Robotics 101

for Robofest May 2005

CJ Chung Lawrence Tech / Computer Science

chung 1

What is a Robot?
A remote-controlled machine is a robot:
True or False?

chung

What is a Robot? A machine whose behavior can be

programmed Then, is a VCR a robot?

chung

What is a Robot? Is a tethered machine a robot?

Surprisingly, there is no exact definition of

a robot Today, people use robot for almost any machine designed to be clever
chung

Introducing Roomba!

Vacuum Cleaner
Robot Affordable Virtual Wall

chung

Autonomous Robot Mower, Another example of autonomous robots

Hitachi H8S/300H (Cf. Lego RCX: H8/3292) 16 bit micro controller (Cf. Lego RCX: 8bit) Written in C with Real-time Operating System
chung 6

Robota
The term robot
originates from the Czech word, robota, meaning compulsory labor (or slave) From the play R.U.R. (Rossums Universal Robots) by Czech play writer Karel Capek in 1921.
What do we do after we have destroyed all of the humans?

chung

The play RUR featured robots that nearly took over the world. They stopped only when they could not answer the question: 7

Three Laws of Robotics

In 1942, Issac Asimov, An American
science fiction writer, introduced the word robotics in his short story

Law 1: A robot may not injure a human being,

chung

or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm Law 2: A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law Law 3: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law
8

Definition: (Autonomous) Robot A mobile computer situated in the real

world interacting with the environment through sensors and actuators in order to perform various intelligent tasks without constant attention

Real robots do not need joy stick remote

controls!
chung 9

Definition: Robotics

The science of building and

programming robots

chung

10

Robots for 3D Jobs

Dangerous Dull Dirty

chung

11

G. Walters Robot The first Robot 1948, 1953 A wheeled machine with motors Photocells Two vacuum tubes Moved toward light if moderate intensity Avoided bright light

chung

12

chung

13

Lots of Robots after Walters Robot

chung

14

Lots of Robots after Walters Robot

chung

15

Lots of Robots after Walters Robot

chung

16

Lots of Robots after Walters Robot

chung

17

Lots of Robots after Walters Robot

chung

18

Lots of Robots after Walters Robot

chung

19

Lots of Edutainment Robots after Walters Robot

chung

20

First Raffle Ticket chosen by a Mobile Autonomous Robot [chung 4-15-00]

chung

21

First Ribbon Cutting by an Lego Autonomous Mobile Robot [chung 01]

chung

22

Lawrence Tech AIBO Robot soccer team

chung

23

A police robot extends a telephone to a red van parked on 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House Tuedsay, Jan. 18, 2005 in Washington. A man upset over custody of his child threatened to blow up his van a block from the White House on Tuesday, prompting a standoff with police, the FBI
chung 24

Weaponized robot, also known as SWORDS, in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Friday, Jan. 14, 2005. Many of the vehicles being developed will have some autonomy, meaning they'll navigate rough terrain, avoid obstacles and make decisions about certain tasks on their own.

The Pentagon's research arm, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, also recently awarded contracts to aid research of robots that one day could be dropped into combat from airplanes and others meant to scale walls using electrostatic energy also known as "static cling."
chung 25

 Humanoid Robots
Honda's "ASIMO" Rings Opening Bell at the NYSE February 15, 2002

chung

26

More Humanoid Robots: SONY QRIO

chung

27

Design principles of autonomous agents, Rolf Pfeifer, 1996 Autonomous Have to solve tasks without

chung

human intervention Self-sufficient They have to be able to sustain themselves over extended period of time Embodied must be realized as a physical system capable of acting in the real world Situated The whole interaction with the environment must be controlled by the agent itself
28

Fundamental Components of Autonomous Robots

A brain (or brains) Body: physical chassis that holds other

chung

pieces Actuators: allows to move. Motors, hydraulic pistons, lamps, etc Sensors Power source Communication

29

Body: Mechanical Design Problems Movement: Changing location Steering: Changing direction Navigation: Determining location (very
difficult task)

chung

30

Steering Mechanisms: Pivoting, Turning, and Walking

Pivoting: see next slide Turning
Todays Cars are excellent example of turning
steering Tricycles use a front wheel drive system Bicycles use a rear wheel drive system

Walking: Very difficult to realize

Four+ legged Biped

chung

31

Pivoting Also known as Zero-turn radius steering Independent left and right wheels Examples: Bulldozers and Tanks Two driving wheels and a rear idle wheel E.g.) Lego Roverbot

chung

32

Gearing

Proper Gear Spacing Gear Reduction

Worm Gear: n-to-1 reduction. Cannot

be back-driven! Pulley Wheels
chung

16 tooth : 16 tooth 1:1 16 tooth : 40 tooth 2:5 16 tooth : 8 tooth 2:1

33

Sensors of Human

Eyes Ears Nose Skin Tongue Equilibrium: Balance 6th sense(?)

chung 34

Robot Sensor Types

Passive Sensors (does not require power
supply)

Active Sensors (require power supply)

Light Distance Rotation Sonar
35

Touch Temperature Balance

chung

How to develop Intelligent Robots? The most difficult task Developing intelligent and adaptive
software is the key

chung

36

Why Robotics in Classes?

Multi-disciplinary learning: all STEM

(Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) subjects Develops critical thinking Provides co-operative learning environment Teaches real-life lessons, not virtual fantasy
chung 37