Robotics and Autonomous SystemsLecture 1: Introduction

Simon Parsons

Department of Computer ScienceUniversity of Liverpool

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Acknowledgements

• The robotics slides are heavily based on those that RolandSiegwart and Illah Nourbakhsh and provide along with theirbook:

• The agents slides are heavily based on those given to meby Mike Wooldridge and are taken from his book:

• The module information and much of the material onLeJOS was provided by Davide Grossi.

• Naturally, all errors are my responsibility.

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Today

• Module Information• Aims and learning outcomes• Contents, outline• References• Practical matters, assessment

• Introduction• What is robotics?• What are agent systems?• Some examples of robots.

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What is a robot?

• But first, what do you think?

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Module aims

1 To introduce the student to the concept of an autonomousagent.

2 To introduce the key approaches developed fordecision-making in autonomous systems.

3 To introduce a contemporary platform for programmingagents and multiagent systems.

4 To introduce the key issues surrounding the developmentof autonomous robots.

5 To introduce a contemporary platform for experimentalrobotics.

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Learning outcomes

1 Explain the notion of an agent, how agents are distinctfrom other software paradigms (e.g., objects), and judgethe characteristics of applications that lend themselves toan agent-oriented solution

2 Identify the key issues associated with constructing agentscapable of intelligent autonomous action

3 Describe the main approaches taken to develop suchagents

4 Use a contemporary agent programming platform (e.g.AgentSpeak) for developing significant software orhardware-based agents

5 Identify key issues involved in building agents that mustsense and act within the physical world

6 Program and deploy autonomous robots for specific tasks

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. . . and the following soft skills

1 You will be able to practice how to work in groups:• discussing solutions together• distributing tasks and managing time• giving and keeping deadlines• respecting each others ideas

2 You will be able to practice how to manage a computerscience project spanning over several weeks

• planning ahead• keeping track of design challenges and choices made

Don’t underestimate the challenge of either of theseaspects.

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Module structure

• PART 1: RoboticsPrinciples of robotics, the NXT platform and the LeJOSprogramming language.

• PART II: Autonomous systemsPrinciples of agent theory, robots viewed as agents(autonomous systems), and the Jason programminglanguage, agent coordination.

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Module outline

• 10 weeks (of 12 weeks)• 30 lectures with a mix of Theory (principles of robotics and

agent systems) and Practice (code)• 10 supervised lab sessions (1 per week) + free lab access• Self study and practice (as much as needed to understand

the material and gain mastery of the subject)• Two assignments (combined weight 85%) to be carried out

in teamsNote: This is the main assessment for the module.

• The first assignment will be published early in Week 2• Teams are decided by the lecturer and are non-negotiable• The individual mark for each assignment will depend on

the mark obtained by the team, wighted by the amount ofcontribution of the individual to the team

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Assessment

• First assignment (40%)• Second assignment (45%)• Homework (10%)• In-class quiz (5%)

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Peer group assessment

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Project log

• Each group will be asked to keep a project log, madeavailable online

• The project log should contain information about, forinstance:

• which subproblems is the group tackling• what solutions have been considered and how they are

performing• what problems is the group facing• . . .

• It should, at the end, give an idea of the trajectory thegroup has taken towards the proposed solutions of theassignments

• I will use it to monitor how each group does and it willcontribute to the mark for each assignment.

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Practical matters

• Access to robots and lab:• The Robot Lab will be open during the usual lab hours.• You can borrow robots during Helpdesk opening hours.• You will leave your student card as a deposit when you

check out a robot.• Module website:

• cgi.csc.liv.ac.uk/˜sp/teaching/comp329-2014/

• It will contain slides, bibliography, assignments and extramaterials and will be used for public announcementsconcerning the course

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Bibliography

Robotics

Agent Systems

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What is a robot?

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What is a robot?

• “. . . a programmable, multifunction manipulator designed tomove material, parts, tools, or specialized devices throughvariable programmed motions for the performance of avariety of tasks” Robot Institute of America (1980)

• “. . . [a] physical agent that performs tasks by manipulatingthe physical world” Russell and Norvig (2003).

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What is a robot?

• The word “robot” was first used in Karel Capek’s play“Rossum’s Universal Robots” in 1920

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What is a robot?

• Isaac Asimov coinedthe term “robotics” in1942.

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What is an agent?

sensors

effectors

percepts

actions

Environment

• An agent is a system that is situated in some environment,and is capable of autonomous action in this environment inorder to meet its delegated objectives.

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What is an agent?

sensors

effectors

percepts

actions

Environment

• The fundamental question is what action(s) to take for agiven state of the environment.

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What is mobile robotics?

• In mobile robotics this becomes three questions:

?

• Where am I ?• Where am I going ?• How do I get there ?

• The robotics part of this course is about answering thosequestions.

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Applications

• The following are some deployed robots.• From the more mundane to the more experimental.

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Automatic Guided Vehicle

• Used to transport motor blocks from one assembly stationto an other.

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Automatic Guided Vehicle

• Guided by an electrical wire installed in the floor but it isalso able to leave the wire to avoid obstacles.

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Helpmate

Used in hospitals for secure trans-portation of items such as medica-tion, samples (medical records, x-ray film).

• Not clear if the company (Pyxis) is still in business.

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Another hospital delivery robot

• Experimental delivery robot evaluated by healthcarecompany Kaiser Permanente.

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BR700 cleaning robot

Sold by Karcher Inc.

The navigation systemis based on a sophis-ticated sonar systemand a gyro.

• Doesn’t seem to be in production any more.

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iRobot Roomba

Successful robotic vacuumcleaner

6 million sold by mid 2011

Simple, but effective, controlstrategy

Touch sensors

Sonar in the more advancedmodels

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Pioneer inspection robot

• Teleoperated robot used to inspect the sarcophagus atChernobyl.

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Tiburon ROV

• Teleoperated robot used by the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration for underwater exploration

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Sojourner

• Sojouner was deployed on Mars.

• On Mars, teleoperation is a bit of a handicap. Why?

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Mars Yard

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iRobot Packbot

• A rugged, teleoperated platform for the military

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Grey Eagle

• A UAV much used by the US military.

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Pulstech Forester

• First “industrial like” walking robot. Leg coordination isautomated, but human operator navigates.

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Aibo entertainment robot

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DARPA Grand Challenge

• The Grand Challenge involved autonomous navigationthrough the desert.

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DARPA Urban challenge

• The Urban Challenge took this into traffic.

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Google Car

• The Google car is intended to make this technologymainstream.

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Unmanned vehicles

• Expect to see a range of other autonomous vehicles.

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Summary

• This lecture gave you the necessary information on themodule.

• It also looked at some basic ideas in the area of mobilerobotics.

• We identified the main problems to be solved.• The course will cover these topics (and others).

• We also looked at some deployed robots.

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