Chapter 1
Introduction to Mobile
Robotics
Dr. Eman Omar
AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS DEPT.
INTRODUCTION TO MOBILE ROBOTICS COURSE
Outline
1.Content of this Course
2.TextBook
3.What is a mobile robot?
4.Classifications of mobile robots
5.Laws of Robotics
6.Robots Components
Content of this Course
1.Introduction
2.Basics of Linear Algebra
3.Robot Control Paradigms
4.Locomotion and Sensors
5.Probabilistic Robotics
6.Motion Models
7.Sensor Models
8.Discrete & Kalman Filters
9.Mapping
10.Planning
11.Simple SLAM
12.Outlooks to other concept
Text Book
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N. Correll, B. Hayes, C. Heckman, A. Roncone, Introduction to Autonomous Robots:
Mechanisms, Sensors, Actuators, and Algorithms, MIT Press, 2021.
R. Siegvart, I. Nourbakhsh, D. Scaramuzza, Autonomous Mobile Robots, 2011
Sebastian Thrun, Wolfram Burgard, Dieter Fox, Probabilistic Robotics, MIT Press
Cambridge, Massachusetts London, England, 2006
K. Lynch and F. Park, Modern Robotics, Cambridge University Press, 2017
A robot....?
A robot....?
A robot (mechanism):
- is a machine which exists in the physical world,
- has movable parts,
- can sense its external and internal environment,
- can make decisions (fully or partially autonomous),
- acts upon the environment to achieve some goals,
- is designed to do a job by itself.
What is a mobile robot?
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A mobile robot is a machine controlled by software that use sensors and other
technology to identify its surroundings and move around its environment.
Another definition describes robotics as the intelligent connection between
perception and action.
Mobile robots function using a combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and
physical robotic elements , such as wheels , tracks and legs.
Mobile robotics is the specific industry related to creating these locomotive robot
systems.
Uses and Functions of Mobile Robots
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The basic functions of a mobile robot include the ability to move and explore transport
payloads, or revenue producing cargo, and complete complex tasks using an onboard
system, like robotic arms
While the industrial use of mobile robots is popular, especially in warehouses and
distribution centers, its functions can also be applied to the medicine, surgery, personal
assistance and security
Ocean and space exploration and navigation are also amongst the most common uses of
mobile robots
Mobile robots are being used to access areas such as nuclear power plants, where
factors, like high radiation, make the area too dangerous for humans to inspect and
monitor themselves
Mobile Robots Types
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There are also two main types of mobile robots autonomous and non autonomous or
guided, mobile robots.
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Non Autonomous Mobile Robots or guided mobile robots require some form of
instruction or guidance system in order to move.
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Autonomous Mobile Robots ( are able to move and explore their surroundings without
any sort of external direction.
Classifications of mobile robots
Mobile robots can be classified in two ways:
1.By the environment in which they work
2.By the device they use to move.
By the environment
1. Polar robots that are designed to traverse icy, uneven environments.
2. Aerial robots, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones, which fly
through the air.
3. Land or home robots, or unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), that navigate on dry land or
within houses.
4. Underwater robots, or autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), that can direct
themselves and travel through water.
5. Delivery and transportation mobile robots that are designed to move materials and
supplies around a work environment.
By the device
1. Land-based wheeled robot
2. Land-based tracked robot
3. Land-based legged robot
4. Air-based: plane, helicopter, blimp
5. Water-based; boat, submarine
6. Stationary robot ( arm, manipulatoretc.)
By the device
Robots Components
Cont.
Most robots are composed of 4 main parts:
1. The Controller: Also known as the brain which is run by a computer program It gives
commands for the moving parts to perform the job.
2. Mechanical parts: Motors, pistons, grippers, wheels, and gears that make the robot
move, grab, turn, and lift.
3. Sensors: To tell the robot about its surroundings. It helps to determine the sizes and
shapes of the objects around, distance between the objects, and directions as well
4. Actuators : An actuator is a device which causes something to happen. This could be a
robot movement, which is often achieved using motors. An actuator is needed to make the
robots wheels turn or the joints of a robot arm to rotate or for a robot gripper to open or
close
Autonomous Robot Systems
Examples of what a robot may need to
determine
Links and joints
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PHYSICALLY EMBEDDED: exists in the 3D physical world, subject to the laws of physics (e.g., it
does not live in a computer).
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MOVEABLE PARTS: made of multiple (rigid or soft) bodies (links) connected by joints, so that
relative motion between adjacent links becomes possible. Actuation of the joints (e.g., by electric
motors), causes the robot to move and exert forces in desired ways.
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ACT ON ITS ENVIRONMENT: it has physical effectors/actuators, made out of links and joint
Links and joints
Rigid body / link : The relative distance between any two
points (e.g., in a link) remains unchanged
Soft body / link : The relative distance between any two
points can change
Effectors and Actuators
Action: Do physical things in the real world.
EFFECTORS: Electro-mechanical parts that enable a robot to act, such as wheels, tracks, legs, arms,
grippers, fingers, wings, flippers,also devices for soldering, cutting, heating, melting ...
An effector determines an effect on the environment.
ACTUATORS: The underlying electro-mechanical mechanisms that physically enable the effectors
to execute an action or movement, such as motors, (artificial) muscles, rotors, hydraulic or
pneumatic cylinders, chemically-sensitive materials, …
Three main categories of activities:
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Locomotion: moving around
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Sensing: gather environment’s information
● Manipulation: handling, acting upon objects
Active vs. passive actuation
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ACTIVE ACTUATION: the action of effectors and actuators is performed through the direct
consumption of energy to provide power, in the forms of fuel, batteries, springs,….
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PASSIVE ACTUATION: exploiting the potential energy in the mechanics of the effector and its
interaction with the environment instead of active power consumption
Types of actuators
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ELECTRIC MOTORS
HYDRAULICS
PNEUMATICS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PHOTO-REACTIVE MATERIALS
CHEMICALLY-REACTIVE MATERIALS
THERMALLY-REACTIVE MATERIALS
PIEZOELECTRIC MATERIALS
Types of actuators
Types of actuators
PNEUMATICS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PIEZOELECTRIC MATERIALS
Typical robot joints and arrangements
Locomotion can be obtained in many ways …
✦Walk
✦Run
✦Fly
✦Swim
✦Dive
✦Drive
✦Jump
✦Crawl
✦Roll
✦Slide
✦Flow
✦….
Laws of Robotics
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A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to
come to harm
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A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except when such orders would
conflict with the first law
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A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with
the first or second law
Asimov’s Laws of Robotics