Intelligent robots will be part of our daily lives, as many businesses and nations are gearing towards automation to generate revenue, save lives and enhance their competitive edge. Their application range is almost unlimited, be it to improve factory production and logistical operations; to reduce/eliminate the amount of human involvement in transportation, to help housewives in their domestic work, to enhance security measures, to aid surgeons in the operation room, to increase entertainment options such as Robot Wrestling and Soccer, to aid in hotel room services and more. This session will give a summary of current interesting applications, futuristic applications that has not been widely adopted yet and relevant state-of-the-art technologies, ending off with a short demonstration on autonomous robots (particularly the TurtleBot3).

1. Live, Work, Play with
Intelligent Robots
Nicholas Ho, NUS ISS
11 August 2020
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2. About Nicholas Ho
• nicholas.ho@nus.edu.sg
• Lecturer at NUS ISS; Courses covered include:
Robotic Systems
Autonomous Robots and Vehicles
Human-Robot System Engineering
• BEng and PhD degree from School of Mechanical
Engineering, NUS
• Specialized in architecture, design & development
Artificial Intelligence
Augmented/Virtual Reality
Internet-of-Things (IoT) & Cyber-Physical System (CPS)
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3. Contents
• Introduction
• Current Interesting Applications
• Futuristic Applications
• Relevant State-of-The-Art Technologies
• TurtleBot3 (TB3) & Open Manipulator-X (OM)
• Virtual Demonstration on Autonomous Robots
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4. Introduction
This section will enable you to understand what is an intelligent robot based on
technical definitions and the various classifications of robots
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5. Intelligent Robot
Is the “intelligent” word
here redundant???
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6. Machines vs Robots
Machines Robots
Intelligence
NO or minimal involvement of
software
Software required to help
robots to “think”
NO involvement of AI
Presence of AI that enables
robots to learn and adapt
NO or low level of autonomy Higher level of autonomy
Perception/Knowledge
Sensory system NOT necessary
or at bare minimum
Sensory system necessary
Versatility
Only can perform one or at most
a few tasks
Programmed to perform a
larger variety of tasks
Preliminary Work
Require LESS design &
development work
Require MORE design &
development work
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7. Robots Classified by Locomotion
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Two basic ways of using
effectors:
1. to move the robot around 
locomotion
2. to move other object around 
manipulation
These divide robotics into two
mostly separate categories:
1. mobile robotics
2. manipulator robotics

8. Robots Classified by Level of Autonomy
Type
Least Autonomous Non-programme
Programmable
Adaptive
Most Autonomous Intelligent
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9. 6 Levels of Autonomous Driving
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10. Current Interesting Applications
This section will enable you to get exposed to current interesting applications within
the “Live”, “Work”, “Play” realms
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11. “Live”, “Work”, “Play” Realms (Current)
“Live” “Work” “Play”
Changi Airport’s
Avidbots Neo
Singapore Hotel Jen’s
Jeno and Jena
ITRI (Taiwan)’s Chess-
Playing Robot
Xiaomi Mi Robot
Boston Dynamics Pick
System (used to be
Kinema Pick)
RoboCup Competition
L2/L3 Self-driving cars Humanoid NAO Robot Sony Aibo Robot Dog
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12. “Live” Example: Changi Airport’s Avidbots Neo
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13. “Live” Example: Xiaomi Mi Robot
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14. “Live” Example: L3/L4 Self-driving cars
Source:
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=x4jg4E7LrZE
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15. “Work” Example: Hotel Jen’s Jeno and Jena
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16. “Work” Example: Boston Dynamics Pick System
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17. “Work” Example: Humanoid NAO Robot
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18. “Play” Example: ITRI’s Chess-Playing Robot
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19. “Play” Example: RoboCup Competition
Source:
https://youtu.be
/_PC-V5GJP6Q
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20. “Play” Example: Sony Aibo Robot Dog
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21. Futuristic Applications
This section will enable you to get exposed to futuristic applications within the “Live”,
“Work”, “Play” realms
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22. #ISSLearningFest

23. “Live”, “Work”, “Play” Realms (Future)
“Live” “Work” “Play”
Domestic Helper Labourer Musical Band
Health Care and Social
Companion
Chef Dance Troupe
L5 Self-driving cars Surgeon Robot Wrestling
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24. “Live” Example: L5 Self-Driving Car (Black Mirror)
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25. “Work” Example: Labourer
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26. “Play” Example: Robot Wrestling (Real Steel)
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27. Relevant State-of-The-Art Technologies
This section will enable you to have an overview of several technologies that are
essential within intelligent robots
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28. LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)
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29. Machine Vision Tech: Driving in Adverse Weather
(Tesla Autopilot Example)
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30. Brain-Controlled Robots (MIT CSAIL)
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31. Robot Operating System (ROS)
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Potential for ROS to
become an industry
standard for robotics
middleware, especially
in Singapore

32. Robot Operating System (ROS)
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What is ROS?
• An open-source system for
configuring robots
• ROS is NOT a conventional OS;
to be accurate, ROS is a meta-
operating system that runs on
existing OS (confusion with
conventional OS)
• A robot software platform that
provides various development
environments specialized for
developing robot application
programs

33. TurtleBot3 (TB3) &
Open Manipulator-X (OM)
This section will introduce to you some examples of ROS-based robots that can be
potentially configured into intelligent, autonomous robots
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34. TurtleBot3 Variations
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Discontinued!

35. Introducing TurtleBot3
• A ROS standard platform robot
• Small, affordable, programmable mobile robot
• Core technology is SLAM (simultaneous localization and
mapping), Navigation and Manipulation
• Able to configure high levels of autonomy
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36. TurtleBot3 Waffle Pi
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37. Robotic Arm – OpenManipulator-X
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• ROS-enabled
• Compatible with TB3
• 5 DOF
• 500g Payload

38. TurtleBot3 with
OpenManipulator-X
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39. Live Virtual Demonstration on
Autonomous Robots
This section will include a recorded physical demonstration and also a live virtual
demonstration of various autonomous robot applications (based on the
aforementioned TB3) using ROS configurations
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40. Physical DEMO of TB3 (Recorded)
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41. Physical DEMO of OM (Recorded)
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42. Live Virtual Demonstration
1. Autonomous Exploring and SLAM using TB3
2. Autonomous Navigation of TB3 using RViz
3. Navigating TB3 through the Dark
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43. Thank You!
nicholas.ho@nus.edu.sg
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