Untitled Deck Flashcards
What is the role of a sensor in robotics?
A sensor detects a physical quantity and converts it into a signal suitable for processing. It uses a transducer to convert energy from one form to another.
What are the primary characteristics that define a sensor’s performance?
Range, sensitivity, accuracy, precision, resolution, linearity, response time, hysteresis, and drift.
What is a transducer, and how does it relate to sensors?
A transducer converts a signal in one form of energy into another, making it a critical component in sensors.
List some types of detectable phenomena by sensors.
Motion (displacement, velocity, acceleration), electromagnetic (e.g., radio, radar, infrared), acoustic (e.g., sonar, ultrasound), chemical (e.g., VOCs).
What does sensor sensitivity measure, and how is it calculated?
Sensitivity is the ratio of output change for a given input change. Calculated as the slope of the calibration curve relating input to output.
Differentiate between accuracy and precision in sensors.
Accuracy is the closeness of the measured value to the true value, while precision refers to the consistency of repeated measurements.
What are position sensors, and what do they measure?
Position sensors measure joint movement (rotation and translation). They provide data that can be used to calculate velocity, acceleration, and jerk.
How does an optical shaft encoder work?
It uses a disk with holes through which light passes, detected by a photosensor. The pattern of light changes as the disk rotates, measuring angular speed.
What is a quadrature optical shaft encoder, and why is it used?
It has two photosensors 90 degrees apart to detect rotation direction by decoding light patterns. Useful for precise rotational measurements.
What are force/torque sensors, and where are they commonly used in robots?
These measure forces applied at robot joints, often in 6 axes. They’re critical for applications requiring safe interaction and are placed close to the end-effector.
Describe different range sensor technologies used in robotics.
Infrared, ultrasonic, laser, sonar, and radar sensors, each using different principles to measure distance to objects.
What is LIDAR, and how does it work in robotics?
LIDAR measures distance by timing the return of a laser pulse. Rotated or scanned laser pulses create 3D point clouds for mapping and localization.
What is the role of vision sensing in robotics?
Vision sensing enables object recognition, scene understanding, and motion estimation. Depth info can be captured using stereo vision, and advanced tasks often involve deep learning.
What is cutaneous tactile sensing, and how is it implemented?
Mimics human skin using piezoresistive materials or embedded cameras for texture and force sensitivity, aiding in object manipulation.
What is an IMU sensor, and why is it important in robotics?
An IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) measures acceleration and rotational rate, used for tracking orientation and motion in mobile robots.
