How is a robot taught to do a job?

Answer 1

Well it depends on the robot, but the ones I have worked with it is though the creation of a computer program then you have subroutines in the program that let you adjust the robots parameters for the different tasks it performs.Some are very simple and only perform a couple of repetitive tasks, but as for others they can be more complex and connected to a whole variety of sensors and electro-mechanical devices which the Robot uses like eyes,ears, hands, and for tools these input and output devices and attachments are the body of the Robot and the CPU Memory are like the brain and the wiring the nervous system, they also generally include some type of interface for Humans to enter commands. Simply put you must teach it as you would a child, Below are some links you might find interesting, one is general information and the others are for commonly used robots in modern industrial plants.

Answer 2

As flashman says, it depends on the robot.
To add to his answer you should realize that by far the most common type of robot operating today is industrial manufacturing robots. These are controlled by a process called CNC, or computer numerical control. Essentially all the motions required to do a task are preprogrammed, each tiny step of each motor are done in sequence. The teaching process for these are usually of two types. Either the operator tells the computer each large step of a sequence (open gripper, rotate 90, close gripper...), or the operator performs the task holding the robot's "hand" and the computer stores the motion sequences (common for spray painting robots).
The less common but much more fun robots are autonomous robots programmed to do a task (vacuum, follow a line, etc). The 'teaching' process isn't really teaching. There is a computer programmer who thinks ahead and tells the robot what sequences of motions to perform in response to certain inputs from a variety of sensors, much as flashman described. The point is that the programmer has to consider the possible sensor inputs, and write the code that dictates the robot's response. If they miss something, then the robot acts in weird ways.

Answer 3

It is programmed to do a specific series of movements. There are some robots that can be "taught", but the technology is in the early stages.

Answer 4

A better question would be, how are YOU taught to do your own homework without asking a bunch of strangers online?

Answer 5

Just like your computer finds it's way to Yahoo! Answers without you needing to search the internet.

Answer 6

The same way your computer knows how to boot up, its all in the basic programming.

Answer 7

With your program.