Page 6 - Modern Robotics Building Versatile Macines

Designing Space Robots 68
Connections: Why Aren’t They Here? 70
Missions to Mars 71
Mariner 9 71
Managing Risk 72
Trends: Milestones in NASA’s Mars Exploration 73
Better, Faster, Cheaper 75
Robots and Rovers 76
Sojourner’s Truth 77
Issues: Should We Send People or Robots
to Explore the Universe? 80
Forging a New Career 81
Chronology 82
Further Reading 83

6 THOUGHTFUL ROBOTS: RODNEY BROOKS AND COG 85
A Passion for Computers 85
Studying Artificial Intelligence 86
The Challenge of Vision 87
A “Brainless” Robot 88
Parallels: Artificial Life and Artificial Intelligence 90
Robot Insects 92
Humanoid Robots 93
Cog 96
Practical Robotics 97
What Distinguishes Life? 98
Chronology 100
Further Reading 101

7 ROBOT AMBASSADOR: MASATO HIROSE AND ASIMO 103
From Motorcycles to Robotics 103
Learning to Walk 104
Asimo Debuts 106
Other Scientists: Sony’s Robot Researchers 108
Robotic Ambassador 110
Future Helpers 111
Other Approaches 111
Issues: Robots and Religion 112
Chronology 113
Further Reading 114