ANIMAL BEHAVIORS IN ROBOTS

Andrew M. Andieri E-Mail: andieriam@yahoo.com

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 INTRODUCTION
Much of the research in robot design is focused not on industrial
tasks, but on investigations into new types of robots.
All newly designed robots are of the artificial intelligence (AI).
AI includes learning, reasoning, problem solving, knowledge
representation, and computer vision.
Scientists believe the fundamental building block of natural
intelligence is a behavior.
A behavior leads to performance of task or activity.
Activity includes walking, crawling like an insect, climbing like a
gecko and swimming like a fish.
For a robot to behave like an animal there is need for a very precise
control.
This paper will attempt to show some animal behavior that can be
simulated by a robot, expound on perception which is fulfilled by
use of sensors, define a processing unit and propose a typical
animal behaving robot for development.
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 ANIMAL BEAHAVIORS
A behavior is a mapping of sensory inputs to a pattern of
motor actions which are then used to achieve a task. For
example if a horse sees a predator, it flattens its ears,
lowers its head and paws the ground. The defensive
motions make up a pattern because the actions and
sequence is always the same, regardless of details which
Vary each episode. This is shown in the figure:

Figure: Graphical definition of a behavior

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 Intro contd

Behavior can be divided into three broad categories.

REFLEXINE BEHAVIOR: are stimulus response (S-R) such as when
your knee is tapped, it jerks upward.
REACTIVE BEHAVIOR: Reactive behavior are learned, and then
consolidated to where they can be executed without conscious
thought e.g. riding a bicycle on a very narrow bridge.
CONSCIOUS BEHAVIOR: Conscious behaviors are deliberative e.g.
assembling a robot.

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 ANIMAL BEHAVIOR APPLICATIONS
1. MOSQUITO
Suppose a designer is interested in building a robot to
search for survivors trapped in a building after it has
collapsed. He might consider animals which seek out
humans. A good example is a mosquito. It uses human
heat to search for a living human. The mosquito finds
human by homing on the heat of a human (or any warm
Blooded animal). If the mosquito senses a hot area, it
flies towards it. The roboticist can model this process as:
Input = thermal image
Output =steering command

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 2. WASPS
A female digger wasp mates with a male, then builds a
nest. Once it sees the nest, it lays eggs. The sequence is
logical, but the important point is the role of stimulus in
triggering the next step. The eggs arent laid until the nest
is built; the nest is a visual stimulus releasing the next step.
The wasp doesnt have to know or understand the
sequence. Each step is triggered by the combination of
internal state and the environment. This is similar to finite
state machines in computer science programming.

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 COORDINATION AND CONTROL OF BEHAVIORS
Lorenz and Tim Bergen attempted to clarify their work on how
behavior are coordinated and controlled giving it a special name
innate releasing mechanism (IRM). An IRM presupposes that
there is a specific stimulus, (either internal or external) which
releases, or triggers, the stereotypical pattern of action. Releaser acts
as a control signal.

Figure: Innate Releasing Mechanism as a process with behavior

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 PERCEPTION IN BEHAVIOURS

The action-perception illustrates that perception is

fundamental to any intelligent agent.

Fig. 4 Action perception Cycle

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For a robotics, the sensor is the most important element in
the perception of the environment. The model is shown in
the figure (Sensing Model):

Figure 5: A model of sensing

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 INTELLIGENT SENSORS USED IN ROBOTICS
Light Transducers: converts Electromagnetic Energy to
Electrical Energy by absorption.
Optical Array Transducers: are used in Robotic Systems
and these are made up of a number of photosensitive
elements known as Photosets.
Proximity Switch called Eddy Current Killed Oscillator
or ECKO i.e. indicative proximity switch detects the
presence or absence of a target; Hall Effect sensor
determines if a door is open or closed; capacitive
proximity switch detects the presence of materials
such as plastic, wood, cardboard, paper and non
ferrous metals such as aluminum.
Fibre Optic Sensor Used for sensing temperature and
pressure.

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 MICROCONTROLLERS
A microprocessor is a central processing unit (CPU) on a single chip.
The micro controller performs the following functions: Provide
motion control signals for the manipulator unit (also known as
signal processing); Provide storage for programmed events;
Interprete input/output signals, including operator instructions.

WALKING INSECT: The department of Electrical and

Communication Engineering, Production Engineering and
Computer Science are preparing to design, construct and
implement a walking insects robot as shown in the figure.

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 The Walking Insect
Grabber Arms

Laser Range Finder

Colour Sensors

Touch
Sensors Accelerometer (for
orientation)

3600 swivel
Neck

Bend Limbs
Sensors Motion Sensors tell
the wheel position
Rubber Pads for
walking friction

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 Conclusion

In the academic year 2009/2010, Projects were micro controller

based. The departments are designed and developed. MFADHILI
robot nick-named MMUST Chonjo Chonjo Robot. This robot was
presented in the National Robot contest whose theme was
ROBOTICS FOR ENHANCING ACCESS TO A HEALTHY DIET. It won a
Dr. Makino Memorial Trophy.
With such experience, it is hoped that this University will join the
rest of the world in the development of robotics with animal
behaviors.

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 THE END
MAY GOD BLESS US
WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
TO DESIGN & BUILD
BEHAVIORAL ROBOTS
TO SOLVE MANS
PROBLEMS

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