Week 6 — AI and Robotics

How do you define AI?

Artificial Intelligence is, in essence, computer software that can carry out tasks that humans usually carry out, such as problem solving, comprehension, decision making, and so on.

Can you name at least three different sub-fields of AI?

Computer vision, robotics, NLP, deep learning, biometrics, etc...

AI has been around for about 70 years so far. Why is it booming right now?

Because only very recently did we have a breakthrough on how to do parallel-processing and converge it with neural network design.

Can you name at least three application sectors where robots are being widely employed? What are the reasons?

1. Security, as robots are very good at detecting certain behaviours. And they never sleep.
2. Factories, as robots are very good at doing repetitive tasks over and over again without getting tired.
3. Military, to reduce risk of loss of life. (Although it may actually increase it).

Can you identify three major challenges for a wheeled autonomous robot performing a 24h surveillance task in a large facility? (e.g., something like Mall of Qatar)

1. It is slow. So, for instance, if 5 robbers try to rob a store and they run, it will take a lot of time for the robot to get to them.
2. Battery levels. While robots have very long battery life, they will still need to charge eventually.
3. Sensors. The robot may not always be accurate in detecting certain obstacles in the way, for instance, hence may cause increasingly more overcrowding.