Glossary N-Z

Question 1

Feedback that gets smaller in response to the input, resulting in damping.

Answer 1

Negative feedback

Question 2

Not being able to control all available degrees of freedom (DOF).

Answer 2

Non-holonomic

Question 3

Keeping track/measuring how far one has gone (from the Greek hodos meaning “journey” and metros meaning “measure”).

Answer 3

Odometry

Question 4

The process of improving a solution to a problem by finding a better one.

Answer 4

Optimization

Question 5

The process of looking for multiple solutions in order to select the best one.

Answer 5

Optimizing search

Question 6

Utilizing potential energy in the mechanics of the effector and its interaction with the environment to move the actuator, instead of using active power consumption.

Answer 6

Passive actuation

Question 7

A cell that is sensitive to the amount of light that hits it.

Answer 7

Photocell

Question 8

Elements that are sensitive to the light, such as rods and cones in the biological eye.

Answer 8

Photosensitive elements

Question 9

A basic element of the image on the camera lens, computer, or TV screen.

Answer 9

Pixel

Question 10

The light whose waves travel only in a particular direction, along a particular plane.

Answer 10

Polarized light

Question 11

A filter that lets through only the light waves with a particular direction.

Answer 11

Polarizing filter

Question 12

The area covered by the ground points of a legged object or robot.

Answer 12

Polygon of support

Question 13

The process of sensing the state of one’s own body.

Answer 13

Proprioception

Question 14

Having the learner experience the task directly, through its own sensors.

Answer 14

Putting through

Question 15

A mechanism for detecting and measuring direction of rotation.

Answer 15

Quadrature shaft encoding

Question 16

Systems that do not use any internal representations of the environment, and do not look ahead at the possible outcomes of their actions; they operate on a short time-scale and react to the current sensory information.

Answer 16

Reactive systems

Question 17

A means of controlling robots using a collection of prioritized rules, without the use of persistent state or representation.

Answer 17

Reactive control

Question 18

Robot or actuator that has more ways of control than the degrees of freedom it has to control.

Answer 18

Redundant

Question 19

The form in which information is stored or encoded in the robot.

Answer 19

Representation

Question 20

The process of separating or breaking something into its constituent parts.

Answer 20

Resolution

Question 21

The possible ways in which a body can rotate (turn).

Answer 21

Rotational DOF

Question 22

The process of dividing up or organizing the image into parts that correspond to continuous objects.

Answer 22

Segmentation

Question 23

The process of receiving information about the world through sensors.

Answer 23

Sensation/ Perception

Question 24

Combining multiple sensors to get better information about the world.

Answer 24

Sensor fusion

Question 25

Processingthatcomesbeforeanythingelsecanbedone in terms of using the data to make decisions and/or take action.

Answer 25

Sensor preprocessing

Question 26

The problem of going from the output of a sensor to an | intelligent response.

Answer 26

Signal to symbol

Question 27

To exist in a complex word and to interact with it.

Answer 27

Situated

Question 28

Abstract (not physical) computing machines with particular mathematical properties that interact with their (abstract) environments.

Answer 28

Situated automata

Question 29

Application of a mathematical procedure called convolution, which finds and eliminates isolated peaks in the signal/data.

Answer 29

Smoothing

Question 30

Ultrasound (from SOund Navigation And Ranging).

Answer 30

Sonar

Question 31

All possible values or variations of something.

Answer 31

Space

Question 32

The general problem of assigning the credit or blame to actions taken by members of a team.

Answer 32

Spatial credit assignment

Question 33

The reflection from the outer surface of the object. The sound wave that travels from the emitter bounces off multiple surfaces in the environment before returning to the detector.

Answer 33

Specular reflection

Question 34

The description of a system. A general notion from physics that is borrowed by robotics (and by computer science and AI, among other fields).

Answer 34

State

Question 35

The process of estimating the state of a system from measurements.

Answer 35

State estimation

Question 36

Consists of all possible states a system can be in.

Answer 36

State space

Question 37

Being able to stand without having to perform active control to prevent from falling over.

Answer 37

Static stability

Question 38

A robot that can walk while staying balanced at all times.

Answer 38

Statically stable walking

Question 39

A set of formal mathematical techniques from statistics and probability applied to neural networks.

Answer 39

Statistical neural networks

Question 40

The ability to use the combined points of view from the two eyes or camers to reconstruct three-dimensional solid objects and to per- ceive depth. Formally called binocular stereopsis.

Answer 40

Stereo vision

Question 41

An approach to learning in which an external teacher provides the answer or at least tells the robot what it did wrong.

Answer 41

Supervised learning

Question 42

Operated from afar (from the Greek tele meaning “far”).

Answer 42

Tele-operated

Question 43

The general problem of assigning the credit or | blame to actions taken over time.

Answer 43

Temporal credit assignment

Question 44

A sequence of data provided over time.

Answer 44

Time series

Question 45

A map represented as a collection of landmarks connected with links.

Answer 45

Topological map

Question 46

A computationally complex approach that which involves searching through all possible trajectories and evaluating them, in order to find one that will satisfy the requirements.

Answer 46

Trajectory and motion planning

Question 47

A device that transforms one form of energy into another.

Answer 47

Transducer

Question 48

``` DOF that allows the body to translate, meaning move without turning (rotation). ```

Answer 48

Translational DOF

Question 49

A statically stable gait in which three legs stay on the ground, forming a tripod, while the other three lift and move.

Answer 49

Tripod gait

Question 50

The inability to be certain, to know for sure, about the state of itself and its environment, in order to take absolutely optimal actions at all times.

Answer 50

Uncertainty

Question 51

The DOF that are not controllable.

Answer 51

Uncontrollable DOF

Question 52

A set of all possible plans for all initial states and all goals within the state space of a particular system.

Answer 52

Universal plan

Question 53

The reflex that keeps the eyes fixed while the head is moving.

Answer 53

Vestibular occular reflex (VOR)