Introduction to AI Robotics

This book attempts to cover all that is needed to program an artificially intelligent robot for applications involving sensing, navigation, planning, and uncertainty. In the overview at the beginning of each chapter, the author touches upon anthropomorphic robots from classic films and science fiction stories before delving into the nuts and bolts of organizing intelligence in robots. The book is divided into two parts- part i: robotic paradigms and part ii: navigation-part i defines intelligent robots and introduces why artificial intelligence is needed. It covers the 'theory' of ai robotics, taking the reader through a historical journey from the hierarchical to the hybrid deliberative/reactive paradigm for organizing intelligence, besides focusing on reactive paradigm and behaviours, techniques for reactive behaviours, and coordination and control of teams of multi-agents. Part ii devotes three chapters to qualitative and metric navigation with path planning techniques, and work in uncertainty management. Pedagogical features such as chapter-end summaries, exercises, photographs and diagrams, and the extensive bibliography at the end of the book would considerably enhance the value of this well-researched text. Intended as a text for students of mechanical engineering, the book should also be useful to students of computer science and professionals interested in programming artificially intelligent robots for various applications.