A major breakthrough in the history of computers was the development of the Integrated Circuit. Sometimes called a chip or microchip, it is a semiconductor wafer on which millions of tiny resistors, capacitors, and transistors are fabricated.

First Electronic Digital Computer

The ENIAC was developed in the 1940s to calculate firing tables for the US military. It was later used in weather research and the development of thermonuclear weapons.

Father of Computer Science

Born in Britain, Alan Turing is regarded as the father of Computer Science. He used a computer to break German codes during the 2^nd World War.

Stored program concept

The Jacquard Loom, developed in France, was shown as an early attempt at the stored program concept.

Stored program concept

The two concepts that describe a computer are the mechanization of arithmetic and the stored program concept John von Neumann is credited with developing the stored program concept.

First Computer

The Difference Engine is considered to be the first computer.

An essential component

A major component of modern computers is the transistor. It was developed by William Shockley and two

others (John Bardeen and Walter Brattain).

A pioneer

This individual developed the first computer; he had a feud with the music makers.

Charles Babbage.

A major contributor

Augusta Ada Byron is regarded as the person who wrote the first computer program. She was the daughter of a poet. She was and is also referred to as Lady Ada, Countess of Loveless, and Lady Lovelace.


ENIAC	William Shockley	Alan Turing	Jacquard Loom	John von Neumann


Difference Engine	Integrated Circuit	Ada Byron	Charles Babbage

Robots Film

Laws of Robotics

Isaac Asimov was a major contributor to the area of robotics. He is credited with first using the term robotics. His 3 laws of robots influenced numerous movies. List his 3 laws.

1 A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to

come to harm.

2 A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such

orders would conflict with the First Law.

3 A robot must protect its own existence, except where such protection would

conflict with the First or Second Laws.

He later modified these to add a 0^th law as follows:

0 A robot may not injure humanity or, through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.

1 A robot may not injure a human being, or through inaction allow a human being to come

to harm, except where that would conflict with the 0’th Law.

2 A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would

conflict with the first law.

3 A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the

first or second law.

Forbidden Planet

Briefly describe the significance of the film Forbidden Planet as discussed in the movie.

A robot was placed in a conflict situation between the first and second laws.

Who am I?

What is the significance of Carel Kapek to the field of Robotics?

The word Robot is derived from the Czech word for forced labour or serf. It was first coined by Carel Kapek in 1921, and referred to a dehumanization of mankind in an advanced technological world.

Grandfather of robotics

George Devol is referred to as the grandfather of robotics; He built the first industrial robot in 1921. His company, Unimation, built a robot named Unimate which used the concept of feedback.

Father of robotics

Joe Engelberger, usually honored as the Father of Robotics, is the chairman of HelpMate Robotics Inc. The mission of HRI is to give robots a spectrum of sensory perception so that mobile, sensate robots can work with human mentors in service activities.

Field Robotics

The accident at Three Mile Island is considered to be the beginning or field robotics.

Notebook, Paper by Alan Turing

In the paper Computing Machinery and Intelligence, Alan Turing considers the question “Can machines think?” He begins by defining machines and think in terms of what he calls the Imitation Game. Descibe this game. Your description should include how these words (machine and think) were defined.

LEGO Text

What is firmware?

Similar to an operating system.

Software routines stored in read-only memory (ROM).

Startup routines and low-level input and output instructions are stored in firmware.

What is the difference between top-down and bottom-up design strategies? Which is best?

Top-Down

In top-down design, system components are derived from project specifications. The main advantage of a top-down approach is that its strong focus on specific requirements helps to make a design responsive to its requirement. Its disadvantage is that project and system boundaries tend to be application or specification oriented. Thus it is more likely that the "wheel will be reinvented" and that advantages of component reuse will missed. It also means that the system is likely to miss the benefits of a well structured, simple architecture.

Bottom-Up

In bottom-up design, the emphasis is on applying general solutions to a wide range of problems. The advantage of bottom up design is the economies that result when general solutions can be reused. A disadvantage of bottom-up design is that its focus is not on specific requirements. thus its results may not fit a given need. Another disadvantage is that high quality bottom-up solutions prove very hard to construct and thus most frameworks are to some substantial degree under-designed.

Which is Best?

Depends on preferences of user and the problem. Probably a hybrid approach.

List the LEGO sensors.

Light and touch.

Other sensors are availble separately or in other kits.

Temperature Sensor - detects changes in temperature - about $30.

Rotation Sensor - countains a hub into which you can insert an axel - counts revolutions of the axle.

Part of the Ultimate Accessory Set and also sold separately.

Etc

What is feedback?

When a robot gathers information about its environment that can help control its own operation.

What is the difference between statically and dynamically stable robots?

A statically stable robot is one that is always stable, even when walking. A dynamically stable robot is one that is stable for only certain times.

What is a gear ratio?

Gears are machine elements that transmit motion by means of successively engaging teeth. The gear teeth act like small levers. Number of turns of driver gear divided by number of turns of follower gear.

What are idlers?

Gears in between. They do not change the speed or force of the overall gear train; they do affect the direction of rotation of the follower gear and the distance between the driver and follower.

Gear 2 and 3 both drive and are, in turn, driven. Thus, they are called idler gears. Since their tooth numbers cancel, idler gears do not affect the magnitude of the input-output ratio, but they do change the directions of rotation. Note the directional arrows in the figure. Idler gears can also constitute a saving of space and money (If gear 1 and 4 meshes directly across a long center distance, their pitch circle will be much larger.)

Summarize the author’s discussion of Form Follows Function.

Is the form of an object the essential consideration or is it the function of the object? Do you build an airplane by trying to duplicate a bird's wings or do you concentrate on the functions performed by the wings?

Early flying machines concentrated on form and failed. The Wright brothers decided to look at the different functions of a bird's wings: thrust and lift. They then constructed separate physical components or forms for each function: an engine to provide thrust and wings (that did not have to flap because they did not have to provide thrust) to provide lift.

It is usually better to think about the function first and the form, or the physical components, second.

Describe the major improvement of Smart Acrobot over Acrobot.

Knowing when it is right side up versus inverted.

Describe the technique used to follow a line as employed by the Line-Follower robot.

Note: Can use text approach or the one used and described by the teams.

Staying on the line versus going back and forth, changes in direction of the black tape (or whatever).

Using two light sensors, one on each side of the line, or

Picking an arbitrary direction to turn - for a brief time only, or

Algorithm approach, or

Etc. (any reasonable approach)

Describe the technique used to follow a light as employed by the Flashlight Follower robot.

Note: Can use text approach or the one used and described by the teams.

How to avoid losing the light?

Etc. (any reasonable approach)

Describe the term rack and pinion.

A way to transfer rotational motion into back-and-forth motion.

Example 2

Mobile Robotics Quiz 1

Name: _______________________________________

The quiz is individual effort.

The only reference you can use is your copy of the text Creative Projects with Lego Mindstorms – if you have it with you. You cannot use someone else’s text.

Please write legibly.

You have the entire class period for this quiz.

If you finish early you can work on Lego Billiards but please be quiet.

List the LEGO sensors.

Light and touch. Also the IR for communicating with the tower.

Other sensors are available separately or in other kits.

Temperature Sensor - detects changes in temperature - about $30.

Rotation Sensor - contains a hub into which you can insert an axel - counts revolutions of the axle.

Part of the Ultimate Accessory Set and also sold separately.

Etc

What is feedback?

When a robot gathers information about its environment that can help control its own operation.

For example when the lego light or touch sensor reports back, that is feedback.

What is the difference between statically and dynamically stable robots?

A statically stable robot is one that is always stable, even when walking. A dynamically stable robot is one that is stable for only certain times.

What is a gear ratio?

Gears are machine elements that transmit motion by means of successively engaging teeth. The gear teeth act like small levers. The gear ratio is the umber of turns of the driver gear divided by the number of turns

of the follower gear.

What are idlers?

Describe the major improvement of Smart Acrobot over Acrobot.

Knowing when it is right side up versus inverted.

Describe the technique used to follow a line as employed by the Line-Follower robot.

Staying on the line versus going back and forth, changes in direction of the black tape (or whatever).

Using two light sensors, one on each side of the line, or

Picking an arbitrary direction to turn - for a brief time only, or

Algorithm approach, or

Etc. (any reasonable approach)

Describe the technique used to follow a light as employed by the Flashlight Follower robot.

How to avoid losing the light?

Etc. (any reasonable approach)

Describe the term rack and pinion.

A way to transfer rotational motion into back-and-forth motion.

List 5 of the types of locomotion described in the manual.

Wheels, snake, tracks, legs, flying, aquatic, hybrid, hopping, walking

The manual breaks sensors into two major categories. List these categories.

Visual and non-visual

The “brains” of the Lego robot is the RCX. What does RCX stand for?

Robotic Command Explorer.

In addition to RCX code, Lego can be programmed to understand other languages. One of those discussed in the text is NQC. What does NQC stand for?

Not Quite C

What is firmware?

Operating system for Lego

How is code transferred from the computer to the Lego robot?

Via the IR Tower

As described in one of the Programming Asides, what does looping mean?

Repeat a command a certain number of times.

Two items used frequently in construction of Lego robots are beams and plates. Describe these two items.

Note: Any reasonable answer accepted. Partial responses provided below


Lego Brick	Lego Plate	Lego Beam

Bricks are basic building blocks. Almost every element is derived from the brick.

Beams are good for axels, connector pegs and many other applications. Beam is a generic term for a structural member that carries a load across two supports.

Plates are similar to brick but only 1/3 the height.

What is the major difference between the Dog and Puppy robots?

These are 4-leg walkers. Puppy uses fewer teeth for the outer gears. Puppy walks slower and wobbles more than dog; hence the name puppy.

What is torque?

The ablility of a force to cause something to turn.

Given gear A with m teeth and Gear B with n teeth. Gear A and B are connected.

Use this information to define gear ratio.

See above Note: I did not deduct twice for missing this important question

What is accomplished by a repeat while loop?

Repeat an action while something (the Boolean in the expression) is true

Example 1

1 A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to

come to harm.

2 A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such

orders would conflict with the First Law.

3 A robot must protect its own existence, except where such protection would

conflict with the First or Second Laws.

He later modified these to add a 0th law as follows:

0 A robot may not injure humanity or, through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.

1 A robot may not injure a human being, or through inaction allow a human being to come

to harm, except where that would conflict with the 0’th Law.

2 A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would

conflict with the first law.

3 A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the

first or second law.

Top-Down

Bottom-Up

Example 2

He later modified these to add a 0^th law as follows: