Robotics: Agents and Environments

• Robotics and Intelligent Systems is an area of study

What is an Agent?

• An agent can sense its surroundings and respond to them
• Sensors gather information, and actuators take action
• Human agents use eyes, ears, and other organs as sensors
• Human agents use hands, legs, mouth, and other body parts as actuators
• Robotic Agents use cameras and infrared range finders as sensors
• Robotic Agents use motors as actuators

Agents and Environments

• An agent interacts with its environment by sensing and acting
• Sensors collect information from the surroundings
• Actuators perform actions based on the information collected
• Agent program is software that controls how an agent makes decisions
• Agent architecture is the physical system that runs the program
• Agents are a combination of Architecture and Programs

PEAS Framework

• Before designing an intelligent agent, its PEAS must be defined
• Defining PEAS helps in building the right agent for the right task
• PEAS means:
• Performance Measure – Defines how well the agent is doing
• Environment – The surroundings where the agent operates
• Actuators – The parts that perform actions
• Sensors – The parts that collect information
• Self-driving car example:
• Safe driving, fast arrival as performance measures
• Roads, traffic, weather conditions as the environment
• Steering, acceleration, brakes as actuators
• Cameras, radar, GPS as sensors
• Part-picking robot example:
• Percentage of parts correctly binned as a performance measure
• Conveyor belt with parts and bins is the environment
• Jointed arm and hand are the actuators
• Camera and joint angle sensors are the sensors

Environment Types (ODESA)

• Fully Observable: The agent can see everything it needs to make decisions
• Partially Observable: The agent has limited information and may need to guess
• Predictable (Deterministic): The agent always knows what will happen next
• Random (Stochastic): The outcome is uncertain and things can change unexpectedly
• One-Time (Episodic): Each task is separate; past actions don't matter
• Ongoing (Sequential): An agent's actions affect future situations
• Static: The environment stays the same while the agent is thinking
• Dynamic: The environment changes, even if the agent isn't acting
• Single-Agent: Only one agent is working in the environment
• Multi-Agent: Many agents interact, either cooperatively or competitively
• Knowing the environment type helps design smarter agents
• Some environments require better sensors and decision-making skills

What is a Robot?

• Robotics is the study and development of robots
• Robots are the actual machines that perform tasks
• The word "robot" was first used by Czech writer Karel Čapek in his play Rossum's Universal Robots in 1920
• It comes from the Slavic word "robota", meaning work
• A robot is a machine that can be programmed to perform different tasks
• Robots can move objects, use tools, or complete actions based on instructions
• This definition comes from the Robot Institute of America

Mobile Robotics

• The 3 most important questions in Mobile Robotics:
• Where am I?
• Where am I going?
• How do I get there?
• To answer the questions, robots must:
• Have a model of the environment
• Perceive and analyze the environment
• Locate their position/situation within it
• Plan and execute movement

Advantages of Robots

• Robots don't get tired and can work all day and night without resting
• Robots can handle risky tasks that are unsafe for humans
• Robots can work on their own and don't always need humans to control them
• They work fast, accurately, and don't make mistakes
• Used in factories to build cars, planes, and other products

Disadvantages of Robots

• Building and maintaining them costs a lot of money, so robots are expensive
• Robots stop working if there is no electricity because they need power
• Some workers may lose their jobs if robots replace them
• Regular maintenance which can be costly is needed to repair robots
• If hackers or bad people control them, they could cause harm and be dangerous
• Mistakes in programming or malfunctions can make some robots are not safe

Types of Robots (Locomotion)

• Stationary Robots stay in one place
• Wheeled Robots move using wheels
• Legged Robots walk on legs
• Swimming Robots move in water
• Flying Robots fly in the air
• Remote-control robots need a person to control them

Stationary Robots (Industrial Robot)

• Do not move, staying in one place and working from there
• Includes robotic arms, CNC machines, and welding robots
• welding robots and CNC robots are examples
• Factories use welding robots for joining metal parts
• Uses CNC robots to cut and shape materials
• Types of stationary Robots:
• Cartesian Robots: Move in straight lines (X, Y, Z directions)
• Cylindrical Robots: Move in a circular motion
• Spherical Robots: Rotate around a point
• SCARA Robots: Used for assembly tasks
• Robotic Arms: Have joints to move like a human arm
• Parallel Robots: Have multiple arms working together

Wheeled Robots

• Move using wheels on the ground
• Compared to robots with legs or tracks, are simple and easy to build
• Work best on flat and smooth surfaces
• Cannot climb obstacles like stairs or rough terrain
• Have trouble moving on slippery or uneven surfaces
• Single-wheel (ball) robots move in all directions
• Two-wheeled robots balance on two wheels (like Segways)
• Three or more wheeled robots are more stable and used in industries

Legged Robots

• Move using legs instead of wheels
• Can walk on rough ground where wheeled robots fail
• Need more energy and harder to build than wheeled robots
• Bipedal Robots walk on two legs (like humans)
• Tripedal Robots have three legs
• Quadrupedal Robots walk on four legs (like dogs)
• Hexapod Robots have six legs (like insects)
• Other Legged Robots can have more legs for better stability

Aquatic Robots (Swimming Robots)

• Move in water and can sail, dive, or crawl underwater
• Difficult to build due to water damage to electronics
• Fish robots look and move like fish
• Robot boats float and sail on water
• Swimming robots (submarines) dive and explore deep water
• Underwater crawling robots move along the ocean floor

Flying Robots

• Move in the air
• They are used for search and rescue, surveillance, and exploration
• Can reach dangerous places where humans cannot go
• Air Balloon Robots float using balloons
• Rotary Wing Robots fly like helicopters (e.g., drones)
• Wing Flapping Robots move like birds by flapping wings
• Airplane Robots fly like airplanes with fixed wings

Remote-Control Robots

• Remote-control robots are controlled by humans using a remote device
• The operator has full control over the robot's movements and actions
• Wired Remote Control uses cables/wires
• Wireless Remote Control is without wires, allowing the robot to move freely

Robots Based on Applications

• Industrial Robots:
• Used in factories for tasks like welding, painting, and assembly
• Work in dangerous or repetitive jobs with high accuracy
• Military Robots:
• Used for surveillance, bomb disposal, and combat support
• Help in dangerous missions without risking human lives
• Social Service Robots:
• Assist in healthcare, elderly care, and customer service
• Humanoid robots in hospitals and Al assistants are used
• Space Robots:
• Used for exploring planets and satellites
• Mars rovers like Perseverance and Curiosity
• Agricultural Robots:
• Help in planting, harvesting, and monitoring crops
• Drones for spraying pesticides and analyzing soil health

Key Takeaway

• Robots are designed for specific tasks to make work safer, faster, and more efficient </content