Give your Machines Common Sense

The ARC-110 Artificial Intelligence Embedded Controller

The ARC-110 embedable controller emulates the three levels of the human brain in real-time

· Improved Productivity

· Dramatically Increase Safety in Manufacturing

· Make Flexible Manufacturing a Reality

The Software Architecture is based on the three levels of intelligence found in the human brain

Cerebral Cortex-Physically the outer layer of the brain, which is characterized by the folds just under the skull. Functions include: Decision making, analysis, and dreaming. This is called the Goal Level in the intelligent operating system.

Limbic System-The gray matter found in the center of the brain controls human behavior such as breathing, hunger, etc. This is called Behavior Level. Real-time decisions are made and simple or complex actions are triggered.

Brain Stem-The base of the brain is connected to the spinal cord and nervous system. This level controls our critical responses and instinctive behavior giving the machine common sense. This is called Instinct Level. Motor/sensor fusion at this level allows the machine to instantly react to its environment. The Behavior and Goal levels can change the way this level reacts at any time.

Consider what happens when a person touches something hot. The nerve endings in the skin detects the heat and causes an immediate muscular response (Instinct Level). Additionally, a message (pain) is sent to the brains’ Limbic System that activates a higher level behavior or set of actions based on programmed behaviors or learned experiences. This behavior or actions pre-empt the Cerebral Cortex (Goal Level) while the behavior is executing. When the action is finished, the Cerebral Cortex (Goal Level) regains control to continue where it left off or it may decide to change strategies or goals.

Moving-Two independent DC motors are used including software that provides an advanced pulse width modulation algorithm for fine motor speed control. Speeds can be controlled from full stop to full power in one percent increments.

Touching-Two tactile sensor inputs use a simple switch closure system.

Seeing-Four independent optical sensor channels may be transmitter/receiver pairs (using Light Emitting Diodes (LED)and Photo-transistors), or arrays of sensors to cover large areas. Both visible and IR LED’s are supported. Angelus Research can provide sensors arrays six inches long which can be cascaded to cover any length or area. A single proprietary narrow beam sonar sub-system is also provided. It can be used for long range sensor scans and object detection. The sonar can detect object distances to one eight of an inch resolution. Doors can easily be seen over ten feet away using this narrow beam width sonar.

Feeling-A shunt force feedback system is used to monitor motor load. Force is measured continuously to determine the characteristics of the load on the two motors. Instinct level motor overrides are supported.

Thinking- Programs operate at the goal level and are considered the goals the device is trying to accomplish such as moving between two points. Programming at this level is greatly simplified by the operation of the Behavior and Instinct levels.

Teaching-The language used for programming is English. No prior programming experience is necessary to create new commands (words) for this robot. However, the tools used to create this easy to use and powerful language are always available to the user. The users' words become part of language. The potential for this robot is only limited by the users imagination.

Specifications

Computer

Motorola 68HC11 High Integration microcomputer

Includes operating system and language

32 Kilobytes PROM

32 Kilobytes of battery backed RAM

RS-232 Communication port

One megabit per second network port

Sensors

Four Optical Sensor ports to drive four independent collision sensors arrays

Two single phase encoder inputs

Two analog feedback inputs ( can be used for absolute position inputs)

One narrow beam sonar subsystem

Physical and Electrical

Size: 7.5 x 3.5 inches

Operating Current: 60 milliamperes

Maximum Supply Voltage: 16VDC

Minimum Supply Voltage: 8VDC

Dual Motor Drive

Dual H-Bridge driver

Continous Motor Current: 800 milliamperes

Note: can be increase to 20 amperes with HiPower Driver or custom motor drivers

can be used, consult factory.

Sonar Subsystem (optional)

Range: 20 feet

Distance accuracy: ± .125 inch

Effective beam width is 3 to 40 degrees

Beam width is software selectable

Software controlled acoustic power

Sampling rates of 10 per second for 20 foot range

Sampling rates of 20 per second for 10 foot range