Page 237 - Concise Encyclopedia of Robotics

Perpendicular Field
All passive transponders require the use of a sensor in the robot. The
sensor decodes the information in the transponder. The data can be
complex and the transponder can be tiny.In some systems,the information
can be sensed from more than a meter away.
Suppose a robot needs to choose a drill bit for a certain application,
and there are 150 bits in a tray, each containing a passive transponder
with information about its diameter, hardness, recommended operating
speeds, and its position in the tray. The robot can quickly select the best
bit, install it, and use it. When the robot is done, the bit can be put back
in its proper place.
See also BAR CODING.
PATH PLANNING
See GRAPHICAL PATH PLANNING, METRIC PATH PLANNING. and TOPOLOGICAL PATH PLANNING.
PATTERN RECOGNITION
In a robot vision system, one way to identify an object or decode data is by
shape. Bar coding is a common example. Optical scanning is another. The
machine recognizes combinations of shapes, and deduces their meanings
using a microcomputer. In smart robots, the technology of pattern recog-
nition is gaining importance.Researchers sometimes use Bongard problems
to refine pattern-recognition systems.
Imagine a personal robot that you keep around the house. It might
identify you because of combinations of features, such as your height,
hair color, eye color, voice inflections, and voice accent. Perhaps your
personal robot can instantly recognize your face, just as your friends
do. This technology exists, but it requires considerable processing
power and the cost is high. There are simpler means of identifying
people.
Suppose your robot is programmed to shake hands with anyone who
enters the house. In this way, the robot gets the fingerprints of the person.
It has a set of authorized fingerprints in storage. If anyone refuses to
shake hands, the robot can actuate a silent alarm to summon police
robots. The same thing might happen if the robot does recognize the
print of the person shaking its hand. This is a hypothetical and rather
Orwellian scenario; many people would prefer not to enter a house so
equipped. However, that fact in itself could arguably serve as a security
enhancement.
See also BONGARD PROBLEM and OPTICAL CHARACTER RECOGNITION.

PERPENDICULAR FIELD
See POTENTIAL FIELD.

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