Robotics: Midterm Preparation Guide

  1. Review the postings. You will not be responsible for knowing any specific posting, but there will be questions such as:
  2. Describe an event in the news involving robotics. Indicate what was special or surprising about this. Indicate what and/or how the technology provides substantial benefits. Is the robotic approach solving a set problem or re-casting the problem? What is the unit of analysis?
  3. Describe an ethical issue involving robotics. Be sure to describe both sides of the argument. Then indicate, supplying your reasoning, your stance on the issue.
  4. Describe, compare and contrast a fictional (book, story, movie) view of robots and an actual use of robots.
  5. Vocabulary: be prepared to define and describe the use and significance of the following terms:
  6. Virtual world versus physical world
  7. Ways of programming robots: teleo-operator, teach/play back, programming
  8. Anthropomorphic fallacy. Give examples.
  9. Levels of language. Give an example for doing a task using two different levels of language.
  10. Degree(s) of freedom
  11. Unit of analysis
  12. Data driven
  13. Artificial intelligence
  14. Expert Systems, Turing Test, Neural nets
  15. Turing machine, universal Turing machine
  16. Cartesian Coordinate System, polar coordinate system (and conversion between the two for 2D)
  17. 3D modeling, wire frame, rendering
  18. Piano mover's problem
  19. Polygon, convex, concave
  20. More vocabulary: be prepared to define and describe the use and significance of the following terms:
  21. Kinematics, inverse kinematics
  22. Calibration
  23. Torque, force, momentum
  24. Position, displacement, velocity, acceleration
  25. Statics, dynamics
  26. Feedback, servo motor
  27. Manufacturing, assembly, fabrication, fixed automation, flexible automation, logistics
  28. Build to order vs build to stock
  29. Just in time manufacturing
  30. Continuous improvement, 6 Sigma
  1. Mindstorms NXT-G, using names for the blocks (for example, move, wait until sensor, make sound, read/write to variable, loop, switch, display, reset/read/write to a named file, convert number to text, write a variable, read a variable)
    describe how to program the following tasks:
  2. Move basic wheeled robot forward for 5 seconds.
  3. Move robot forward a specified distance (give coding PLUS describe how you determine values) and turning around over and over until program aborted.
  4. Move robot with bumper to wall and stop.
  5. Move robot with bumper to wall, stop, say “Good Job”.
  6. Make the robot follow a line.
  7. Make the robot follow a line and turn around when there is a sound.
  8. Take two light readings at distinct places and compare, displaying “First” and turning right if the first light reading was greater; otherwise displaying “Second” and turning left.
  9. Set up a variable to hold the result of a light reading and set up a variable to hold the result of a test if the ultrasonic sensor indicated a wall was closer than the light reading saved in the variable.
  1. Describe your team's program
  2. to traverse the maze. You will need to describe the sensors used and how they are mounted.
  3. to use the buttons to determine which ball to hit and then hit the specified ball after moving forward.
  4. to map (gather information about dimensions) a room.