Page 90 - Toucpad robotics C11

Block Diagram Representation
Let’s visualise these components in a simplified block diagram (imagine drawing boxes connected by lines):

Servo motor 2
(joint 2) Power supply

Servo motor 3 DC Motor driver
(joint 3)
Embedded
controller DC Motor 1
Servo motor 4 (joint 1)
(joint 4)

Companion Bi-phase
Servo motor 5 computer
(gripper) encoder

Key Differences in Application

Microcontrollers
Purpose: Best suited for dedicated, real-time control tasks that are repetitive and require precise timing.
u
Operating System: Usually run simple “bare-metal” code (no operating system) or a very lightweight Real-Time
u
Operating System.

u Power Consumption: Very low.
Complexity: Simpler to program for specific tasks, but harder for complex software.
u
Example Applications: Controlling a robot arm’s joint angles, managing the movement of a robotic vacuum cleaner,
u
controlling Light Emitting Diode displays, reading basic sensor data.
Single Board Computers
Purpose: Used when a robot needs more ‘intelligence’, such as running complex Artificial Intelligence algorithms,
u
processing large amounts of sensor data (like high-resolution camera feeds), or needing to communicate over
networks.
Operating System: Typically run a full-fledged operating system (like different versions of Linux).
u
u Power Consumption: Higher than microcontrollers.
Complexity: More complex to set up initially (like setting up a computer), but easier for software development due
u
to rich libraries and development environments.
Example Applications: The main brain of a self-driving car (processing camera and LIDAR data, running navigation
u
AI), controlling a humanoid robot that needs to understand speech, sophisticated drones performing complex
mapping, a robot needing internet connectivity.
In conclusion, the architecture of microcontrollers and single board computers forms the very foundation of robotic
intelligence. By understanding how their Central Processing Units, various types of memory, and diverse Input/Output
peripherals work together, along with their distinct roles, we can appreciate how these compact ‘brains’ enable robots
to perceive, process, decide, and act, bringing smart automation to life in our world, from simple gadgets to complex
autonomous systems in places like Delhi.

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