Class 1 -Introduction Autonomous Systems & Braitenberg Controllers

Question 1

Autonomous robots are defined as …. that are capable of operating without … for …. periods of time in a partially …. environment.

Answer 1

systems; human intervention; prolonged; unknown

Question 2

Can robots have a physical body?

Answer 2

Yes

Question 3

What are the 3 main parts of a robot’s body?

Answer 3

Actuators, sensors, brain

Question 4

How do you define the state of an actuator in a particular moment?

Answer 4

An action

Question 5

Give an example of an actuator

Answer 5

Electrical motor

Question 6

How do you define the state of a sensor in a particular moment?

Answer 6

Observation

Question 7

Give an example of an “internal” sensor

Answer 7

Sensor that records speed of wheels, voltage of the battery, etc..

Question 8

Give an example of an “external” sensor

Answer 8

Any sensor that picks up continuous signal from the outside world

i.e., contact sensors, distance sensors, cameras

Question 9

Are sensors only passive? Or can they also be active?

Answer 9

They can be both

Question 10

A robots’ brain..

A. determines the behavior of the robot
B. contributes to determine the behavior of the robot

Answer 10

B. Contributes to determine the behavior of the robot

Question 11

The behavior of the robot is the result of … and … interaction, orchestrated by the …

Answer 11

robot; environment; brain

Question 12

Compliance

Answer 12

ability of the body to spontaneously adapt its shape

Question 13

A robot is situated in a … and … environment

Answer 13

physical; social environment

Question 14

3 main types of approaches in robotics

Answer 14

Deliberative, Behavior-based, Adaptive

Question 15

In a deliberative approach…

Answer 15

robots elaborate a mental solution (plan) and then execute the actions to form the plan.

keyword: easiest mode, planning

Question 16

In a behavior-based approach…

Answer 16

1. robots do not have an internal representation of the world
2. they do not simulate before acting
3. act based on current and previous observations
4. they are embodied systems
   keywords: embodied, no internal representations, only learn from current and previous observations

Question 17

In an adaptive approach…

Answer 17

the robot performs a task autonomously, interacting with its environment, through evolutionary and/or learning processes.

keywords: model free, minimal human intervention

Question 18

An excitatory wire in a Braitenberg vehicle…

Answer 18

will increase the speed of the motor as it is activated

Question 19

An inhibitory wire in a Braitenberg vehicle…

Answer 19

will decrease the speed of the motor as it is activated

Question 20

Conductivity of the wires is defined as…

Answer 20

the intensity of the effect of excitatory and inhibitory wires

Question 21

Given two types of sensors:

1. excitatory infrared for obstacle avoidance
2. excitatory light sensor

and given that the infrared wires have more conductivity than the light wires…

if the robot has to pick between avoiding an obstacle or following a light, what will it prioritize?

A. the light
B. the obstacle
C. it will attempt both, since conductivity does not affect behavior selection

Answer 21

B - the obstacle

Question 22

The subsumption method (SM) introduced by Brooks…

Answer 22

decomposes the complete behavior of a robot into sub-behaviors. These sub-behaviors are organized into a hierarchy of layers. Each layer implements a particular level of behavioral competence, and higher levels are able to subsume lower levels (= integrate/combine lower levels to a more comprehensive whole) in order to create viable behavior.

example: a robot’s lowest layer could be “avoid an object”. The second layer would be “wander around”, which runs beneath the third layer “explore the world”. Because a robot must have the ability to “avoid objects” in order to “wander around” effectively, the subsumption architecture creates a system in which the higher layers utilize the lower-level competencies.

Question 23

The Subsumption Method is more linked to…

A. Deliberate-based robots
B. Behavior-based robots
C. Adaptive-based robots

Answer 23

B. Behavior-based robots

Question 24

The Subsumption Method states that…

A. only lower layers representing more simple behaviors receive sensory information

B. only higher layers representing more complex behaviors receive sensory information

C. all layers receive sensory information

Answer 24

C. all layers receive sensory information

Question 25

Can robots display purposeful behaviors, i.e. behaviors allowing the achievement of a goal, without possessing any representation of their goal?

Answer 25

Yes, as Braitenberg vehicle for examples

Question 26

T/F: characteristics of the environment co-determine the behavior produced by a robot

Answer 26

True

Question 27

T/F: the complexity of the behavior produced by a robot cannot exceed the complexity of the robot’s brain

Answer 27

False

Question 28

A fitness function is…

Answer 28

a criterion that rate with a scalar value to what extent a robot accomplishes the task

Question 29

Proprioceptive

Answer 29

measures properties from the internal environment

Question 30

Exteroceptive

Answer 30

measures properties from the external environment