Following in the  footsteps  of  the computer revolution,

             robots  are  quickly  implanting  themselves  in   society.

             Robots add an  active  dimension  to computers.  Individual

             hobbyists and billion dollar  industries have both attacked

             the problem of how to best exploit the ability to program a

             robot to perform tasks for them.  As is often the case with

             technological advancements, robotics has stirred up as many

             controversies as it has advantages.


               Basically, a robot  is  a  programmable mechanical device

             that  can  automatically  do   useful  work  without  human

             assistance.  The  interaction  of  three  major  components

             allows such tasks to be completed.  The manipulator is  the

             mechanical unit that actually  performs the functions.  The

             controller is  the  brain  of the robot.  It is the storage

             unit and controls  the  movement of the manipulator.  There

             must also be some form of power supply that provides energy

             to  the  manipulator.  An entire robotics  system  includes

             five elements; the body of the robot, computer, sensors for

             feedback,  software  for  intelligence,  and  fixtures  and

             material handling units adapted for  the  completion  of  a

             function.  [1]


               The personal  robot has been portrayed in science fiction

             as a common household fixture.  Although we are  not  quite

             ----------

             1. David F. Tver and Roger W. Bolz, Robotics Sourcebook and
                                                 ________ __________ ___
             Dictionary (New York: Industrial Press, 1983), p.  4.
             __________



                                        - 1 -










             to that point  yet,  the  number  of robots in the home has

             been steadily increasing over the  past  five  years.   The

             sudden upsurgence in  development  began  in the mid-1970's

             when  the  price  of  microprocessors   drastically   fell.

             Interest was  further boosted when inexpensive 16 bit chips

             were  developed  on  which sophisticated  programs  can  be

             written  in LISP, the language of artificial  intelligence.

             [2]


               The usefullness of home robots still can not  match  that

             of science fiction, however, some of their functions can be

             very helpful.  For instance, a personal robot can be a live

             in security guard.  It can make rounds of  the house, sense

             an  intruder  with  heat  sensors,  and  finally  call  the

             police.  With proper programming a robot could do  many  of

             the  house  cleaning  chores   and  other  domestic  tasks.

             Vacuuming would be no problem  for  a robot wit