1. Robots can be developed that will see and hear for humans; for example, an unmanned mission to Mars could include a "smart" robot, which would be intelligent enough to "know" that it had to stop at the edge of a cliff; without any input from humans.

Other such robots can eventually be programmed and used in assembly plants to manipulate objects and make specific decisions.

2. The development of the hardware and software that produces a device which can move and to react to sensory input.
3. The engineering science and technology of robots, and their design, manufacture, applications, and structural dispositions which are related to electronics, mechanics, and software.
4. The branch of industrial engineering that deals with the design, manufacture, operation, and use of programmable multifunction machines, or industrial robots.

Most robots are used to do repetitious jobs in factories, to collect data under conditions that would be hazardous to humans, or to perform high-precision tasks.