Automated Systems
What is an Automated System?
A system that:
Operates without continuous human intervention
Uses sensors to collect data
Uses a microprocessor/controller to process data
Uses actuators to perform actions
Basic Structure (Input → Process → Output → Feedback)
1. Sensors → Detect physical changes (temperature, light, motion, etc.)
2. Controller / Microprocessor → Processes input data
3. Actuators → Carry out actions (motor, heater, alarm, etc.)
4. Feedback → System checks if desired outcome is achieved
Embedded Systems
Definition:
A computer system built into a device to perform a specific task.
Examples:
Washing machines
Traffic light systems
Microwave ovens
Engine management systems
Characteristics:
Dedicated to one task
Usually real-time
Stored program in ROM
Limited memory and processing power
Robotics
What is a Robot?
A programmable machine capable of:
Carrying out tasks automatically
Making decisions based on sensor input
Features of a Robot:
Sensors (e.g., infrared, pressure, camera)
Microprocessor
Actuators (motors, hydraulic systems)
Uses of Robots:
Manufacturing (car assembly lines)
Hazardous environments (nuclear plants)
Medical surgery
Space exploration (e.g., NASA missions)
Advantages:
Work 24/7
High precision
No fatigue
Can work in dangerous areas
Disadvantages:
Expensive to develop and maintain
Job losses
Limited to programmed tasks
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Definition:
Computer systems that simulate human intelligence.
Key Areas of AI:
Expert systems
Machine learning
Natural language processing
Computer vision
Expert Systems
Definition:
A system that emulates the decision-making ability of a human expert.
Components:
1. Knowledge Base
o Facts
o Rules (IF…THEN statements)
2. Inference Engine
o Applies rules to data
o Produces conclusions
3. User Interface
o Allows user interaction
Example Uses:
Medical diagnosis
Fault diagnosis
Financial decision-making
Advantages:
Available 24/7
Consistent decisions
Reduces human error
Disadvantages:
Expensive to create
No human intuition
Limited to stored knowledge
Machine Learning
Definition:
A type of AI where systems learn from data instead of being explicitly programmed.
How it works:
1. Large amounts of data collected
2. Algorithm identifies patterns
3. Model improves with experience
Applications:
Speech recognition
Recommendation systems
Fraud detection
Self-driving cars
Natural Language Processing (NLP)
Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a branch of AI that helps computers understand, interpret,
and generate human language (text or speech).
What it works with:
Text (emails, articles, social media posts)
Speech (voice assistants, transcriptions)
Common applications:
Chatbots & Virtual Assistants like ChatGPT and Google Assistant
Machine translation (e.g., Google Translate)
Sentiment analysis (analyzing opinions in reviews)
Text summarization
Speech recognition
Example:
When you ask a chatbot a question and it responds meaningfully, NLP is at work.
Computer Vision (CV)
Computer Vision is a field of AI that enables computers to interpret and understand visual
information from the world (images and videos).
What it works with:
Images
Videos
Live camera feeds
Common applications:
Facial recognition (e.g., Face ID)
Self-driving cars (e.g., Tesla, Inc. Autopilot)
Medical image analysis
Example:
When your phone recognizes your face to unlock, computer vision is being used.
Key Differences
Feature NLP Computer Vision
Data Type Text & Speech Images & Videos
Understand human
Goal Understand visual data
language
Face recognition, object
Example Chatbots, translation
detection
NLP
Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a branch of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that
allows computers to understand, interpret and respond to human language
(spoken or written).It enables computers to communicate with humans in a
natural way.
Examples of NLP Applications
Chatbots (e.g. ChatGPT)
Voice assistants (e.g. Siri, Alexa)
Translation tools (e.g. Google Translate)
Speech-to-text systems
Email spam filters
Autocomplete / predictive text
Advantages of NLP
✔ Speeds up communication
✔ 24/7 customer service
✔ Helps people with disabilities (voice typing)
✔ Can analyse large amounts of text quickly
Disadvantages of NLP
✖ May misunderstand context
✖ Struggles with slang or accents
✖ Privacy concerns (voice recording)
✖ Can give incorrect answers
NLP vs Human Language Understanding
Computer (NLP) Human
Uses patterns and data Uses experience and emotions
May misinterpret sarcasm Understands tone & context
Needs training data Learns naturally