Chapter 6:

Automated System and emerging technologies

Automated Systems
 Automated systems use sensors, a microprocessor and actuators
o Sensors detect changes in the environment and convert them into
electrical signals that can be processed by a microprocessor
o Microprocessors analyse the signals from the sensors and make
decisions based on pre-programmed logic
o Actuators receive signals from the microprocessor and perform
actions such as opening a valve or turning on a motor
 By combining sensors, microprocessors, and actuators, automated systems can be
created that respond to changes in the environment without human intervention

Here are some scenarios where automated systems are used

Scenario Advantages Disadvantages

 High initial investment

 Reduced labour costs
 Limited flexibility to changes in
 Improved efficiency and accuracy
Industry production processes
 Increased production rate
 Maintenance costs can be high

 High initial investment

 Improved safety and reliability
 May not be suitable for all
 Reduced labour costs
Transport types of transportation
 Improved fuel efficiency
 Maintenance costs can be high

 Increased efficiency in planting and  High initial investment

harvesting crops  May not be suitable for all
Agriculture  Improved crop yield and quality types of crops or terrain
 Reduced labour costs  Maintenance costs can be high

 May be affected by external

factors like interference or
 Improved accuracy in weather prediction
equipment failure
 Ability to issue warnings in a timely manner
 May not be 100% accurate all
Weather  Ability to collect large amounts of data
the time
quickly
 May require continuous
monitoring and calibration

Gaming  Improved speed and efficiency in game  May not be suitable for all
development types of games or game
 Ability to create complex and interactive development
games  May require significant
 programming expertise
 Reduced labour costs  May be affected by technical
glitches or bugs

 Improved energy efficiency  High initial investment

 Ability to program lighting to suit different  May not be suitable for all
Lighting needs types of lighting needs
 Reduced labour costs  Maintenance costs can be high

 High initial investment

 Improved speed and accuracy in data
 May not be suitable for all
collection and analysis
types of experiments
Science  Ability to carry out complex experiments
 May require significant technical
 Reduced labour costs
expertise

Worked example

A theme park has a game where a player tries to run from the start to the finish
without getting wet. The system for the game uses sensors and a microprocessor to
spray water at a player as they run past each sensor. Describe how the sensors and
the microprocessor are used in this system

[8]

 A motion sensor collects analogue data [1]

 This data is converted to digital using ADC [1]
 The sensor sends data to the microprocessor [1]
 where the data is compared to stored data [1]
 If the value is outside range water will be sprayed [1]
 A signal is sent to the actuator to spray water [1]
 If the value is within range no action is taken [1]
 This runs in a continuous loop [1]

Exam Tip

 The way marks are awarded on these questions is very similar. Make sure you relate
your answer specifically to the scenario in the question

Robotics
Robotics is an area of computer science that deals with the creation, design, and
operation of robots.

 Design and Construction:

o Robotics involves the design and construction of robots for various
applications
 o Robots are designed using a combination of mechanical, electrical, and
computer engineering
o Robotic design can be customised to meet specific needs, such as factory
automation or household tasks
 Operation:
o Once a robot is built, it needs to be programmed to carry out specific tasks
o Programming involves creating a set of instructions that tell the robot what
actions to perform in a specific sequence
o The robot's sensors are used to detect and respond to changes in its
environment
o Robots can also be operated remotely using a controller
 Examples:
o Factory equipment: Robots perform tasks such as welding, painting, and
assembling products
o Domestic robots: These are robots designed to perform household chores
such as vacuuming or mowing the lawn
o Drones: Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles that can be used for tasks
such as aerial photography, delivery, and surveillance

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

Roles
Robots can perform various tasks in different areas, such as:

 Industry
o Robots can be used in manufacturing and assembly lines to increase
productivity and accuracy
 Transport
o Robots can be used in warehouses and logistics to move
and transport goods
 Agriculture
o Robots can be used for tasks such as planting, harvesting, and spraying
crops
 Medicine
o Robots can be used in surgical procedures to increase precision and
reduce risk of errors
 Domestic
o Robots can be used for tasks such as vacuuming, lawn mowing, and
cleaning
 Entertainment
 o Robots can be used as toys or in amusement parks to provide entertainment

Advantages Disadvantages

Increased productivity: robots can work High initial investment: purchasing and setting up
continuously without breaks or fatigue robots can be expensive
Consistency and accuracy: robots can Maintenance costs: robots require regular
perform tasks with a high level of precision and maintenance and repairs, which can add to the overall
accuracy cost.
Lack of flexibility: robots are programmed for
Safety: robots can perform tasks that are
specific tasks and cannot adapt easily to new
dangerous or hazardous for humans
situations or tasks.
Cost-effective: robots can help reduce labour Unemployment: increased use of robots can lead to
costs in the long run job loss in certain industries.

AI
 Artificial Intelligence is a branch of computer science that involves creating computer
systems that can perform tasks that would normally require human intelligence
 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 superintelligence
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 to
perform any intellectual task that a human can do
o Superintelligence 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
 Collection of data and rules
o AI systems require large amounts of data to perform tasks
 o The data is processed using rules or algorithms that enable the system to
make decisions and predictions
 Ability to reason
o AI systems can use logical reasoning to evaluate information and make
decisions based on that information
 Ability to learn and adapt
o This will mean it can change its own rules and data

AI systems can be designed to learn from past experiences and adjust their
behaviour accordingly

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

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