Robotics and Computer Science

Key Concepts involved with Robotics and Computer Science:

Actuators and Effectors - An actuator is the mechanism that enables the effector to execute an action, whereas an effector, is any device that has an effect on the environment. A couple of examples of what actuators can be used for are locomotion or manipulation. An example of an actuator is a motor or a hydraulic pump. An example of an effector is a wheel or a blade.
Autonomy - Autonomy is the ability to sense and act on a given situation appropriately. Autonomy can either be complete or partial. Complete autonomy has fewer constraints put on by the programmer whereas partial autonomy is when there are more constraints as well as needed interaction with a human.
Sensors - Sensors are the perceptual system of a robot. Sensors do not provide state, they only provide raw data and physical quantities. Some properties can be measured with different sensors, for example, a thermometer and heat sensors can both measure temperature. The output of a simple sensor can be used directly by the robot, but complex sensors need to be processed before the robot can carry out any action. The 4 things to think about when a sensor is being used are:

1. What the robot senses

2. How it senses it

3. How it processes it

4. How it uses it

❑ Grounding in reality: not just planning in an abstract world.

❑ Situatedness (ecological dynamics): tight connection with the environment.

❑ Embodiment: having a body.

❑ Emergent behavior: interaction with the environment.

❑ Scalability: increasing task and environment complexity.