Autonomous RobotsCool stuff at the intersection of AI and Robotics

Dylan A. Shell

19th April 2011, CSCE 181

“Autonomous”

“Robot”

“Programmable”

Autonomous robot in practice?

Trends: Actuator Systems, Materials and Fabrication

Physical assistance of humans by robotsExample: Carrying humans.

Power suits, prosthetics, wearable robotsHigh-power actuators to complement and enhance.

Micro mobile sensor nodesApplications: Security, pervasivenessChallenges: Fabrication of nano- and micro-scale robots

Domestic robotics: domestic and assistant robotsChallenge: low-cost, low-inertia.

Trends: Energy and Power

HarvestingIdea: Constraints on storage can be relaxed once you can

actively acquire energy

EfficiencyHow can we use less energy for the task?

MiniaturizationChallenge: one size does not fit all robots!

Trends: Human-Robot Interfaces

Learning from DemonstrationIdea: Robots don't need an expert programmer, but learn

from observation and mimicryExample: Industrial and logistics robots learn task from

experience.

AdaptationHow to improve task execution automatically?

Group interfacesExample: coordinated deployment of search and rescue

vehicles. How does the team of humans interact with the team of responders?

Trends: Planning and Control

Novel environmentsHow to move to different environments without

reprogramming?

Task variation and dynamicsProblem: Brittle to changes in task.

Logistics problemsExample: move goods through a network from producers

to consumers, given production, delivery and time constraints

SpeedHow do we improve response times?How do we control fast-moving vehicles?

Trends: Perception and Learning

New sensorsHow do we go from a task-description to the sensors

required?What are the fundamental physical phenomena that should

be exploited?

Sensing doesn't solve the whole perception problemQuestions: Representation, scaling, integration with

planning

What to learn?How do we improve response times?How do we control fast-moving vehicles?

Credits

Richard Vaughan's of SFU's CMPT889 Autonomous Robots Notes, Summer 2004. Oxymoron and definitions verbatim from his notes.

A roadmap for US robotics – From Internet to Robotics. (The CCC report)