CRS Sensors, I/O & Vision Systems 3

Question 1

What does LIDAR technology use to create a spatial map of a robot's environment?

Accepted Answer

Pulsed laser beams measured by return time to calculate distances

Answer

Millimeter-wave radar pulses

Answer

Ultrasonic sound waves reflected off surfaces

Answer

Infrared thermal gradients

Question 2

In a robotic system, what is the role of a resolver compared to an encoder for joint feedback?

Accepted Answer

A resolver is an analog magnetic device that provides position feedback immune to shock and vibration without electronic components inside

Answer

A resolver provides higher digital resolution than an encoder

Answer

A resolver is used exclusively for linear rather than rotary axes

Answer

A resolver replaces the need for any homing procedure

Question 3

What potential problem does electromagnetic interference (EMI) cause in robotic sensor signal wiring, and how is it mitigated?

Accepted Answer

EMI induces noise that corrupts signal integrity; shielded, twisted-pair cables with proper grounding mitigate this

Answer

EMI increases sensor response time; optical fiber is used to increase speed

Answer

EMI causes sensor overheating; thermal sleeves are applied to cables

Answer

EMI reduces sensor detection range; higher supply voltage compensates

Question 4

Which sensor type measures the actual torque output of a robot joint rather than inferring it from motor current?

Accepted Answer

Joint-mounted strain gauge torque sensor

Answer

Optical encoder

Answer

Capacitive displacement sensor

Answer

Thermocouple

Question 5

What is the function of a safety laser scanner in a collaborative robot work cell?

Accepted Answer

It creates configurable 2D safety zones and triggers a safe stop if a person enters the protected area

Answer

It measures the accuracy of the robot's tool path

Answer

It provides 3D vision for part recognition and picking

Answer

It communicates robot status to a PLC over EtherCAT

Question 6

In a robotic I/O system, why are I/O signals often transmitted over a fieldbus such as EtherNet/IP or PROFINET instead of hard-wired discrete connections?

Accepted Answer

Fieldbus communication reduces wiring complexity, enables remote diagnostics, and allows flexible I/O point expansion

Answer

Fieldbus signals are faster than hard-wired discrete I/O for all applications

Answer

Fieldbus eliminates the need for I/O modules in the robot controller

Answer

Fieldbus is required by OSHA for all safety-rated I/O

Question 7

What is the purpose of performing a 'hand-eye calibration' in a robot vision system?

Accepted Answer

It establishes the spatial relationship between the camera's coordinate frame and the robot's tool or base frame

Answer

It adjusts the camera's exposure settings to match the robot's motion speed

Answer

It synchronizes the camera trigger with the robot's I/O timing

Answer

It measures the optical distortion of the camera lens