Homework 1 - Deliberative Robotics Paradigm

NOTE: This assignment, like others in this class, is due at the beginning of the class period. This means that if you are even a minute late, you lose 20%. If you are worried about potentially being late, turn in your homework ahead of time. Do this by submitting them to me during office hours or by sliding it under my office door. Do not send assignments to me through email or leave them in my departmental mail box.

As discussed in class, one of the names for the deliberative paradigm is the functional modules paradigm. As this latter name implies, robot software architectures constructed using this paradigm are composed of several modules, each with a separate function. These modules are then connected together to form a complete chain from sensing on one end to acting on the other. One challenge with such an approach is interfacing one module to the next..

Given that concept, consider the Mowforth & Grant paper, which could be seen as an example of the deliberative (functional modules) paradigm.

From the system covered in the Mowforth & Grant paper, select two software components that interface with one another. For those two components:

1. list the name of each as given in the paper,
2. describe the general role that each plays in the system (whether it relates to sensing, planning, and/or acting) and on what basis you came to that conclusion,
3. describe the specific module from the functional modules described in class, if any, that each corresponds to and on what basis you came to that conclusion,
4. describe the interface between these components (that is, describe what information is passed from one to the other, in which direction, and for what purpose) and on what basis you came to that conclusion.

Turn in a typed copy of your descriptions for this assignment. In total, your descriptions should run from 1.5 to 2 pages in length (roughly 80 characters per line, 50 lines per page). This does not count any diagrams or other figures that you may choose to include which may be of any size.