CCU: Lesson - Utilizing AI

An autonomous farm machine communicates with a droneUtilizing AI

Think About It...

As we begin our next lesson, ask yourself a question:

  • What do you think is the most important task that AI could help people with?

How We Use AI - Robots

There are so many ways in which we utilize AI today. One widely known interaction is with robots. However, it is important to note that just because it may look like a robot or move like a robot does not constitute or mean that the robot is automatically an AI robot.

So, what is an AI robot and what makes it different from a non-AI robot?

In AI, a robot is defined as a type of automated machine that can execute specific tasks with little or no human intervention. This definition seems to encompass various types of robots. For clarity, in AI, we’re only interested in robots that make their own decisions, making them autonomous robots. We are less interested in remote-controlled robots, or robots that just blindly repeat an action without having to sense anything or make any decisions.

The Guidelines For Classifying a Robot

Understanding how to judge between various types of robots and autonomous robots requires our application of a defined set of guidelines/rules to determine what constitutes a robot in AI.

So, what are the guidelines to classify a robot? Let’s learn the Rules of a Robot:

  1. It must be a machine (made by humans).
  2. It must sense its environment.
  3. It must be programmable (respond to instructions).
  4. It must be capable of carrying out actions automatically.
  5. It can be remotely controlled or controlled from within.

Autonomous Robots

Autonomous robots must maintain a representation (e.g., a map - Big Idea 2) of the world so they know where things are and can figure out where they are. This requires perception (Big Idea 1) to sense the world, so all autonomous robots have some type of perception. Although robots come in many different shapes, they're all doing the same thing: navigating through the world and interacting with it. There are three questions every autonomous robot must constantly ask itself:

  1. Where am I?
  2. Where do I want to be?
  3. How can I stay safe?

Test Case: Are self-driving cars robots?

Consider the technology that allows cars to drive themselves. This technology is (as of this writing) still quite new and not widely available. And yet, we continue to hear about advances in the technology, so let's test our understanding of the rules of a robot and what makes an AI robot and apply it to this new technology.

Conclusion

Due to technological advances in AI, there are well known products that may now be considered an autonomous robot. For example, self-driving tractors are robots. The Roomba vacuum is also a robot. Both types of robots, despite their size, are doing the same thing: moving through the world and trying not to hit anything.

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