Sensors: a robot's eyes and ears

Cameras give robots vision, letting them recognize objects, read distances, and navigate. Proximity sensors, often ultrasonic or infrared, detect nearby obstacles without needing contact. Gyroscopes and accelerometers track orientation and motion, the same technology that keeps a smartphone screen right-side up, letting a walking robot sense when it's tipping over.

Force and torque sensors, common in robotic arms and grippers, measure how hard the robot is pushing or gripping, which is exactly what lets a surgical robot apply gentle, controlled pressure instead of crushing delicate tissue.