Chapter 2

Question 1

Synthetic approach

Answer 1

robots exhibiting natural behavior

Question 2

What does a Braitenburg vehicle include?

Answer 2

sensors that measure continuous properties of the environment (light, temperature), and motors.

Question 3

What does the brain of a Braitenburg vehicle consist of?

Answer 3

wires connecting the sensors directly or indirectly to the motors through internal neurons

Question 4

Excitatory wire

Answer 4

the higher the activation of the sensor is, the higher the speed of the motor will be

Question 5

Inhibitory wire

Answer 5

the higher the activation of the sensor is, the lower the speed of the motor will be

Question 6

Linear wire

Answer 6

the relation between the activation of the sensor and the speed of the motor is linear

Question 7

Non-linear wire

Answer 7

the relation between the two varies according to some non-linear function

Question 8

What does vehicle one consist of

Answer 8

a single motor, a single sensor, and a single linear excitatory wire that connects the sensor to the motor

Question 9

What does it mean when a vehicle “likes” a certain temperature for example?

Answer 9

it spends most of its time in that area, or slows down in that area

Question 10

What does it mean when a vehicle “dislikes” a certain temperature for example?

Answer 10

it moves away from that area at a higher speed

Question 11

Imagine a vehicle 2 with the Left sensor attached to Left motor and Right sensor attached to Right motor (essentially parallel). If it is facing the light, what direction will it go?

Answer 11

Towards the light

Question 12

Imagine a vehicle 2 with the Left sensor attached to Right motor and Right sensor attached to Left motor (crossing wires). If it’s Left side is facing the light, what direction will it go?

Answer 12

Away from the light

Question 13

What are some important characteristics of robots illustrated by Braitenburg vehicles?

Answer 13

1. Robots can display purposeful behaviors (behaviors that help to achieve a goal)
2. the characteristics of the environment co-determine the behavior produced by the robot
3. The complexity of the robot’s behavior can exceed the complexity of it’s brain

Question 14

What can robots (or specifically Braitenburg vehicles) do despite being modelled with very simple principles?

Answer 14

they can show complex behaviors