1. Business School Computing Division
Colin Price
CDIEU Computer Development Integrated Environment for Undergraduates
CBP 2004
ICMCE

2. Computer Science Programming
Operating Systems
Microcontroller engineering
Artificial Intelligence
Programming
CBP 2004
ICMCE

3. … from a Robotics perspective
ROBOTS
SIMULATED ROBOTS
Microcontroller engineering
Programming
Operating Systems
Artificial Intelligence
CBP 2004
ICMCE

4. Why Study Robots now? MIT Kismet Honda Asimo 2003 Sojourner 1996
NavLab (CMU)
CBP 2004
ICMCE

5. Moore’s Law - Computers and Brains
CBP 2004
ICMCE
Figure from ROBOT, Moravec, Oxford, 1998, Chapter 3: Power and Presence, page 68

6. Learning using Robots ?
Robots are becoming commercially viable – need developers
Serious promise of Artificial Intelligence – needs researchers
Educational Aspects - Our findings
Rapid learning of programming skills
Need to understand and apply PHYSICS and MATHS
Important analogy of living beings … the Self
Important analogy of societies … communication
CBP 2004
ICMCE

7. Human
Robot
Human Group
Robot Group
CBP 2004
ICMCE

8. CBP 2004
ICMCE

9. Human Qualities Affective Cognitive Psychomotoric Thinking Acting
Emotions
Knowing
Feelings
Behaving
CBP 2004
ICMCE

10. Braitenberg Vehicles Program Robot Behaviour lamp LM Light Seeking
if (leftEye == Bright) {
RightMotor = 10;
LeftMotor = 0;
Sleep(1); }
if (frontBumper == Hit){
RightMotor = -10;
LeftMotor = -10;
lamp LM
Light Seeking
Avoiding
Sequential Programming RM
CBP 2004
ICMCE

11. Subsumption (Brookes)
Combining Behaviours
Subsumption (Brookes)
Wander s
Seek Light
Avoid
Motors
bumper
eyes
Behaviour Modules
How to Combine ?
CBP 2004
ICMCE

12. Programming Subsumption
Multi-tasking
if (frontBumper == Hit){
RightMotor = -10;
LeftMotor = -10;
Sleep(1); }
Avoid
bumper
CPU
if (leftEye == Bright) {
RightMotor = 10;
LeftMotor = 0;
Sleep(1); }
Seek Light
eyes
Wander
concurrent tasks
CBP 2004
ICMCE

13. Rod Brookes + Cogs
CBP 2004
ICMCE

14. muROBOT multitasking operating system 400 bytes code memory
RS 232
multitasking operating system
400 bytes code memory
1000 behaviour switches / sec
industry standard chip
students involved in design !
industry standard IDE
program in C
compatible Java Simulator
CBP 2004
ICMCE

15. CDIEU Simulation Environment
Java Simulation environment
can run C-code
each robot multithreaded
Pedagogically interesting
can run FSM architecture
can run Associative Memory
will be able to run LISP
CBP 2004
ICMCE

16. Java Behaviour Routines
public void arbitrate() {
for(;;){
if(collide_flag == true) {
motorIpL = collideOpL;
motorIpR = collideOpR;
} else if (searchlight_flag == true) {
motorIpL = searchlightOpL;
motorIpR = searchlightOpR;
} else if (wander_flag == true) {
motorIpL = wanderOpL;
motorIpR = wanderOpR; }
muMonDefer();
eyeLF
motorIpL
Wander
Collide
SearchLight
eyeRF
motorIpR
public void wander() {
forever {
wander_flag = true;
wanderOpL = 10;
wanderOpR = 10;
muMonDefer(); }
Behaviour routines give motor drive
Arbitrator Selects motor drive
CBP 2004
ICMCE

17. Operating Systems Multitasking Same code as robots - C
public Controller() {
muMonCreateTask("collide");
muMonCreateTask("wander");
muMonCreateTask("arbitrate");
muMonStartScheduler(); }
public void arbitrate() {
for(;;){
if(collide_flag == true) {
motorIpL = collideOpL;
motorIpR = collideOpR;
} else if (wander_flag == true) {
motorIpL = wanderOpL;
motorIpR = wanderOpR;
muMonDefer();
public void collide() {
for(;;) {
if(body_touch == 1) collide_flag = true;
body_touch = 0;
collideOpL = -10;
collideOpR = -10;
muMonSleep(500);
collide_flag = false;
Operating Systems
Multitasking
Same code as robots - C
Same structure as robot
behaviours are tasks
asynchronous inputs
Shared variables, Mutexes
CBP 2004
ICMCE

18. AI – Neural Nets Neural Net Controller (multi-layer) perceptron
If the connections are not crossed, then it turns away from excitation – coward
Ipsilateral excitation
CBP 2004
ICMCE

19. AI - Genetic Algorithms
if (frontBumper == Hit){
RightMotor = -10;
LeftMotor = -10;
Sleep(1); }
How do we choose those numbers ?
Trial and error ?
Yes ! But get a computer to do it
Select behaviours that work the best - natural selection.
CBP 2004
ICMCE

20. AI – Deliberative / Planning
Planning/ Deliberative
Entire program in LISP
Hybrid LISP + subsumption
Teleoperated robots
Behaviour 1
Behaviour 2
Behaviour 3 s
Motors
sensors
CBP 2004
ICMCE

21. CBP 2004
ICMCE

22. Trials in Schools Ages 13 – 19 Program in C, Industry-standard chip
Learn Programming via Braitenberg
Solve whole industrial problem
Design mechanical elements
Design software control
Lift, Furbie, Disco Lights, Aircraft !
CBP 2004
ICMCE

23. Why Learn to Program Robots ?
Is this a good vehicle for experiencing programming : LISP, Java, C, Finite State Machines, Associative Memory ?
Does it enable creativity in ANALYSIS of problems and SYNTHESIS of solutions ?
Will Science Education shift in emphasis from real world to world of real robots and computer games ?
Does thinking about robots encourage students to think about philosophical issues (Nature of mind and self) ?
I hope you weren’t expecting the answers?
Dr. Ir. Colin Price
CBP 2004
ICMCE