Robots Past and Future

Based on a lecture by Dr. Hadi MoradiUniversity of Southern California

The 1st Mobile Robot: SHAKEY

• SRI: Stanford Research Institute (1966-1972)

• Camera (120x120x4)• laser range finder• Off-board computing (DEC

PDP-10 and 15)Goal: study the methods of

interaction with a complex environment

Early Robots: SHAKEY

• Problem: Move about and manipulate objects• Environment: Single room painted black and white • 3 level action

– Low level: Simple moving, turning, route planning– Intermediate level: Connecting low level actions

together to achieve more complex tasks– High level: To execute plans to achieve goals

given by the user. • STRIPS (Stanford Research Institute Planning

System) planner• What kind of control system is it?

Early Robots: HILARE• LAAS in Toulouse,

France (1977)• Wheels: 2 driving wheels

and a free wheel• Batteries: 24V• Processors: 4 x

Intel 80286

Early Robots: HILARE

• Operating system: none• Communication: serial radio modem (9600 bauds)• Sensors: Odometer, 16 US sensors, a Laser Range

Finder• Dimensions (LxWxH): 80cm x 80cm x 60 cm• Weight: 400kg• Control system: Deliberative -> Hybrid

Early Robots: CART/Rover

• Hans Moravec• 1977 Stanford, 1983

CMU• Sonar and vision• Deliberative control• CART: To follow a

white line

Early Robots: CART/Rover

Early Robots: CART/Rover

• Stereoscopic 3D mapping and navigation• 5 hours to cover 30 meters

Early Robots: CART/Rover

Robotics Today

• Assembly and manufacturing

Robotics Today

• Material Handling• Gophers (Hospitals, Security guards)• Hazardous environment (Chernobyl)

Robotics Today• Remote environment (Pathfinder)• Rocket man

Robotics Today

• Surgery (brain, hips)

Robotics Today• Tele-presence and virtual reality• Man-machine interface – emotional robots• Nursing and home care• Surgeons help, remote surgery• Home chores• Security and protection• Self-assembly• Autonomous vehicles• Sea and space Investigation• Entertainment and art• Toys (1min 45 sek)• Children playing with robot and two dogs (3 min 15 sec)

– Tokyo Lecture 1 time 1:45:00-1:48:15

Key Issues

• Grounding in reality: not just planning in an abstract world • Situatedness (ecological dynamics): tight connection with

the environment • Embodiment: having a body • Emergent behavior: interaction with the environment • Scalability: increasing task and environment complexity• Humanoid robot (10 min)

– Tokyo Lecture 1 time 1:55:00-2:05:00

Future? Basic Industrial

• Industrial Robots in Action

• (3min 13 sek)

Future? Basic home operations

Future? Indoor Manipulation

Future? Simple Chores

Asimo (1 min 30 sec)

Asimo Walking humanoid robot(8 min 24 sec)

Why is Robotics hard?

• Sensors are limited and crude • Effectors are limited and crude • State is partially-observable

– internal and external, but mostly external– Asimo and stairs (36 sec)

• Environment is dynamic – changing over time– full of potentially-useful information

• Asimo at Consumers Electronic Show• CES 2007 Las Vegas (3 min 20 sec)