Behavior-based robotics
Encyclopedia
Behavior-based robotics or behavioral robotics is the branch of robotics
that incorporates modular or behavior based AI (BBAI).
, which means they use relatively little internal variable state
to model the environment. For instance, there is no programming in the robot of what a chair looks like, or what kind of surface the robot is moving on - all the information is gleaned from the input of the robot's sensors. The robot uses that information to react to the changes in its environment.
Behavior-based robots (BBR) usually show more biological-appearing actions than their computing
-intensive counterparts, which are very deliberate in their actions. A BBR often makes mistakes, repeats actions, and appears confused, but can also show the anthropomorphic quality of tenacity. Comparisons between BBRs and insect
s are frequent because of these actions. BBRs are sometimes considered examples of Weak artificial intelligence, although some have claimed they are models of all intelligence (Brooks 1991).
by Professor Rodney Brooks
, who with students and colleagues built a series of wheeled and legged robots utilising the subsumption architecture
. Brooks' papers, often written with lighthearted titles such as "Planning is just a way of avoiding figuring out what to do next", the anthropomorphic qualities of his robots, and the relatively low cost of developing such robots, popularized the behavior-based approach.
Brooks' work builds - whether by accident or not - on two prior milestones in the behavior-based approach. In the 1950s, W. Grey Walter
, an English scientist with a background in neurological
research, built a pair of vacuum tube
-based robots that were exhibited at the 1951 Festival of Britain
, and which have simple but effective behavior-based control systems.
The second milestone is Valentino Braitenberg's
1984 book, "Vehicles - Experiments in Synthetic Psychology" (MIT Press). He describes a series of thought experiments demonstrating how simply wired sensor/motor connections can result in some complex-appearing behaviors such as fear and love.
Later work in BBR is from the BEAM robotics
community, which has built upon the work of Mark Tilden
. Tilden was inspired by the reduction in the computational power needed for walking mechanisms from Brooks' experiments (which used one microcontroller
for each leg), and further reduced the computational requirements to that of logic
chips, transistor
-based electronics
, and analog circuit
design.
A different direction of development includes extensions of behavior-based robotics to multi-robot teams. The focus in this work is
on developing simple generic mechanisms that result in coordinated group behavior, either implicitly or explicitly.
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
that incorporates modular or behavior based AI (BBAI).
How they work
Most behavior-based systems are also reactiveReactive planning
In artificial intelligence, reactive planning denotes a group of techniques for action selection by autonomous agents. These techniques differ from classical planning in two aspects. First, they operate in a timely fashion and hence can cope with highly dynamic and unpredictable environments....
, which means they use relatively little internal variable state
Variable (programming)
In computer programming, a variable is a symbolic name given to some known or unknown quantity or information, for the purpose of allowing the name to be used independently of the information it represents...
to model the environment. For instance, there is no programming in the robot of what a chair looks like, or what kind of surface the robot is moving on - all the information is gleaned from the input of the robot's sensors. The robot uses that information to react to the changes in its environment.
Behavior-based robots (BBR) usually show more biological-appearing actions than their computing
Computing
Computing is usually defined as the activity of using and improving computer hardware and software. It is the computer-specific part of information technology...
-intensive counterparts, which are very deliberate in their actions. A BBR often makes mistakes, repeats actions, and appears confused, but can also show the anthropomorphic quality of tenacity. Comparisons between BBRs and insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s are frequent because of these actions. BBRs are sometimes considered examples of Weak artificial intelligence, although some have claimed they are models of all intelligence (Brooks 1991).
History
The school of behavior-based robots owes much to work undertaken in the 1980s at the Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
by Professor Rodney Brooks
Rodney Brooks
Rodney Allen Brooks is the former Panasonic professor of robotics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since 1986 he has authored a series of highly influential papers which have inaugurated a fundamental shift in artificial intelligence research...
, who with students and colleagues built a series of wheeled and legged robots utilising the subsumption architecture
Subsumption architecture
Subsumption architecture is a reactive robot architecture heavily associated with behavior-based robotics. The term was introduced by Rodney Brooks and colleagues in 1986...
. Brooks' papers, often written with lighthearted titles such as "Planning is just a way of avoiding figuring out what to do next", the anthropomorphic qualities of his robots, and the relatively low cost of developing such robots, popularized the behavior-based approach.
Brooks' work builds - whether by accident or not - on two prior milestones in the behavior-based approach. In the 1950s, W. Grey Walter
William Grey Walter
W. Grey Walter was a neurophysiologist and robotician.-Overview:Walter was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1910. His ancestry was German/British on his father's side, and American/British on his mother's side. He was brought to England in 1915, and educated at Westminster School and afterwards...
, an English scientist with a background in neurological
Neurology
Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
research, built a pair of vacuum tube
Vacuum tube
In electronics, a vacuum tube, electron tube , or thermionic valve , reduced to simply "tube" or "valve" in everyday parlance, is a device that relies on the flow of electric current through a vacuum...
-based robots that were exhibited at the 1951 Festival of Britain
Festival of Britain
The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition in Britain in the summer of 1951. It was organised by the government to give Britons a feeling of recovery in the aftermath of war and to promote good quality design in the rebuilding of British towns and cities. The Festival's centrepiece was in...
, and which have simple but effective behavior-based control systems.
The second milestone is Valentino Braitenberg's
Valentino Braitenberg
Valentino Braitenberg is an Italian neuroscientist and cyberneticist...
1984 book, "Vehicles - Experiments in Synthetic Psychology" (MIT Press). He describes a series of thought experiments demonstrating how simply wired sensor/motor connections can result in some complex-appearing behaviors such as fear and love.
Later work in BBR is from the BEAM robotics
BEAM robotics
The word "beam" in BEAM robotics is an acronym for Biology, Electronics, Aesthetics, and Mechanics. This is a term that refers to a style of robotics...
community, which has built upon the work of Mark Tilden
Mark Tilden
Mark W. Tilden is perhaps best known for his invention of BEAM robotics and the WowWee Robosapien humanoid robot. He is a robotics physicist who produces complex robotic movements from simple analog logic circuits, often with discrete electronic components, and usually without a...
. Tilden was inspired by the reduction in the computational power needed for walking mechanisms from Brooks' experiments (which used one microcontroller
Microcontroller
A microcontroller is a small computer on a single integrated circuit containing a processor core, memory, and programmable input/output peripherals. Program memory in the form of NOR flash or OTP ROM is also often included on chip, as well as a typically small amount of RAM...
for each leg), and further reduced the computational requirements to that of logic
Logic
In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
chips, transistor
Transistor
A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power. It is composed of a semiconductor material with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's terminals changes the current...
-based electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
, and analog circuit
Electrical network
An electrical network is an interconnection of electrical elements such as resistors, inductors, capacitors, transmission lines, voltage sources, current sources and switches. An electrical circuit is a special type of network, one that has a closed loop giving a return path for the current...
design.
A different direction of development includes extensions of behavior-based robotics to multi-robot teams. The focus in this work is
on developing simple generic mechanisms that result in coordinated group behavior, either implicitly or explicitly.
See also
- Embodied cognitive scienceEmbodied cognitive scienceEmbodied Cognitive Science is an interdisciplinary field of research, the aim of which is to explain the mechanisms underlying intelligent behavior...
- Reactive planningReactive planningIn artificial intelligence, reactive planning denotes a group of techniques for action selection by autonomous agents. These techniques differ from classical planning in two aspects. First, they operate in a timely fashion and hence can cope with highly dynamic and unpredictable environments....
- Luc SteelsLuc SteelsLuc Steels is a Belgian scientist, and Director of the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He is also heading the Sony Computer Science Laboratory in Paris. Steels, along with Rodney Brooks , was one of the initiators of the behaviour-based robotics approach to...
- Subsumption architectureSubsumption architectureSubsumption architecture is a reactive robot architecture heavily associated with behavior-based robotics. The term was introduced by Rodney Brooks and colleagues in 1986...
- Hierarchical control systemHierarchical control systemA Hierarchical control system is a form of Control System in which a set of devices and governing software is arranged in a hierarchical tree. When the links in the tree are implemented by a computer network, then that hierarchical control system is also a form of Networked control system.-...
External links
- Behavior based robotics, Idaho National Laboratory
- Behaviour Based Robotics & Deliberative Robotics, Tamie Salters Homepage
- Skilligent Robot Learning and Behavior Coordination System (commercial product)
- TAO (Think As One)-- Behavior Based Architecture for multi (and single) robots (commercial product)
- Behavior for BEAM robots (on the BEAM Wiki)