IGCSE CH -6 Automated Systems
Automated and Emerging
Technologies
Automated Systems
Automated Systems are a combination of software and hardware designed to
function without human intervention.
By combining sensors, microprocessors, and actuators, automated systems can
be created that respond to changes in the environment without human
intervention
Process of Automated Systems -
o Sensors take inputs, and they are sent to the microprocessor. The data is
usually analogue, so it has to go through Analogue-to-Digital Converter
(ADC)
o The microprocessor processes the data and makes the necessary
decisions based on its program
o The actions are then executed by the actuators (Motors, wheels and so
on)
Advantages and Disadvantages of Automated Systems
Advantages
Faster and Safer
Any changes can be identified quickly
Less Expensive in the long run
Higher Productivity and Efficiency
Disadvantages
Expensive to set up and maintain
Any computerized systems are prone to attacks
Over-reliance on automated systems may cause humans to lose skills
You should be able to describe the advantages and disadvantages of an automated
system used for a given scenario.
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Including scenarios from:
– industry
– transport
– agriculture
– weather
– gaming
– lighting
– science
Industry
Advantages
Reduced labour costs
Improved efficiency and accuracy
Increased production rate
Disadvantages
High initial investment
Limited flexibility to changes in production processes
Maintenance costs can be high
Transport
Advantages
Improved safety and reliability
Reduced labour costs
Improved fuel efficiency
Disadvantages
High initial investment
May not be suitable for all types of transportation
Maintenance costs can be high
Agriculture
Advantages
Increased efficiency in planting and harvesting crops
Improved crop yield and quality
Reduced labour costs
Disadvantages
High initial investment
May not be suitable for all types of crops or terrain
Maintenance costs can be high
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Weather
Advantages
Improved accuracy in weather prediction
Ability to issue warnings in a timely manner
Ability to collect large amounts of data quickly
Disadvantages
May be affected by external factors like interference or equipment failure
May not be 100% accurate all the time
May require continuous monitoring and calibration
Gaming
Advantages
Improved speed and efficiency in game development
Ability to create complex and interactive games
Reduced labour costs
Disadvantages
May not be suitable for all types of games or game development
May require significant programming expertise
May be affected by technical glitches or bugs
Lighting
Advantages
Improved energy efficiency
Ability to program lighting to suit different needs
Reduced labour costs
Disadvantages
High initial investment
May not be suitable for all types of lighting needs
Maintenance costs can be high
Science
Advantages
Improved speed and accuracy in data collection and analysis
Ability to carry out complex experiments
Reduced labour costs
Disadvantages
High initial investment
May not be suitable for all types of experiments
May require significant technical expertise
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Robotics
Robotics is the branch of computer science that combines robot design,
construction and operation.
Isaac Asimov’s Laws of Robotics -
o A robot may not injure a human through action or inaction
o A robot must obey orders given by humans unless it comes into conflict
with Law 1
o a robot must protect itself unless this conflicts with law 1.
Characteristics of a robot -
o Ability to sense their surroundings
o Have a degree of movement
o Programmable
NOTE - ROBOTS DO NOT POSSESS AI; THEY TEND TO DO REPETITIVE TASKS
RATHER THAN REQUIRING HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS
Design and Construction:
Robotics involves the design and construction of robots for various applications
Robots are designed using a combination of mechanical, electrical, and computer
engineering
Robotic design can be customised to meet specific needs, such as factory
automation or household tasks
Operation:
Once a robot is built, it needs to be programmed to carry out specific tasks
Programming involves creating a set of instructions that tell the robot what
actions to perform in a specific sequence
The robot's sensors are used to detect and respond to changes in its
environment Robots can also be operated remotely using a controller
Examples:
Factory equipment: Robots perform tasks such as welding, painting, and
assembling products
Domestic robots: These are robots designed to perform household chores
such as vacuuming or mowing the lawn
Drones: Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles that can be used for tasks such as
aerial photography, delivery, and surveillance
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Characteristics
A robot is a machine that can be programmed to carry out a range of tasks
autonomously or semi-autonomously
Robots have a mechanical structure or framework, which gives them a
physical body that can move and interact with the environment
Electrical components, such as sensors, microprocessors and actuators, allow
robots to receive information from their surroundings and respond to it
Robots are programmable, which means they can be designed to follow a set of
instructions or algorithms, allowing them to complete a variety of tasks and
respond to changing situations
Types of Robots
Independent - Have no human intervention; they can completely replace
humans
Dependent - Needs human intervention through an interface, can supplement
but can’t completely replace humans
Roles
Robots can perform various tasks in different areas, such as:
Industry
Robots can be used in manufacturing and assembly lines to increase productivity
and accuracy
Transport
Robots can be used in warehouses and logistics to move and transport goods
Agriculture
Robots can be used for tasks such as planting, harvesting, and spraying crops
Medicine
Robots can be used in surgical procedures to increase precision and reduce risk
of errors
Domestic
Robots can be used for tasks such as vacuuming, lawn mowing, and cleaning
Entertainment
Robots can be used as toys or in amusement parks to provide entertainment
Advantages
Robots can work 24/7
Robots can work in hazardous conditions
They are less expensive in the long run
They have high productivity and are more consistent
Increased productivity: robots can work continuously without breaks or
fatigue
Consistency and accuracy: robots can perform tasks with a high level of
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precision and accuracy
Safety: robots can perform tasks that are dangerous or hazardous for humans
Cost-effective: robots can help reduce labour costs in the long run
Disadvantages
Robots can find it difficult to do non-standard tasks
Robots can lead to higher unemployment
Risk of deskilling as robots replace humans in some task
Expensive to install and maintain in the short run
Robots have the risk of getting hacked.
High initial investment: purchasing and setting up robots can be expensive
Maintenance costs: robots require regular maintenance and repairs, which can
add to the overall cost.
Lack of flexibility: robots are programmed for specific tasks and cannot adapt
easily to new situations or tasks.
Unemployment: increased use of robots can lead to job loss in certain industries
Artificial Intelligence
AI is the branch of computer science that simulates intelligent human behaviour.
Types of AI -
o Narrow AI - A machine has superior performance to a human when
doing one specific task
o General AI - A machine is similar to a human when doing one specific
task
o Strong AI - Machine has superior performance to a human in many
tasks
The goal of AI is to simulate intelligent behaviour in machines, including:
o problem-solving, decision-making, natural language processing
AI is often used in areas such as:
o Robotics
o Natural language processing
o Expert systems
o Machine learning
Machine learning is a subset of AI that focuses on giving computers the ability
to learn and improve from data, without being explicitly programmed
There are different types of AI, including weak AI, strong AI, and super
intelligence
o Weak AI, also known as narrow AI, is designed to perform a specific task
or set of tasks
o Strong AI, also known as artificial general intelligence (AGI), is designed
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to perform any intellectual task that a human can do
o Super intelligence is a hypothetical AI that would surpass human
intelligence in all areas
AI has advantages such as increased efficiency, accuracy, and scalability
However, AI also has disadvantages such as the potential for job loss, biassed
decision-making ,and ethical concerns around its use.
Characteristics of AI -
o Collection of Data and Rules
AI systems require large amounts of data to perform tasks
The data is processed using rules or algorithms that enable the
system to make decisions and predictions
o Ability to Reason
AI systems can use logical reasoning to evaluate information and
make decisions based on that information
o Ability to learn and adapt
This will mean it can change its own rules and data
Components
There are two main types of AI systems:
Expert Systems:
Have a knowledge base
o A database of facts to generate rules that are used to solve problems and
make decisions
Have a rule base
o A set of rules or logic that is used to apply the knowledge in the
knowledge base to specific problems
Have an inference engine
o A program that applies the rules in the rule base to the facts in the
knowledge base to solve problems
Have an interface
o A way for users to interact with the system and provide input
AI that is developed to mimic human knowledge and experiences. They are
usually used for answering questions using knowledge and inference.
They have many applications, including chatbots, diagnosis in the medical
industry, financial calculations and so on
Advantages
High level of Expertise
High Accuracy and Consistent
High response times
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Disadvantages
Setup and Maintenance costs are very high
Can only rely on the information in the system
Tend to give cold responses sometimes
Machine Learning:
The program has the ability to automatically adapt its own processes and/or
data
Uses algorithms to analyse data and identify patterns or relationships
The system can learn from the data and improve its performance over time
Can be supervised or unsupervised:
o Supervised machine learning uses labelled data to train the system
o Unsupervised machine learning uses unlabelled data
AI Machine Learning
Representation of human intelligence in Machines are trained to make decisions
machines without being programmed to
The aim is to build machines that think The aim is to make machines learn
like humans through data acquisitions
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