Purpose – The purpose of this two-part paper is to illustrate how sensors impart robots with perceptive capabilities. This first part considers robots that interact with humans and which seek to mimic human intentions. Design/methodology/approach – Following a short introduction, this paper first discusses the sensors used in robotic prosthetics. It then considers sensor applications in recently developed service, companion and assistive robots. The final section concerns the sensors used in collaborative robots, followed by brief concluding comments. Findings – This shows that sensors play a vital role in imparting perceptive capabilities to robots which interact with people. They can interpret human intentions, control prosthetic limbs, monitor and map a robot’s environment, assist with navigation, ensure the safety of co-workers and even detect a person’s emotional state. They are based on a diversity of principles and technologies, including microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based sensors for physical variables, myographic electrodes and electroencephalogram (EEG) sensors, lasers, infra-red and sonar systems and sophisticated cameras and imaging systems. Originality/value – This provides a timely account of how sensors confer perceptive capabilities to the growing number of robots which interact directly with people.
