. As such any two curves or profiles engaging each other and satisfying the law of gearing are conjugate curves, and the relative rotation speed of the gears will be constant. A gear train is a set or system of gears arranged to transfer rotational torque from one part of a mechanical system to another. Gear trains consists Driving gears it is attached to the input shaft Driven gears or Motor gears it is attached to the output shaft Idler gears it is interposed between the driving and driven gear in order to maintain the direction of the output shaft the same as the input shaft or to increase the distance between the drive and driven gears. A compound gear train refers to two or more gears that are used to transmit motion. Alternatively pinion is the smaller of the two gears (typically on the motor) drives a gear on the output shaft. A gear or wheel is the larger of the two gears. Gears are generally used for one of four different reasons: To reverse the direction of rotation To increase or decrease the speed of rotation To move rotational motion to a different axis To keep the rotation of two axis synchronized Pulleys and belts: Pulleys and belts, two other types of mechanical platforms used in robots, work the same way as gears and chains. Pulleys are wheels with a groove around the edge, and belts are the rubber loops that fit in that groove. Gearboxes: A gearbox operates on the same principles as the gear and chain, without the chain. Gearboxes require closer tolerances, since instead of using a large loose chain to transfer force and adjust for misalignments, the gears mesh directly with each other. Examples of gearboxes can be found on the transmission in a car, the timing mechanism in a grandfather clock, and the paper-feed of your printer. Power supplies Power supplies are generally provided by two types of battery. Primary batteries are used once and then discarded; secondary batteries operate from a (mostly) reversible chemical reaction and can be recharged several times. Primary batteries have higher density and a lower self-discharge rate. Secondary (rechargeable) batteries have less energy than primary batteries, but can be recharged up to a thousand times depending on their chemistry and environment. Typically the first use of a rechargeable battery gives 4 hours of continuous operation in an application or robot. There are literally hundreds of types and styles of batteries available for use in robots. Batteries are categorized by their chemistry and size, and rated by their voltage and capacity. The voltage of a battery is determined by the chemistry of the cell, and the capacity by both the chemistry and size. 6. Degrees of freedom The term degree of freedom relates to locating or positioning of a body in space. A body in space has six degree of freedom since it can translate linearly along three mutually perpendicular axis and rotational movements about the same three axes. Three linear movements allow the body on the end effectors of the robot to move a desired position in space and three rotational movements allow the body to be oriented about that position. The term degree of movements relates to the number of axis in which the robot may move in one particular robot configuration. Regardless of the configuration of a robot, movement along each axis will result in either a rotational or a translational movement. The number of axes of movement (degrees of freedom) and their arrangement, along with their sequence of operation and structure, will permit movement of the robot to any point within its envelope. Robots have three arm movements (up-down, in-out, side-to-side). In addition, they can have as many as three additional wrist movements on the end of the robots arm: yaw (side to side), pitch (up and down), and rotational (clockwise and counterclockwise). 7. Mechanical design of the Gripper 7.1. General Design Description The mechanical design of the robotic gripper needed to address the required interaction between the robot and the environment in order to grasp and hold the object securely and to execute the operation. When objects to be grasped are of different shape and size the friction method is normally used whereby the part is restricted from moving by the friction present between the fingers and the object. In this way the fingers exert sufficient force to hold the part against gravity, acceleration and any other force that might arise during the holding portion of the work cycle. This is achieved through a mechanical design that incorporates multiple fingers and multiple joints per finger, through the installation of proximity and force sensors on the gripper, and through the employment of innovative and practical control system architecture for the gripper components. The gripper is installed on a standard six degree-of-freedom industrial robot, and the gripper and robot control programs are integrated in a manner that allows easy application of the gripper in an industrial pick-and-place operation. The gripper or the end effector constitutes the end of the kinematic chain of an industrial robot and makes possible the interactions with the work environment. Although universal grippers with wide clamping ranges can be used for varied object shapes, in many cases they must be adapted to specific work-pieces shapes. A robotic end effector is the hand of the robots arm. By attaching a tool to the robot flange (wrist), the robotic arm can then perform designated tasks. Examples of robotic end-effector include robotic grippers, robotic tool changers, robotic collision sensors etc. In many case, the robotic end effector requires additional power supplies to operate. It depends on the type of functions the end-effector perform, the popular one is the pneumatic, because it is easier to supply air to the end of a robot arm and. The only disadvantages of pneumatics are that it has a slightly lower power to weight ratio than hydraulics and it is not as controllable or easy to feed as electricity. For certain applications some degree of sensory feedback from the gripper is necessary. For examples, the insertion or gripping forces measurement, proximity sensor to detect the presence of objects between the jaws of the gripper, collision detection unit which attaches between the robot flange and the end effector so that if excessive force is applied to the tool the robot arm will stop. 7.2 Robot -End Effectors: End Effectors is the part that is connected to the last joint of a manipulator which generally handles objects, makes connection to other machines or performs the required tasks. Robot manufacturer generally do not design or sell end effectors. The hand of the robot has provision for connecting special end effectors that are specifically designed for a purpose. The robot end-effector or end-of-arm tooling is the bridge between the robot arm and the environment around it. Depending on the task, the actions of the gripper vary. A robotic end-effector which is attached to the wrist of the robot arm is a device that enables the general-purpose robot to grip materials, parts and tools to perform a specific task. The end-effectors are also called the grippers. There are various types of end-effectors to perform the different work functions. The various types of grippers can be divided into the following major categories. Mechanical grippers Hooking or lifting grippers Grippers for scooping or ladling powders or molten metal or plastics Vacuum cups Magnetic grippers Others: Adhesive or Electrostatic Grippers The grippers can be classified into, Part handling grippers Tools handling grippers Special grippers The part handling grippers are used to grasp and hold objects that are required to be transported from one point to another placed for some assembly operations. The part handling applications include machine loading and unloading, picking parts from a conveyor and moving parts, etc. There are grippers to hold tools like welding gun or spray painting gun to perform a specific task. The robot hand may hold a deburring tool. The grippers of the robot may be specialized device like remote center compliance (RCC) to insert an external mating component into an internal member, viz. inserting a plug into a hole. The other type of end-effectors employs some physical principal like magnetism or vacuum technology to hold the object securely. 7.2.1 Classification of End-effectors: An end effector of a robot can be designated to have several fingers, joints and degrees of freedom. Any combination of these factors gives different grasping modalities to the end-effector. The general end-effectors can be grouped according to the type of grasping modality as follows, Mechanical fingers Special tools Universal fingers 7.2.1.1 Mechanical Fingers: They are used to perform some special tasks. Gripping by mechanical type fingers is less versatile and less dexterous than holding by universal fingers as the grippers with mechanical fingers have fewer numbers of joints and lesser flexibility. The grippers can be sub grouped according to finger classifications like two, three and five-finger types. The two-finger gripper is the most popular. Robot end-effectors can be classified on the basis of the mode of gripping as external and internal gripping. The internal gripping system grips the internal surface of objects with open fingers whereas the external gripper grips the exterior surface of the object with closed fingers. Robot end-effectors are also classified according to the number of degrees of freedom (DOF) incorporated in the gripper structures. Typical mechanical grippers belong to the class of 1 DOF. A few grippers can be found with more than 2 DOF. Using some special tooling action, robot grippers can be designed to retain objects by electromagnetic action or under the action of vacuum. Electromagnets and vacuum cups are typical devices in this class. Usually, if the objects to be handled are too large and ferromagnetic in nature, electromagnetic grippers may be employed. In some applications where the objects are too thin to be handled, they can be held by vacuum grippers. 7.2.1.2 Universal Fingers: Usually comprise multipurpose grippers of more than three fingers and or more than one joint on each finger which provide the capacity to perform a wide variety of grasping and manipulating assignments. 7.2.1.3 Mechanical Gripper: A mechanical gripper is an end-effector that uses mechanical fingers actuated by a mechanism to grip an object. The fingers are the appendages of the gripper that actually makes contact with the object. The fingers are either attached to the mechanism or an integral part of mechanism. 7.3. Types Of Grippers 7.3.1. The Clapper The Clapper can be built using metal, plastic or wood. It consists of a wrist joint. Connected to the wrists are 2 plastic plates. The bottom plate is secured to the wrist and the top plate is hinged. A small spring-loaded solenoid is positioned between the two plates. When solenoid is active, the gripper is closed and when solenoid is not active, the gripper is open. The choice of solenoid is important. It must fit between the 2 flaps and should have a flat bottom to facilitate mounting. It must operate within the voltage used in your robot (usually 6V or 12 V). If solenoid doesnt have mounting flanges opposite the plunger, mount it in the center of the bottom flap using household cement 7.3.2. The Two Pincher Gripper The two-pincher gripper consists of two movable fingers, somewhat like the claw of a lobster. In todays industry the two-finger mechanical grippers with a single degree of freedom are the most usual used device. The fingers have symmetrical motions with respect to the gripper axis. A particular category of grippers for industrial robots has two degrees of freedom and a single driving motor. The relative positions of the component elements depend on the frictional coefficients between work piece and fingers and on the initial position of the work piece with respect to the grippers frame. 7.4 Development and Fabrication of the Two Pincher Gripper 8.Scope For Further Work 9. Conclusion: The Robotic Gripper is essentially a vital part of robot design. In its history it was simple and sometimes ineffective but day by day modern advances have been inputted to such robotic systems which have proved to be highly efficient, effective and versatile. A flurry of innovations and developments is on the agenda in context of robotics designs of the future. Major manufacturers are constantly striving to improve existing technology as RD divisions focus on figuring out ways and means to conjure up better and simpler forms of robots. Other such technologies that have been significantly improved in robotic designs are in: Agriculture Automobile Construction Entertainment Health care: hospitals, patient-care, surgery, research, etc. Laboratories: science, engineering, etc. Law enforcement: surveillance, patrol, etc. Manufacturing Military: demining, surveillance, attack, etc.1` Mining, excavation, and exploration Transportation: air, ground, rail, space, etc. Utilities: gas, water, and electricity With such advances in technology the future of robotics design seems promising. 10. References: Books: Stan Gibilisco, Concise encyclopedia of Robotics Klafter D Richard; Robotic Engineering An Integrated Approach, 1st Edition, 1989. Craig J John, Introduction to Robotics Mechanics and Control, 3rd Edition, Pearson Education, Inc, 2005. Schilling J Robert, Fundamentals of Robotics Analysis and Control, 1st Edition, Prentice Hall, 1990.

The Evolution of Engineering

It’s no secret that technology has not only changed life as we know it, but has also changed the face of most every career field known to man.   Nowhere is this evolution more evident than in the field of engineering.   In order to better review the impact that advancements in technology have had on the field of engineering, exploration of past versus present comparison is necessary.   Upon reviewing the variations between engineering of the past and engineering of present, the dramatic involvement of technology in the field becomes inherently evident.Over the course of the last two decades, the field of engineering has come into its own.   One major component of the ‘new and improved’ field of engineering is the utilization of modern technology.   In fact, engineering itself is considered a frontier of development in modern technology itself.   â€Å"Scientific discovery and advancement affect our lives in two different ways—through new polici es and regulations that provide broad national direction and through new products and processes that enhance our lives and communities. Technology and engineering translate scientific knowledge into action.† (USDA 2007)Engineering, in the 1980s, was a field wherein the predominant research and development process surrounded countless instances of trial and error.   Due in part to the fact that all experimentation and designed was based solely on human ability and human ideas, engineering was primarily considered a ‘thinking man’s’ career choice.   For example, in the early 1980s, when mechanical engineers designed motor vehicles, much of their design was dependant on tangible models and hand drawn blueprints.   Today, on the other hand, computer technology allows for the use of computerized 3D models and AutoCAD architecture.   This same fact holds true for not only the vehicle industry, but the building industry, property development, and many more .Upon close examination of the implications of technology on engineering, it is revealed that this phenomenon began far earlier than many believe.   In fact, students at Virginia Tech have been required to own a personal computer since the year 1984.   However, improvements in computer technology have dramatically improved engineering accuracy and performance, have increased efficiency, and have made it possible for a wider variant of individuals to enter the engineering field.   â€Å"In terms of the difficulty level of problems, the computer has helped tremendously. In the pre-computer era, we'd spend a couple of weeks on a serious problem. Now it can be done overnight. In terms of the actual mode of teaching, we present less hand-calculation procedures than in previous times. It's just not needed.† (EE/CPE VanLandingham 97)A variety of modern technologies have added to the dynamics of the engineering field.   However, it is arguable that computer advancements have affected the field more than any other.   Because much of engineering is design, the use of computers as a design tool is prevalent.   Thanks to the precision and speed offered by the use of certain computer programs during the engineering design process, problems that once seemed impossible are now considered trivial.   â€Å"Students can do design and some calculations that were real tough to do before.   â€Å"We use computers a lot in the lab to take data and analyze data off the equipment. Most research projects take data using computers, and our folks have to know how to write programs and microprocessor code.† (EE/CPE Claus 97)Experts also agree that the integration of computers into the field of engineering have made the job more ‘fun’.   Computers allow engineers to heighten levels of creativity in their work while allowing for less stress in problem solving.   In short, engineers can now focus more heartily on the creative aspects of their project because they spend less time in problem solving.Interestingly though, the speculation surrounding technological and computer advancements in the field of engineering is not all positive.   There are many people who believe that the overt use of computers in the field of engineering provides engineers with a crutch that allows for less thorough problem examination.   It is also argued that engineers become ‘lax’ in analysis because they trust computers to be accurate.   The problem with this fact is that computers are not infallible.   If one data set is entered incorrectly, the entire analysis will be incorrect.   Basically, computers should moreover be used to verify analysis as opposed to actually perform the analysis itself.Many engineering professors and argue that the overuse of computers will promote carelessness in the field.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"I see students relying too much on computers, computation programs and symbolic manipulators – which is leading them away from self-discipline.   â€Å"They are using tools and have no way to check them. They come up with an answer on the computer and don't know enough to challenge their answer. They are using tools and have no way to check them. They come up with an answer on the computer and don't know enough to challenge their answer. They figure if the computer came up with the answer, it's got to be right.† (EE/CPE Brown 97)There is also evidence the integration of computer technology in engineering will ‘kill’ programming in the field.   Because of the incredible technology and dynamic computer programs available to engineers as a whole, there is a decreased need for new programming.   Certain computer programs offer engineers ‘ready to use’ packages for problem solving, which eliminates the need for writing code in problem solving.   The question as to whether or not this is a ‘good thing’ is perhaps most prominent in engin eering education.   ‘†Technology as the magic bullet for education is being vastly oversold,† cautioned Professor Jim Armstrong. â€Å"We can use the computers for computation and communication, but we must maintain the interpersonal aspect of teaching,†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (EE/CPE 97)The integration of modern technology and the integration of computers in particular, into the field of engineering has changed the face of all engineering disciplines as we know it. It is largely agreed that these advancements have improved the field of engineering in ways never before thought possible.   However, it is pertinent to note that not every implementation or change is considered beneficial. While, for the most part, computers and technology have only improved engineer problem solving and efficiency, it is also argued that these integrations have given birth to the ‘lazy’ engineer.   In fact, there are those who believe that today’s engineer is already considered lax because they now have the computer to do the work for them.   â€Å"Engineers are lazy. Engineers don't like to work hard and like to come up with ways to make their lives easier† (iPaw 2009) This view creates a paradox for many, because the very definition of innovation is the search for ways to make life more simple.In summation, modern technology and computer advancement has made the field of engineering more exciting for those engaged.   It has also allowed for more a more variant professional base within the field.   However, perhaps the most notable change in the field that comes as a direct reflection of computer advancement is the increase in the speed and efficiency with which engineers solve an assortment of problems.   This increased efficiency allows for a more rapid development of a product or and outcome and also allows for a heightened opportunity to concentrate on creativity and design.   Basically, computers and modern technology make the field of engineering more fun.While it must be acknowledged that not all views surrounding computer advancement and engineering are possible, it is widely accepted that computers have drastically improved every discipline of engineering while also acting as a catalyst behind creative engineering and innovation.From a personal perspective, we have entered the dawn of a new engineering age.   The field of engineering is rapidly becoming as much an art as it is an analytical career field.   This advancement and innovation is solely credited to the integration of modern technology into the engineering disciplines.   In the last five years, computer technology has taken not only engineering, but every career to new and exciting levels.   From the farmer to the fighter pilot, computer technology has changed the dynamic of ‘work’ as we know it, and nowhere is this truth more evident than in the field of engineering.Works Citedâ€Å"Catspaw's Guide to the Inevitab ly Insane.† Catspaw's Guide to the Inevitably Insane. 29 Apr. 2009 .â€Å"Computers and Engineering: Instructional Boon or Crutch?.† Virginia Tech | Electrical and Computer Engineering. 29 Apr. 2009 .Govil, Rekha. Recent Advancements in Computer Science and Technology. new york: Allied Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1999.â€Å"Technology & Engineering.† Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES). 29 Apr. 2009 .Fundamental Concepts in Computer Science (Advances in Computer Science and Engineering: Texts). London: Imperial College Press, 2009.

Driving License Essay

The childhood is the stage when all our fantasies start to grow. That was the stage when a fantasy about motor bike grew up into my mind and I got interested in driving bike. As my fantasy supported me I started to fulfill my interest and started to learn driving. At that time my uncle who was experienced in this line; he started to teach me driving. After a few months my fantasies boosted up because I was learning a bit how to drive. After learning driving for about two years, my parents came to know the matter and thought that I was in a stage to have a driving license, since they heard that I was harassed in the roads many times by the police for not having a driving license while driving. As a result, my parents gave me the permission to have a driving license. So, I found out that there is an association responsible to delivering the driver’s license in Bangladesh, which is the Bangladesh Roads and Transport Association (BRTA). I went there to get the license, but later o n I came to know that there are many problems which I have to face while getting the driving license. I took it as a challenge to overcome those problems and get the license in a legal way; since I was able to become a good driver within that time. The other point that made me interest to take this topic was the sudden death of two of my closest friend in the road accident, which was as a shock in my life. Why only the accident of my two friends, there were 3,917 highway accidents in the year 2012 (â€Å"Ensure safety†). Many people argued that the road accidents occur because of the bad condition of the road, but most of the highways in Bangladesh are now treated as of standard quality highways. There are also some other people arguing that the road accidents occurs because of the unfit vehicles running on the road; but still a majority portion of the people agrees with me that most of the road accidents occur because of the inexperienced driver’s. Then a question came up in my mind that â€Å"Why are the drivers inexperienced?† I was able to solve  this question and came up with the answer that since the driver’s are getting the license in an illegal way, so they are becoming inexperienced and be coming the cause of the accidents. Later on another question came up in my mind, â€Å"Why the driver’s are getting the license in an illegal way, since there is a way to get the license in a legal way?† It was tough for me to solve this question, but when I went to BRTA to get my own driving license I found out that every person who goes there are harassed a lot, only if they wants to get the license in a legal way. Still, if someone wants to get the driving license in a legal way then he is forced to give bribes during the procedure. Then, my interest grew to find out the hazardous experience of the people while getting the driving license. We all know that bribe plays a vital role in the Bangladesh society. So, it makes two ways to get the license; legal way and illegal way. In the legal way one has to pass the test required to get the license. There are mainly one written test and three practical tests. If someone even passes the test successfully, the officials over there will not make them pass until they get the money. During the process, if someone denies giving bribe, he will have to wait for at least 6 months to get the license. But, in the illegal way, just give the bribe and sit back in your home, the brokers will process the license and will give it after 3 months. The rate that they have fixed to get the license in an illegal way is Tk. 5,000/= per license. Sometimes we will find many people around us, who are not ready to pay any illegal fees. So, first they prepare themselves to get the license in the legal way. But, after passing the written test when they go to give the practical test and sees that every thing is on the examiners hand, they gets scarred. Most of the time if someone passes the exam but refuses to give the minimum amount of money, then the examiner harasses the person and in a sense force him to fail. Then, those people who went there in an intention to get the license in a legal way loose their faith on them and agree to get the license in an illegal way. Background â€Å"Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) is the only association in Bangladesh who is responsible for the promotion of road safety and traffic regulations, by delivering the license of the drivers and also by registering the vehicles in Bangladesh. BRTA was first institutionalized in 1987 and started its function from January 1988. BRTA is the regulatory body for the control and management of the road transport system and road safety related activities of the Republic of Bangladesh. BRTA maintains its function with total manpower of 291 through the head office in Dhaka, 19 circle and 20 zonal Offices spread all over the country† (Brta). All the zonal offices can deliver driving license, but to get the license one have to pass one written test, one oral test and three practical tests. First of all one have to fill a form, requesting for getting a driving license, giving the adequate information about him, regarding his name, father’s name, age, sex, address, blood group, etc. After submitting the form one would get the â€Å"Learner’s License†. It will cost one Tk. 750. Actually getting the learner’s license means that one has got the permission to learn the driving. After getting the learner’s license one would get 3 months of duration to prepare himself. According to that date and time mentioned in the Learner’s License, one has to go and attend the written and oral test. The written and oral tests don’t take place except Thursday. The result will be published on that day and after that they will give a seal in the learner’s license and also provide the date and time of the practical exams. The entire practical exam will be held on one single day. The first practical exam is known as the â€Å"Zig-Zag† test. The model is given below: In this test one have to go with his car from A side to B side and again come back with his car in the reverse gear from side B to side A, without moving or touching the flags that will be there at each points of the line. The width on the two lines will be 1.5 times the wide of the car. If someone touches the flags, he will fail the exam. In that case, he have to resubmit the fees and appear the test again after getting the date and time approved by the BRTA. The second test in known as the â€Å"Ramp† test. The model is given below: In this test, one has to go driving the car on the slope. The examiner will be sitting beside him. While going up the slope the examiner will tell him to stop the car and the person have to stop the car at the slope. The examiner will again tell the person go to up the slope without letting the car go back. This is the hardest part of getting the license. Most of the people fail in this stage because while moving the car front, the car’s weight forces the car to go down the slope. Since, many people fail in this test, so the examiner tries to take the advantage of the bribe over here. The examiner tells that if he gets money, then he will make the person pass, or else he will fail him. The third test is called the â€Å"Road Test†. During this test the examiner will be sitting beside the person and will be told to drive the car in the busy roads. This test is mainly taken to check whether the person knows the rules and regulation of the traffic system and also to drive safely. The examiner might say suddenly to park the car in the no parking zone. If one stops the car there that means that he doesn’t knows the rules and regulation and thus, he is going to fail in the exam. If one passes the entire exam then only he is capable of getting the driving license in a legal way. But, the present situation of the BRTA supports that; one must have to give bribe to pass the exams. Many people think that just passing those exams doesn’t makes one an experienced driver. In that case, they concluded that knowing the driving is the main thing, it doesn’t matter that whether you got the license in a legal or illegal way. But, a majority of the people says that, if someone knows how to drive well then he will also be able to pass the exams of BRTA without giving the bribe and thus can get a license in a legal way. Hypothesis Since, the driving license is being delivered by a Government institution people are to follow a lot of procedures in getting the driving license.  From my research, I expect to find that the corruption in delivering license illegally and problems are faced by the driving license owners. I will try to find out the reasons why car owner’s doesn’t want to hire a driver who has an illegal license. I think that a person who is well-educated knows that there are many problems that the other drivers have to face if he hires that drivers, this is the most important reason why they don’t want to hire illegal license owner. From my opinion our license delivering system should be stricter. Limitations of the Study: There are some limitations of my research paper. They are pointed out below: In my survey, I was unable to target those students who don’t have a driving license, because if they don’t have a driving license, how they are going to have an experience in getting the driving license. I had to stay between the age boundaries of 19-22. As my research topic states, my target group is the NSU students and most of them are from the age of 19-22. The major limitation of my research is that I was able to target especially those who had the driving license to drive the private cars only. The driving license is delivered actually for three categories of vehicles- light, medium and heavy. One who has got the license for the first (light) category will be able to apply for the second category (medium) after three years. To get the license of the heavy category one has to get another three years experience of driving the medium vehicles (Hossain). Since, my age boundary is from 19-22. So, most of them have the license of the light category, which gives them the permission to drive only the private cars. I am not able to get any information from the officials of the BRTA, because they aren’t ready to talk with me about their situation, which is also another major limitation of my research paper. I think that they could have unveiled a lot of information, which could be of great use in my research paper. The last and also the most important limitations of my research paper is the time factor and the present situation of our country. I am not getting enough time to do my research thoroughly on this topic. Research I have used the BRTA’s website; some posted articles in the Internet and the newspaper as my secondary sources, which were being used throughout the paper.  For my primary research I have prepared a questionnaire and also have interviewed two people how have got bad experience in getting the driving license. The first person whom I interviewed is a regular student of NSU and the other person is a professional driver. Their interview helped me a lot in my research paper. The questionnaire that I have prepared consists of 13 questions. I have given 40 people to fill up my questionnaire. From Figure 1, we can see that 8 of them, which make 32% of my sample size, claimed that they have owned the license in a legal way. From the rest of the students, 13 (52%) of them said that they got the driving license in an illegal way and the rest 4 (16%) claimed that they have got the driving license through a driving school. But still, one student who have got the license through a driving school, said that he have passed all the exams of the BRTA to get the license, but for the rest three people, who are all female, said that they have got the driving license without appearing the tests. They made an agreement with the driving school, which states that after they have learned how to drive, the driving school will be responsible to deliver them the driving license and in exchange they will be giving a certain amount of money. So, after that I can see that only one person from the driving school have got the license in a legal way. From the rest of my sample, only 8 (32%) of them ; who got the driving license in a legal way, have said that they have appeared and passed all the exams, without considering the case that they have failed in the exam and passed it again by giving bribe. Actually the people; especially the brokers, won’t let one pass the exam without giving the bribe. So, in a way those people who have been learning to drive for last 6 months and want to get the license in a legal way are forced to give bribe. From Figure 2, we can see that 6 (67%) of the NSU students; who have got the license in a legal way, agreed with this statement, and told that they have been forced during the exams to give bribe, since everything is on the examiners hand, if he likes to pass one, he will make him pass, but if he wants to fail one, then that person will be harassed a lot until he fails. But, still 3 of the students were luck enough to contradict with me and claimed themselves to pass all the exams without giving the bribes. They also stated that they weren’t even forced during the exams to give bribes. The students who have got the license in an illegal way is not considered in this case because at the beginning when they decided to get the license, they took the illegal way to get the license, so they have given the bribe in the beginning and they don’t need to or forced to give the bribe again during the exams. Since, the students have faced a bit of the hazardous experience, so I asked them again whether that was the ending of the harassment process or not. But, many of them answered no and said that getting the license was the starting of a new harassment process. They were then caught by the police and harassed without any reason. In most of the times police claimed that the licenses are illegal. Then the students have to come out from there by giving bribe, it doesn’t matter that whether you really got the license in a legal or illegal way. In some exceptional case I have found out that the police also said that the picture that they have in the driving license doesn’t matches with the students. I was really shocked to hear that how the police can claim those type of fake reasons to harass a people. I also came to know that a student was saying that he was in a hurry, because his mother was admitted in the hospital, but still the police didn’t tried to hear that and filed a case against him, fining him for driving faster. After all the claims that the police stated, I asked them â€Å"What do you think about BRTA?† One can’t imagine about the response that I have got from this answer. I gave them five options. Within those the first option that I gave them was â€Å"They are all corrupted†. After, reading this option, most of them didn’t go to read the other options. From the figure 3, it is clearly stated that 20 of the students; which means 80%, thinks that BRTA is corrupted and  we can’t do anything about it except going with the system. Within those 13 students, 7 of the students have faced the problems face to face by getting the license in a legal way and 13 of them knew earlier that BRTA is corrupted, so they have got the license in an illegal way. The other 2 of the students told that the existing system should be developed, which means that BRTA should not be privatized, since the corruption level hasn’t gone beyond the limit. But, the rest 3 of the student’s answer was quiet interesting; they all have got the license in an illegal, and think that BRTA’s corruption level has gone beyond our limit and that is the reason it should be privatized. None of the students told that the system is all right and they are operating in the way they should operate, which is quiet interesting. Summary of Findings From my primary research I was able to find out that the harassment process of getting the driving license doesn’t ends also after getting the driving license. The exam pattern is set in a way that will make the people harass. Most of them who have seen the exam pattern with their own eyes think that the existing exam pattern should be updated a bit, because it is designed in a way that will force the people to give bribe. One by knowing the BRTA’s license delivering system doesn’t likes to get the license in a legal way, because they know that they have to give the bribe by hook or by crook. So, most of them are targeting to get the license in an illegal way. It was found out that 80% of the driving license delivered by the BRTA is forged. (Hossain). So, it is clear that because of the harassment that the BRTA does to the people, many people try to get the license in an illegal way. That is also the reason why most of the people think that BRTA is corrupted. In a recent newspaper article is was being posted that because of the corruption level in BRTA, every year Bangladesh Government is loosing 100 crore taka, which also can be the reason why people and I personally think that BRTA should be privatized (Mehedi). Suggestions Regarding all the problems that BRTA has, I think that there is a scope for the government to play role. Government should implement new rules and establish a new driving license delivering exams, which will be able to solve the harassment problem of the normal people a bit. Those policies obviously should not be designed in such a way that there will be scope to get or give bribe. It should be designed in a way that will examine those people who are getting the license are eligible and also quiet well qualified to get the license. Thus, it will obviously help to decrease the road accidents in Bangladesh. Every time we can see that the Government is coming up with new laws and policies, but they are not implemented in a nice way. If that happens, it is better to privatize the BRTA, without updating the existing system. Now days, we are also able to find out that many female are driving their own cars. It becomes more hazardous for them to get the license in a legal way. So, they are going to the driving schools to learn driving. In my survey, I have find out that almost all the female have got their driving license through the driving school and also in an illegal way. The driving learning school should also be developed, because they are the ones responsible for teaching the people to drive well. If they gets corrupted and gives the driving license to those peoples who doesn’t deserves it then the problem will be huge. Conclusion For us, those who have the adequate amount of money, getting the driving license is not a matter of fact for them and thus they may also disagree that getting the driving license is a harassment process. But, consider about those people who think thousand times before spending Tk. 100. For a professional driver, it really becomes hard for the first time to get the driving license. After doing this research I was really satisfied a bit that I was able to fulfill a bit of my childhood interest and also able to find out a valid  reason for my friends death. But still, I personally think that there should be another research done on the unfit vehicles running on the road, which can also be held responsible for the increase in the road accidents in our country. Works Cited Brta. Home page. 01 Jan. 2004. 30 July 2005 . â€Å"Ensure Safety basic rights of the People.† Nation. Ittefaq.com 11 June 2005. 01 July 2005 . Hossain, Moazzem. â€Å"Roads, Highways turn into Virtual Death Trap.† Newagebd.com 21 May 2005. 01 July 2005 < http://www.newagebd.com/2005/may/21/front.html>. Islam, Nurul. Telephone interview. 20 July 2005. Karim, Raihan Bin. Telephone interview. 20 July 2005. Mehedi, Rashed. â€Å"Corruption in BRTA, Government loosing 100 crore taka every year.† Daily Janokhantho 24 July 2005: 1.

Third Ventricle Function and Anatomy

The third ventricle is a narrow cavity located between the two hemispheres of the diencephalon of the forebrain. The third ventricle is part of a network of linked cavities (cerebral ventricles) in the brain that extend to form the central canal of the spinal cord. The cerebral ventricles consist of the lateral ventricles, third ventricle, and fourth ventricle. Key Takeaways The third ventricle is one of four brain ventricles. It is a cavity filled with cerebrospinal fluid located between the two hemispheres of the diencephalon of the forebrain.The third ventricle helps to protect the brain from trauma and injury.The third ventricle is also involved in the transport of both nutrients and waste from the bodys central nervous system.It is also involved in the circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid. The ventricles contain cerebrospinal fluid, which is produced by specialized epithelium located within the ventricles called the choroid plexus. The third ventricle is connected to the fourth ventricle via the cerebral aqueduct, which extends through the midbrain. Third Ventricle Function The third ventricle is involved in several functions of the body including: Protection of the Brain From TraumaPathway for the Circulation of Cerebrospinal FluidTransportation of  Nutrients to and Waste from the Central Nervous System Third Ventricle Location Directionally, the third ventricle is situated in the middle of the cerebral hemispheres, between the right and left lateral ventricles. The third ventricle is inferior to the fornix and corpus callosum. Third Ventricle Structure The third ventricle is surrounded by a number of structures of the diencephalon. The diencephalon is a division of the forebrain that relays sensory information between brain regions and controls many autonomic functions. It links endocrine system, nervous system, and limbic system structures. The third ventricle  can be described as having six components: a roof, a floor, and four walls. The roof of the third ventricle is formed by a part of the  choroid plexus known as the tela chorioidea. The tela chorioidea is a dense network of capillaries that is surrounded by ependymal cells. These cells produce cerebrospinal fluid. The floor of the third ventricle is formed by a number of structures including the hypothalamus, subthalamus,  mammilary bodies,  infundibulum (pituitary stalk), and the tectum of the midbrain. The lateral walls of the third ventricle are formed by the walls of the left and right thalamus. The anterior wall is formed by the anterior commissure (white matter nerve fibers), lamina terminalis, and optic chiasma. The posterior wall is formed by the pineal gland and habenular commissures. Attached to the external walls of the third ventricle are  interthalamic adhesions (bands of gray matter) that cross the third ventricle cavity and connect the two thalami. The third ventricle is connected to the lateral ventricles by channels called interventricular foramina or foramina of Monro. These channels allow cerebrospinal fluid to flow from the lateral ventricles to the third ventricle. The cerebral aqueduct connects the third ventricle to the fourth ventricle. The third ventricle also has small indentations known as recesses. Recesses of the third ventricle include the preoptic recess (near the optic chiasma), infundibular recess (funnel shaped recess that extends downward into the pituitary stalk), mammillary recess (formed by protrusions of the mammilary bodies into the third ventricle), and pineal recess (extends into the pineal gland). Third Ventricle Abnormalities CT scan of a brain of a patient with intracerebral hemorrhage from stroke with bleeding into the third ventricle. Sopone Nawoot/iStock/Getty Images Plus Third ventricle issues and abnormalities can occur in a variety of conditions like stroke, meningitis and hydrocephalus. A relatively common cause of an abnormality of the third ventricle occurs with congenital hydrocephalus (abnormal contour with a dilated third ventricle). Ventricular System of the Brain The ventricular system consists of two lateral ventricles, the third ventricle, and the fourth ventricle. More Information For additional information on the third ventricle, see: The Third Ventricle Anatomy of the Brain The brain is the bodys control center. It receives, interprets, and directs sensory information in the body. Find out more about the brains anatomy. Divisions of the Brain Forebrain - encompasses the cerebral cortex and brain lobes.Midbrain - connects the forebrain to the hindbrain.Hindbrain - regulates autonomic functions and coordinates movement. Sources Glastonbury, Christine M., et al. â€Å"Masses and Malformations of the Third Ventricle: Normal Anatomic Relationships and Differential Diagnoses.† RadioGraphics, pubs.rsna.org/doi/full/10.1148/rg.317115083.