Autonomous Robots

By: Samantha CatanzaroJessie Mitchell-JemisonMatthew KlingensmithSharon KongAnthony Santos

Introduction

Autonomous robots: intelligent machines capable of performing tasks in the world by themselves, without explicit human control over their movements (Bekey, Autonomous Robots)

Simply, machines that move intelligently, performing actions without direct human control

Examples: humanoids, rovers, cars, rescue, vacuum cleaners, line-following robots, etc.

Technology Three basic components:

Sensors – send input to computers

Computers – interpret input Motors – take signals from

computer and generate actions. Sensors:

RADAR, LIDAR, video, or GPS Most effective robots combine

these sensors into one model. Some sensors, like Velodyne

LIDARs, generate many data points that must be statistically analyzed to remove redundant or meaningless data.

Three types of data analysis Model-based sensor-based statistical combination of models

and sensors.

History of Autonomous Robots

1962: First

industrial arm robot

created for GM

(Unimate)

1966: Standford

creates Shakey,

first robot to know

and respond

to its own actions.

1974: Silver Arm autonomous robot

1st used to assemble

small parts using touch

sensors.

1977: Voyager space probes launch; most

autonomous space probes at

time.

1977 1st Autonomous

Vehicles develop

ed in Japan

Autonomous robotics has improved as computers, sensors, and general technology have advanced.

1979: New

vision system

designed by Hans Moravec (CMU) for greater

autonomy.

1980s: Commerci

al autonomous robots created

for hospitals, etc. using floor plans

to plan routes

1980s: DARPA funds ALV,

autonomous vehicle that uses

laser radar and computer

vision.

1995: Both CMU and

Dickmanns (Germany)

create driverless cars that

travel long distances with little

aid of human drivers.

96-2001: UAVS

become more

autonomous; driverless

cars use new method

to ‘understand’ environment

instead of using radar

(ARGO).

2002 1st

DARPA

Grand Challenge

Pros Automation of tasks Increases efficiency Little or no human input necessary Reduces cost of labor Keeps humans out of hazardous situations

Cons

Deterministic program may have unpredictable results on error

Should still have human observation

High initial costs for development

Group Opinion

Autonomous robots have the potential to be beneficial to society.

They should not replace humans to the extent that humans depend on robots for daily activities, but they should be used in dangerous situations (ex. rescue missions).

Therefore, we support the research of autonomous robots.