the coming tipping point in robotics

create your future www.utdallas.edu

Erik Jonsson School of Engineering Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Scienceand Computer Science

The Coming Tipping The Coming Tipping Point in RoboticsPoint in Robotics

Mark W. SpongMark W. SpongLars Magnus Ericsson Chair and DeanLars Magnus Ericsson Chair and Dean

Excellence in Education ChairExcellence in Education ChairErik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer ScienceErik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science

The University of Texas at DallasThe University of Texas at DallasRichardson, TX 75080Richardson, TX 75080



The Coming Tipping Point in The Coming Tipping Point in RoboticsRobotics

How many of you interact with a computer at How many of you interact with a computer at least once a day? least once a day?

How many of you interact with a robot at least How many of you interact with a robot at least once a day? once a day?

Over the next 25 years robots will be as Over the next 25 years robots will be as common as computers are today.common as computers are today.



What is a Tipping What is a Tipping Point?Point?

A Tipping Point refers to a A Tipping Point refers to a thresholdthreshold, a , a moment of attainment of a moment of attainment of a critical critical mass mass resulting in an irreversible and resulting in an irreversible and unstoppable unstoppable changechange..

A Tipping Point in Robotics will A Tipping Point in Robotics will result from the impact of Moore’s result from the impact of Moore’s Law on Law on Communication, Communication, Computation, Sensing, Computation, Sensing, andand Control. Control.



What is Moore’s Law?What is Moore’s Law?Moore’s Law refers to the exponential increase Moore’s Law refers to the exponential increase of computational power and exponential of computational power and exponential decrease of cost of computers over time.decrease of cost of computers over time.

time

Number of Transistors

1971 2011

Logarithmic scale

cost



The Tipping Point in ComputersThe Tipping Point in Computers•In 1971 computers were In 1971 computers were rare, large, slow, and rare, large, slow, and expensive.expensive.• People generally had to be People generally had to be isolated from computers.isolated from computers.•In 2011 computers are In 2011 computers are ubiquitous, small, fast, and ubiquitous, small, fast, and cheap.cheap.• Computers share the Computers share the same space with people.same space with people.



•The momentum started to build in the 1970’s and The momentum started to build in the 1970’s and early 1980’s (TI, Apple, IBM)early 1980’s (TI, Apple, IBM)

•The Tipping Point occurred in the 1990s (Internet, The Tipping Point occurred in the 1990s (Internet, Mosaic, Netscape, smartphones)Mosaic, Netscape, smartphones)

In effect, the computer industry capitalized on the In effect, the computer industry capitalized on the exponential changes in cost and performance exponential changes in cost and performance resulting from Moore’s Law. resulting from Moore’s Law. The same thing will happen in Robotics over the next The same thing will happen in Robotics over the next 25 years. 25 years.



Let’s Start with a Seemingly Simple Let’s Start with a Seemingly Simple QuestionQuestion

The original notion of a robot was the manipulator The original notion of a robot was the manipulator arm used in factory automation.arm used in factory automation.

What is a Robot?What is a Robot?

Cincinnati Milacron T3 Robot

Unimation `Unimate’ Robot



What is a broader notion of a robot?What is a broader notion of a robot?

Certainly, everyone Certainly, everyone would say that Gort is a would say that Gort is a

robot.robot.

Is this a robot?Is this a robot?

Remotely-Piloted Plane



What about What about this?this?

Autonomous RoverAutonomous Rover

DaVinci Surgical DaVinci Surgical SystemSystem

What about What about these?these?

Roomba Vacuum Roomba Vacuum CleanerCleaner



The Notion of What Qualifies as a Robot has Changed Greatly Over

the Years



What are the Attributes of a What are the Attributes of a Robot?Robot?

Acting Sensing

Thinking

A RobotA Robot • Gathers Information Gathers Information about its Environment - about its Environment - SensingSensing• Processes that Processes that Information to Make Information to Make Decisions - Decisions - ThinkingThinking• Performs Work on the Performs Work on the Environment – Environment – ActingActing

Environment



So, to be called a robot, an entity must• be a machine, i.e. a physical entity capable of

`doing real work’ • operate in a closed-loop fashion under computer

control transforming sensing into action

Controls

Mechanics

Sensors

Electronics

Software

A Robot is a Mechatronic System at the heart of which is Feedback Control.

Feedback Control allows:• Autonomy• Performance in

Unstructured Environments

• Learning



The Humanoid Robot is the ultimate Mechatronic System and the most like us:

• It has mechanics (hands, arms, legs)

• It has sensors (cameras, force, touch)

• It has a brain (computer) • It incorporates feedback

control (actions are based on sensed quantities)



But is the Humanoid the future of But is the Humanoid the future of Robotics?Robotics?In other words, will the future In other words, will the future bebe

or Roomba?or Roomba?Rosie?Rosie?



I would argue that a tipping point in I would argue that a tipping point in robotics will occur at the confluence of robotics will occur at the confluence of three areas:three areas:1.1. Networked Networked

RobotsRobots2.2. Human-Robot Human-Robot

InteractionInteraction3.3. TelepresenceTelepresence



Networked RoboticsNetworked RoboticsBy Networked Robots we mean a group of independent robots that can function as a single coordinated entity by communication and cooperation.

Applications include:• Surveillance• Environmental Monitoring• Health Monitoring• Cooperative Manipulation• Formations of Vehicles• Agricultural robotics



• The problem of coordination of networked robots is inspired by natural systems.

• Examples from nature include:

Flocking of Birds Schooling of Fish



Attitude Synchronization of Networked RobotsM. Fujita, Tokyo Institute of Technology

M.W. Spong, University of Texas at Dallas

This work was begun in CSL and

ITI at UIUC, supported by

Boeing, NSF, and ONR.



Human-Robot InteractionHuman-Robot InteractionThe biggest change in robotics over the past 25 years has been the nature of human-robot interaction.In the past, robots were big, dumb, and dangerous.

Humans and robots had to be physically separated by cages, pressure-sensitive mats, light curtains, and emergency stop switches.



Human-Robot InteractionHuman-Robot Interaction

Today robots are designed to work closely with people in the same space




Applications include:• Assistive robots for the elderly• Rehabilitation robots• Exercise trainer robots• Robot servants in the home• Military robots



Gretzky – The First Air Hockey Playing RobotCoordinated Science Laboratory

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1996-1999




The Results1. Spong, M.W. and Bishop, B.E., “Development of a Three Degree of Freedom Air

Hockey Playing Robot,” IEEE Intl Conference on Robotics and Automation, Video Proceedings, Segment 19, Leuven, Belgium, May 1998. [recipient of the conference best video award]

Recall that this is 1990’s technology. In particular, computation and computer vision have made significant improvements thanks, in large part, to Moore’s Law.



Human-Robot InteractionHuman-Robot InteractionBrain-Computer Interface Technology is also being developed for • Control of Prosthetics• Control of Assistive Devices• Control of Robots, Airplanes and Automobiles• Gaming

UT-Dallas/ CINVESTAV project on BCI for assistive devices



TelepresenceTelepresence

From the Greek root tele – from afar:• Television• Telecommuting• Teleconferencing• Teleoperation• Telepresence



TeleoperationTeleoperation

Teleoperation refers to controlling robots at a distance and was one of the first applications of robotics. The problem of semi-autonomous teleoperation combines networking, human-robot interaction, and telepresence.



Teleoperation of a Robot Teleoperation of a Robot FormationFormation

LARS – The Laboratory for Autonomous and Robotic SystemsThe University of Texas at Dallas



TelepresenceTelepresenceIn the future,Telerobots such as this will be your personal Avatar.

Instead of traveling to that conference in Detroit, you will log into AvatarsRUs.com and attend the conference without leaving home.

They will be widely distributed around the world and ready for hire.



TelepresenceTelepresenceThis will be a disruptive technology impacting transportation, hotels, restaurants and entertainment industries. It will also greatly increase productivity. People can attend more conferences and meetings without having to travel.



TelepresenceTelepresence



Summary

Robots will soon be• inexpensive and widely available• networked together, remotely accessible, and remotely controllable• working with people, extending the capabilities of people, entertaining people•working in hospitals, nursing homes, restaurants, shops and private homes• monitoring our health, our environment, our infrastructure, our security



Research Needs

• Object Recognition• Manual Dexterity including Haptics• Improved Brain Interfaces • Natural Language and Gesture Interfaces• Social Understanding• Cyber Security and Privacy Awareness• Modeling and Control Algorithm Development• Formal Methods of Verification



Thank You!Thank You!Questions?Questions?

the coming tipping point in robotics

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