8. Intelligent Robots.

 

Most robots work according to a program or are remotely controlled by a human operator. Now there are a new generation of robots appearing which have been described as intelligent.

Intelligent robots have a range of sensors attached to them as well as their own powerful onboard processors, and significant memory capacity. All of which enables them to reproduce the capacities of the human senses.

Just like us, this allows robots to gather information about their environment and enables them to start making decisions for themselves.

The video below shows a robot in conversation. Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) it is responding to each statement on its own without any script or human intervention.

 

Do Robots Dream? Click to Go Larger Screen

 

Copying the Human Senses!

Making intelligent robots, like Jules requires providing robots with information to enable them to start making decisions according to what happening around them. For example when to stop, when to start, what to do and so on. This means engineers need to provide robots with:

Sense	Solution
Hearing	‘hear’ commands using microphones and sound and/or voice recognition systems.
Sight	see objects using optical sensors, and use sonar beams (radar)and sensors to detect objects.
Touch	use tactile sensors, which can tell the differences between various types of surface, for example tiled floors, soft carpets.
Movement	Some even move about using human-like legs

 

 

Where Intelligent Robots are used?

Intelligent robots are commonly used in either very remote places like space, or dangerous places like on the seabed

Mars Lander robot working on the surface of Mars which is too far away to be operated by remote control.	Deep Sea underwater robots

 

 

Some things people need, but robots don't

 

• Heating: Robots can work all day without being affected by the cold.
• Canteens, loos and rest rooms.
• Quiet conditions: Robots are not affected by noise.
• Light: Robots don't need light and can work in the dark. This has led to 'Lights out factories'

 

 

 

 

 

Safety Systems

Safety is important, especially when robots are being used. They can be very dangerous and precautions have to be taken.

 

• Covering the moving parts so no one gets hurt when they operating the machine.
• Marking the area around stationary robots with:
  • bright yellow markings to warn people of danger.
  • Use lots of signs.
• Fitting mobile robots with:
  • Sirens, and
  • lights to warn people when they are moving about.
• Programming mobile robots to move slowly people to get out of the way.
• Use sensors on mobile robots to get them to stop instantly when they bump into something.

 

 

What you have to do!

Either in a new Word Document or in your Brain. Under a sub heading Intelligent Robots complete the following tasks after watching each of the videos above:

1. Describe the difference between robots and 'intelligent' robots.
2. Describe what other sensors are needed by intelligent robots.
3. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of using Read Only Software.
4. Explain how you could save money by using robots in factories.
5. Explain how you would make the work place safe for people to work in factories that use robots.
    

 

 

What you should now be able to do!

• Explain what makes a robot 'intelligent'.

• Give examples of situations where you might use 'intelligent. robots.

• Explain some of safety precautions you would have to take in the work place to protect people from injury caused by robots.

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Continue to 9. Implications?