Control Systems and Robots Lecture Notes

A set of flashcards summarizing key concepts and facts about control systems and robots from the lecture notes.

What is a control system?

A control system is a set of mechanical or electronic devices that manages, commands, directs, or regulates the operation of automated mechanisms or processes.

What are the main elements of a control system?

Sensors, controllers, and actuators.

What are sensors?

Sensors are the elements that take information from the environment such as temperature, humidity, light intensity, etc.

Describe the role of a controller in a control system.

The controller receives information from the sensor and emits a signal to the actuator based on that information.

What is an actuator?

An actuator is the element that produces an action for which it has been designed, often motors, lamps, or speakers.

What is the difference between open loop and closed loop systems?

Open loop systems operate independent of the output, while closed loop systems compare output signals to input signals to correct errors and adjust control actions.

Give an example of an open loop control system.

An example is a toaster or a washing machine running for a pre-set time, irrespective of whether the task is completed.

What does a closed loop control system do?

It regularly reads a variable (like temperature) and makes adjustments to keep the variable at a desired level.

What is a microcontroller?

A microcontroller is a programmable integrated circuit on a single chip that covers all basic functions of a computer.

What are some common types of sensors used in robotics?

Light-dependent resistors (LDR), NTC temperature sensors, ultrasonic sensors, infrared sensors, motion sensors, and limit sensors.

Explain the function of an actuator in robotics.

An actuator converts electrical energy from a microcontroller into motion, light, sound, or heat to generate an effect.

What programming environments can be used for robots?

Arduino IDE, Tinkercad, and mBlock are examples of programming environments used for robotics.

What is the function of the 'void setup()' in Arduino programming?

The 'void setup()' function runs once to configure the board's settings, such as pin modes.

What does the 'delay()' function do in Arduino programming?

The 'delay()' function introduces a pause in the program for a specified number of milliseconds.

What characterizes an Arduino board?

An Arduino board has elements like digital inputs/outputs, analog inputs, power pins, USB connectors, and a microcontroller.

Why are Arduino boards widely used in the robotics field?

They are based on free hardware, allowing easy design, fabrication, and redistribution, making them cost-effective.