Bodies and Minds: AI Robotics

Professor Susan Fox shares the joys and obstacles of creating artificial intelligence.

“We cannot fully control nor perceive the ‘real world,’ and computer systems have to take that into account.”

What is this class all about? 

The study of robots incorporates two distinctly different sets of problems: the physical construction of the robot’s “body,” and the more abstract creation of the robot’s “mind.” This course examines both sides of robotics, from the kind of sensors and controllers needed to make a robot work, to how to write programs that allow the robot to perform its task autonomously. We will examine the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of sensors, a variety of techniques for robot control programs, and a variety of tools designed to help in programming robots, including: EV3Dev, ROS, and Choregraphe.

Why take this course? 

Robots are increasingly a part of our world; this class prepares students to understand the issues and methods used to program robots.

Tips for working with robots  

Working with robots, you realize that they are an interesting mix of fun and frustrating! Interacting with the real world is complicated, and robot systems must be designed to handle inaccuracy and imperfection.

Building community in class 

Students work in teams both in class and out of it. During the first few weeks of the class, I assign teams for in-class work, encouraging students to get to know a number of their classmates. We also spend most of each class day working on activities in class with our robots; so what each team is doing is very visible to others. I encourage students to chat informally with other teams and help each other out.

After taking this class, what will you know that you didn’t know before? 

Students will have a solid understanding of the big problems that must be overcome for a robot to be successful, and some of the methods used to overcome them. More importantly, I hope students leave the course with a greater appreciation for the complexity of computer systems that interact with the real world, and the limitations of those systems. We cannot fully control nor perceive the “real world,” and computer systems have to take that into account.

Outside of class you will find me…

At home with my husband and kids, often playing games, reading, or caring for my cats and houseplants.