What Makes Robots? Sensors, Actuators, and Algorithms

In Chap. 4, we discussed that programming could be thought of as input, process, and output. Sense, Think, Act is a similar paradigm used in robotics. A robot could be thought of rudimentarily as analogous to how a human or an animal responds to environmental stimuli. For example, we humans perceive the environment through the five senses (e.g. sight). We might then ‘decide’ the following action based on these incoming signals and, finally, execute the action through our limbs. For example, you might see (sense) a familiar face in the crowd and think it would be good to grab their attention and then act on this thought by waving your hand.