Cybernetics will drive the future of robotics – Times of India

The desire for gadgets or machines that can keep up with the challenges of todays world and increasingly function in simpler and smarter ways is evident. Automation and autonomy have enabled this by producing and delivering products and services that require the least amount of human intervention, making certain jobs easier than ever before even when information is incomplete and uncertain. The emergence of new service robots and their ongoing evolution into new applications has further facilitated the world of automation. Due to the dynamic nature of robotics, numerous application sectors are now using robotics to carry out predetermined tasks and enhance human efforts in both physical and cognitive ways. Robotics has fuelled task efficiency, dependability, and quality, all of which were earlier, products of a laborious procedure. Being a crucial component of automation, robotics is currently used in an ever-growing variety of fields, including manufacturing, transportation, healthcare & medical care, utilities, defence, facilities, operations, and more recently, information technology. According to reports, the Indian industrial robotics market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.3% between 2019-2024. With its growing industry applications and productivity benefits, the study of cybernetics is likely to be a vital element in the advancement of robotics.

What is Cybernetics and what makes it different from Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

Cybernetics is a branch of science that focuses on creating technologies that behave or think like humans by researching how electrical devices or machines and the human brain function to add value to the task to be performed. Cybernetics, one of the best workaround physical embodiment of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and predictive analysis and control, investigate underlying systems/structures, possibilities, and limitations of complex mechanisms, including robotics, and develops autonomous innovations that require minimal to no human interaction. AI and cybernetics are two different perspectives on intelligent systems or systems that may act to achieve a purpose. Making computers simulate intelligent behaviour using pre-stored world representations is the main goal of AI. In general, cybernetics is the study of how systems control themselves and can take actions autonomously based on environmental signals even when the information is minimal and subject to significant uncertainty or noise. These systems go beyond simple computation; they can also control biological (body temperature regulation), mechanical (engine speed regulation), social (managing a huge workforce), and economic (controlling a national economy) systems.

How does Cybernetics work?

Every cybernetic systems objective is to be set up so that its operations are linked in a variety of input-output system configurations which are normally driven with reference control signasl. This is achieved by employing feedback-based automatic closed-loop control systems can decide which behaviours should be changed, which actions should be tracked, how to compare the actions to the reference, and how to adapt the relevant behaviours in the most effective way. In natural cybernetic systems, this regulatory mechanism develops or organises by itself via self-learning. On the other hand, artificial cybernetic systems react or are influenced by human-implemented automatic control systems. Essential elements of cybernetic systems are sensors, the controller, actuators and the system to be controlled.

Cybernetic systems, both natural and artificial, are subject to the controller, which must possess all of the capabilities necessary for its functions to analyse and model the static and dynamic characteristics so it can understood and properly classified so that a appropriate controller can be developed. The system starts to act in a goal-oriented way once the model and controller are coupled. The process can adapt to changing situations where the model and controller changes to stay tuned to the changing system. A good example to consider is an auto-pilot for an aeroplane whose weight is changing due to the on-board feul being consumed causing the plans behaviour to change. In addition, the objective is to maintain all essential system properties in agreement with the reference input regardless ofsystem disturbances which could be severe gusts of wind or storms. The controller must be able to operate the system appropriately and change the relevant variables in order to maintain good and safe performances.

When the regulatory structure of the system notices an abnormality in its behaviour, it makes an effort to correct it by analysing the differences between its desired goal and the actual behaviour to alter controlling inputs to gthe system to make up for the discrepancies. This process of error discovery and correction is repeated as the now purposeful system starts to make advances toward achieving its goal.

Cybernetics in robotics

Cybernetics in robotics aims to use AI and machine learning in the sense-plan-act paradigm normally used to design robots so they can operate effectively in real-world scenarios. Getting a robot to understand and differentiate complex situations in everyday is extremely demanding and getting the situation awareness correctly identified is critical to ensuring the desired reference control signal can be identified for implementation. This can range from making sure an industrial robot identifies and picks up the correct item for the next stage of the manufacturing process from a selection of parts to ensuring the requests of the human to be served a variety of beverages will get the correct drink. Sensors and sensor systems which are correctly calibrated are essential for ensuring the situation awareness is achieved correctly and in real-time using AI-based models which can be learnt and applied in various situations such as driverless cars, medical robots, automated manufacturing and home care robots.

As per MarketStudy Oct. 2021 report, the industrial robotics market is expected to grow to $87.79 billion at a CAGR of 10.35%. Similarly the service and medical robotics sectors are expected to grow at fast rates.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

END OF ARTICLE

More here:

Cybernetics will drive the future of robotics - Times of India