Automated and emerging technologies flashcards

Topic 6: Automated and emerging technologies

Describe how a sensor-based automated heating system works

A temperature sensor continually takes readings; an ADC converts them to digital; the microprocessor compares them with stored values; if too cold it signals an actuator to switch the heater on. This repeats continuously.

Sensor, microprocessor or actuator: which one decides what happens?

The microprocessor. A sensor only measures, and an actuator only carries out the physical action it is told to.

Give three areas where automated systems are used

Any three of: industry (production lines), transport (automatic braking, traffic lights), agriculture (greenhouses, irrigation), weather monitoring, gaming, lighting, science.

Name the electrical components of a robot

Sensors, microprocessors and actuators (such as motors). Arms, wheels and legs belong to its mechanical structure, not its electrical components.

Give two characteristics that make a machine a robot

It has a mechanical structure or framework, and it is programmable. It also has electrical components such as sensors and actuators.

Give an advantage and a disadvantage of a remotely controlled robot, with reasons

Advantage: the operator need not be near the hazard, so they are kept safe. Disadvantage: the network connection could be lost or delayed, so the robot cannot be controlled and work stops.

What do the knowledge base and the rule base of an expert system hold?

The knowledge base is a database of facts about the subject, gathered from human experts. The rule base is a set of IF ... THEN rules used to draw conclusions from those facts.

What does the inference engine do in an expert system?

It compares the user's answers with the knowledge base, applies the rules in the rule base to reach a conclusion, and decides which question to ask next.

How does machine learning differ from a system given fixed rules?

A machine-learning system improves its performance by finding patterns in the data it is trained on, rather than following only rules written by a programmer. Poor or biased data gives poor decisions.