Page 98 - Toucpad robotics C11

∑ Example: If an autonomous vehicle in Delhi is repeatedly slowing down at a specific intersection, engineers
can use logged data and visualisation tools to see if a sensor is giving a false positive obstacle reading, or if the
perception algorithm is misinterpreting the environment.
Trial and Error: Sometimes, especially for subtle mechanical or interaction bugs, simple trial-and-error
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adjustments (e.g., tweaking a Proportional-Integral-Derivative gain, adjusting a sensor mounting angle) are part
of the debugging process.

Testing: Verifying Correct and Efficient Program Execution
Testing is the process of evaluating a robot’s performance to ensure it meets its design specifications, performs correctly
under various conditions, and operates reliably and safely. It’s about systematically validating the robot’s capabilities.
Importance of Testing
Verification: Confirms that the robot behaves as expected according to its design.
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Validation: Ensures the robot meets the user’s actual needs and solves the problem it was designed for.
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Reliability: Identifies conditions under which the robot might fail, leading to more robust designs.
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Safety: Crucial for identifying potential hazards and ensuring the robot operates without causing harm to itself, other
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equipment, or humans.
Performance Measurement: Quantifies metrics like speed, accuracy, power consumption, and operational
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endurance.
Types of Testing in Robotics
Unit Testing:
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∑ Description: Testing individual small components or functions of the robot’s software or hardware in isolation
(e.g., testing if a single motor spins correctly, if a specific sensor gives accurate readings, or if a particular software
function calculates values correctly).
∑ Purpose: To ensure that each building block works as intended before integration.
Integration Testing:
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∑ Description: Testing how different components and subsystems work together (e.g., testing if the sensor
communicates correctly with the microcontroller, and if the microcontroller can accurately control the motor
based on sensor input).
∑ Purpose: To identify issues that arise when components interact.
System Testing (End-to-End Testing):
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∑ Description: Testing the complete, integrated robot as a whole system to verify all functionalities according to the
original requirements. This might involve running the robot through its entire intended task sequence.
∑ Purpose: To ensure the entire robotic system meets all specifications.
∑ Example: For a delivery robot, system testing would involve making it autonomously navigate a test environment,
pick up a package, deliver it, and return to its charging station, mimicking a real delivery in Delhi.
Regression Testing:
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∑ Description: After fixing a bug or adding a new feature, re-running previous tests to ensure that the changes
haven’t introduced new bugs or broken existing functionalities.
∑ Purpose: To maintain code stability and prevent new errors.
Performance Testing:
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∑ Description: Measuring the robot’s speed, accuracy, power consumption, response time, and other performance
metrics under various loads and conditions.
∑ Purpose: To ensure the robot meets performance benchmarks.
Stress Testing:
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∑ Description: Testing the robot under extreme or adverse conditions (e.g., maximum load, extreme temperatures,
noisy environments, continuous operation for long durations) to find its breaking points.
∑ Purpose: To evaluate robustness and identify failure modes.

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