Cognitive Robotics is the field in Robotics concerned with creating robots with intelligent behaviour.

• Cognitive Robot = Thinking Robot

Cognition requires Embodiment. Embodied robots are classified into two categories.

• Organismoid robot - A robot with an internal system simulating that of a biological system.
• Organismic robot - Far ahead in the future.

SMART MATERIALS

In order for embodiment to take place in robots, artificial muscles need to be created that mimic biological muscles found in humans and in animals. To accomplish that, scientists and engineers are using materials known as Smart Materials, whose special properties can help scientists and engineers create sensors and actuators to build light weight yet powerful muscle-like systems for robots.

Some of these Smart Materials are:
• Piezoelectric Materials.
• Magnetostrictive Materials.
• Shape Memory Alloys.
• Electro-Active Polymers.