The Foundations of Robotics and Intelligent Machines
- [Sydney Harbor Bridge and Opera House, Sydney, Australia - Photologic]
- Overview
The technical foundations of robotics refers to the core engineering principles and disciplines that underpin the design and operation of robots, including areas like mechanics, electronics, computer science, mathematics, and physics, which are essential for creating functional robotic systems, encompassing aspects like kinematics, dynamics, control systems, sensing, perception, and motion planning.
Key elements of the technical foundations of robotics include:
- Mechanical Design: Understanding the physical structure of a robot, including joints, linkages, actuators, and end-effectors, and how they interact to produce motion.
- Control Systems: Designing algorithms and software to regulate the robot's movements, ensuring precise control and stability based on sensor inputs.
- Sensors and Perception: Utilizing various sensors like cameras, LiDAR, and force sensors to gather information about the robot's environment and make informed decisions.
- Motion Planning: Developing algorithms to plan efficient movement paths for the robot to navigate its environment and achieve desired goals.
- Computer Vision: Processing visual data from cameras to identify objects, understand their positions, and guide robot actions.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI): Incorporating AI techniques like machine learning and reasoning to enable robots to adapt to complex situations and make autonomous decisions.
For robots to successfully grasp and move objects, both durable and fragile, they must act with the proper directional movement and application of force. Foundational areas in this subject include kinematics of prehension, contact modeling, tactile sensing, and grasp planning.
- Sensors and Perception
Sensors and perception form the foundation of autonomous robots, enabling them to understand and interact with their environment. These systems gather data about the robot's surroundings and internal states, interpreting this information to make informed decisions and navigate effectively.
[More to come ...]
