159'734 Studies in Machine Learning Intelligent Robotics: an introduction

1
159.734 Studies in Machine Learning Intelligent
Robotics an introduction

• Dr Christopher Messom,
• IIMS, Massey University,
• New Zealand

2
Outline Overview

• History
• Public Perception
• Industrial Robots
• Robotic System Design
• Entertainment robots
• Virtual Robotics

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History

• Robot, first used in Karel Capeks play
• Rossums Universal Robots
• made from biological parts
• Czech word Robota, meaning work
• 1921

4
History

• Humanoids-Shaping public perception
• Metropolis (1926)
• Electro Sparko (NY Worlds Fair 1939)
• C3P0 (Start Wars, 1977)
• Data (Star Trek NG, 1990s)

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Industrial Robots- early history

• Industrial Automation
• Spinning Jenny (1764)
• Cartwrights Loom (1784)
• Jaquard Looms punched cards (1801)
• Fords production line (1920s)

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Industrial Robots- late history

• Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) machines
• Tele-operated manipulators
• Unimation Incs, industrial robot (1959)
• General 3-axis manipulators (1974)

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Programming Industrial Robots

• Well defined environments
• may not need sensors if position of objects known
• Precise movements
• allows high precision work
• Safety Issues
• keep away from humans

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Agricultural Robotics- the New Zealand context

• Industrial Research Limited
• World leader in meat processing
• Projects in dairy testing and processing
• Forestry robotics
• Sustainable harvesting of trees

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Motivation for Automating Meat Processing

• Quality control
• Health safety of workers
• Big issue especially in developed countries
• Contamination of food products
• Litigation issues

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Pelting and Y cut robots

• Y Cut- skilled operation
• Highly variable inputs
• Failure modes avoided to reduce wastage
• Episodic operation
• Pelting- labour intensive

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Robotic System Design

• Sensor System
• inputs, vision, distance, angle etc
• Actuator System
• outputs, power to motors, joints etc
• Control System
• process, calculation of required outputs
• Intelligence is in the Control System

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Robot Control Example 1
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Pole Balancing Robot

• Inputs
• Angle and Distance
• Outputs
• Motor speed
• Control System
• Implemented Using Fuzzy Logic Control

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Robot Control Example 2
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Robot Soccer Robots

• Inputs
• Vision system and wheel velocities
• Outputs
• Motor power
• Control System
• Combination of Artificial Intelligence Techniques
• Machine Vision Multi-Agent Systems
• Classical Control

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Entertainment Robotics

• Educational toys
• Legos programmable bricks
• Mindstorm etc
• Robot companions
• Sony Aibo
• Tiger Electronics I-Cybie
• Animatronics
• Babe the movie etc.

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Programming Entertainment Robotics

• Unpredictable environment
• robots often interact with people
• Challenges of Intelligence Robots
• machines that think
• machines that learn
• machines that emulate human behaviour
• Anthropomorphic Robots
• character, emotion, humour

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Virtual Robotics

• Simulation of Robot
• Industrial
• Entertainment
• Humanoid
• Allows research ideas to be tested in a cost
  effective manner
• Systems dynamics modelled mathematically
• Visualisation using VRML Java3D

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Review Questions

• What is the origin of the term robot ?
• What were the main influences that formed the
  public perception of robots being humanoid ?
• Identify the main differences between the current
  state of the art in industrial robots and
  entertainment robotics.

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Review Questions

• What is the role of virtual robotics in robotic
  research ?
• What do we mean by Intelligent Robots?
• In which field of robotics does New Zealand have
  a technological lead ?

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Conclusions

• Robotics spans industry, business the home
• Many research topics still to be explored
• General Intelligent Robots are still a dream
• Finally
• thanks for your attention