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               University of New South Wales
         School of Computer Science and Engineering

             Artificial Intelligence Laboratory

                       Seminar Series

TITLE          Designing Experimental Robots

WHO:           Steve Matheson,  UNSW  Computer  Science  and
               Engineering
               [steve@spectrum.cs.unsw.oz.au]

WHEN:          1pm - 2pm; Fri March  13, 1992

ABSTRACT:      Human society has been fascinated with robots
               throughout  recorded  history,  and computer-
               controlled robotic systems are now widespread
               in  the  modern  industrialised  world  -  in
               industry, research, education, entertainment,
               etc.

               Some aspects of  robotic  systems  are  well-
               understood  (e.g. the kinematics and dynamics
               of manipulators), while other aspects are not
               (e.g.  the  problem  of "sensor fusion" - the
               integration of information about the external
               world as supplied by different sensors).

               This means that "low-intelligence" robots are
               feasible  for  routine  industrial use, where
               they can be switched from  task  to  task  by
               relatively straightforward re-programming. At
               the other end of the scale  are  experimental
               robots  which are intended to explore various
               aspects of "higher intelligence". The  sensor
               and   actuator   subsystems  of  experimental
               robots are often similar (even identical)  to
               those of industrial robots, but their overall
               architectures  are  likely  to  reflect   the
               approach  to  "intelligence"  being  taken by
               their designers, rather than to an industrial
               model.  Here, there is little consensus (e.g.
               "hierarchical" vs. "layered" architectures).

               In  this  talk,  I  shall  review  industrial
               robotics,   with   a   view   to  identifying
               approaches, techniques, and subsystems  which
               transfer  well  to  experimental robotic sys-
               tems. Then I shall make some suggestions con-
               cerning  other  aspects of experimental robot
               design. I approach this task as  an  engineer
               with   an   interest   in   robust  computer-
               controlled machines, not as an AI  researcher
               with a viewpoint to justify.

WHERE:         Rm 212 Samuels Building,  University  of  New
               South  Wales,  Kensington.  Enter  off Botany
               Street, stop at gate and ask grey men for day
               pass  and  instructions. Park in the main car
               park on your left.  The Samuels  building  is
               the gray, "boat"-shaped new building directly
               behind the gate.
INQUIRIES:     timm@spectrum.cs.unsw.oz.au (Tim Menzies)