Mood Brightener: Here is a two minute pick me up from Stay Homas. Read their story sometime.
First Class Questions/Answers:
No doubt some of you have questions about how the class will work. I will collect questions from this first class along with answers and post them here for future reference.
Q: Is there a textbook for this class?
A: No -- the Breadcrumbs will serve as the 'textbook' for this class. There may be reading assignments to linked documents or videos to watch as part of that virtual 'textbook'.
Q: How will labs work?
A: It is my hope that you could do the labs independently assuming the equipment works right and I've written the lab instructions effectively. I will be available for a couple of hours (via zoom) during the scheduled lab time to answer questions individually and to help with any trouble shooting that may be needed. For the first 15 min or so of the scheduled lab time I will discuss expectations for lab before turning you all loose. If you can complete the lab independently then there is no requirement for you to 'show up' via zoom for the lab.
Before we dive into things here we will take a moment to chat about my expectations for your math skills. I have put this information on a separate webpage which is linked above. You have about a week to review this material and be sure that you're comfortable with it.
Robot?
An obvious starting point for a class on robots is to discuss what a robot might be. Because this is a science class we would be wise to consider how science addresses a question like this. I know you have heard or 'learned' a variety of definitions of science. This 9 min video from Tim Minchin has lots of useful life lessons as well as one of the best articulations of what science is that I have experienced. It is consistent with what we will do. This is also one of the best commencement addresses I have heard. Enjoy..just the first 12 minutes!
So...
"... science is not a body of knowledge or a belief system, it is just a term that describes humankind's incremental acquisition of understanding through observation. Science is awesome. The arts and sciences need to work together to improve how knowledge is communicated." ~ Tim Minchin
You'll notice this definition says nothing about truth or rightness or answers or facts. This is what we will endeavor (humbly) to do this term, incrementally improve our understanding of what robots are and how they could play a role in our lives....or not.
Back to the original question, what is a robot? Here is an interesting statement about robots and machines:
All robots are machines, but not all machines are robots.
What do you think? When we get together for class I will be asking you for examples of machines and robots. What is a machine that is not a robot? Does a robot have to have some sort of 'intelligence' to stop being a machine.
After you've thought about this for a bit go read the different responses to the question about the differences between machines and robots. Make a list of 4 behaviors that distinguish robots from machines based on your reading. Be aware that this is the sort of thing I would ask you to submit as an assignment BEFORE class to help us all stay on track.
2020 GS104 Robotics Definition of Robot and Machine:
We had a rich discussion about the distinction between robots and machines and quickly came to an awareness that there is a broad continuum from simple machines (think screwdriver) to complex machines (think car or bicycle) that overlaps with less complex robots ( think industrial welding robots on an assembly line) to pretty complex robots like the Mars Rover. The question of whether WALL-E is a robot or something more than a robot brought androids to the discussion. Here is the gist of the characteristics of androids, robots, and machines along the continuum.
Machines: Need an operator, they perform highly repetitive tasks
Robots: Sense and respond to changes in environment, partially self governing, adaptable. Can perform multiple tasks in response to detected conditions. Function without an operator.
Android: Human like in form or behavior, show some level of apparent self determination (artificial intelligence - AI)
All androids are robots but not all robots are androids;
All robots are machines but not all machines are robots;
By this definition is the Mars Rover a robot or a machine?
By this definition is a toaster that senses the darkness of your toast a robot or a machine? -- what if it adjusts the darkness of your toast based on your hours of sleep the night before?
Before Next Class:
Assignment HW: Bb Assignment
Find an example of a complex machine and a robot (can be simple) that were not discussed in class. For each provide a link to a description of the object. Use our class definition of robots and machines to assess each object. Apply each criteria in the definition to the object to confirm the appropriateness of your examples. A paragraph of description and a paragraph of analysis for each object in a document (.pdf or .doc) you submit. Be sure your submission is easily readable -- this assignment is partly a test to confirm your tools for turning in written documents.
Looking Ahead:
Look ahead to the next Breadcrumb: Autonomous
Assignment Breadcrumb Reading: Bb Assignment
Read the article linked above describing the features of the Mars Curiousity Rover. You don't need to read for detail but just to get a sense for what it is intended to do. The question for this assignment is "Is the Mars Rover an autonomous vehicle or a remotely operated vehicle? Consider this article about how NASA communicates with the Mars Rover. Depending on where Earth and Mars are in their orbits it can take between 4 and 24 minutes for information to travel 1 way between Earth and Mars.
Assignment Scientific Prefixes: Bb Test
Practice your knowledge of the Scientific Prefixes linked on the Math Skills page from the beginning of this Breadcrumb. Take this test as many times as needed to get a perfect score. Be aware the answers are reordered each time you take the test. The point is to practice until you can do this easily without error. IF you have tried it more than 6 times without getting a perfect score please contact your instructor for guidance and feedback.
