Agents
- Anything that can be viewed as perceiving its environment through sensors and acting upon that environment through actuators.
- Agents are entities capable of perceiving their environment using sensors and taking actions within that environment using actuators.
SENSORS
Sensors in a Car: Modern cars are equipped with a wide range of sensors that gather data from the vehicle’s surroundings and internal systems. These sensors provide crucial information to the car’s AI system, enabling it to make informed decisions. Here are some examples of sensors in a car:
- Camera Sensors: Cameras placed around the car provide visual data, enabling features like lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic parking.
- Radar Sensors: Radar sensors detect the distance and speed of nearby vehicles, pedestrians, and objects. They are used for adaptive cruise control and collision avoidance systems.
- Ultrasonic Sensors: These sensors measure distances to objects around the car, helping with parking assistance and obstacle detection.
- LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging): LiDAR sensors use laser pulses to create detailed 3D maps of the environment, allowing for accurate object detection and mapping for autonomous driving.
- GPS and IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit): These sensors provide information about the car’s location, orientation, and movement.
Actuators
Actuators in a Car:
Actuators in a car are responsible for translating the decisions made by the AI system into physical actions that affect the car’s movement and behavior. Here are some examples of actuators in a car:
- Electric Motors: Electric motors control various functions, including powering the wheels (in electric or hybrid vehicles), adjusting side mirrors, and controlling the steering column.
- Brake Actuators: Actuators control the application of the brakes, which can range from traditional hydraulic brakes to modern regenerative braking systems.
- Throttle Actuators: These control the opening and closing of the throttle valve, regulating the engine’s power output.
- Steering Actuators: In vehicles with electric power steering, actuators assist or automate steering adjustments.
- Transmission Actuators: Actuators control the shifting of gears in automatic transmissions.
- Headlights and Signals: Actuators control the activation of headlights, turn signals, and brake lights.
In summary
Sensor: Sensor is a device which detects the change in the environment and sends the information to other electronic devices. An agent observes its environment through sensors.
- Actuators: Actuators are the component of machines that converts energy into motion. The actuators are only responsible for moving and controlling a system. An actuator can be an electric motor, gears, rails, etc.
- Effectors: Effectors are the devices which affect the environment. Effectors can be legs, wheels, arms, fingers, wings, fins, and display screen.
An agent function features
- It possesses objectives or goals.
- It utilizes sensors to perceive its environment.
- The agent takes actions on its environment through actuators or effectors.
- It implements a mapping that connects sequences of perceptions to corresponding actions.
- Any operation involving an actuator or effector is referred to as an action.
Agent Terminology
- Percept :A “percept” refers to the sensory inputs or information that an agent receives from its environment at a specific moment. It’s the data that the agent’s sensors collect, encompassing things like visual data, audio signals, touch sensations, and any other sensory input. Essentially, a percept represents the snapshot of the agent’s surroundings at any given instance.
- Percept Sequence: The “percept sequence” is the chronological collection of all the percepts an agent has ever received throughout its interaction with the environment. It captures the agent’s entire history of sensory inputs, forming a sequence that reflects how the agent’s perception has evolved over time. This sequence is crucial because it provides the context and information necessary for the agent to make informed decisions.
- Agent Behavior :An agent’s “behavior” refers to the actions and responses it exhibits in its environment based on the information it receives through its sensors. The behavior encompasses all the actions the agent takes, the decisions it makes, and the interactions it engages in with its surroundings.
- The “agent function” is the formal representation of an agent’s behavior. It defines the relationship between the agent’s percepts and the actions it chooses to execute. In essence, the agent function maps the current percept to an action or decision. The agent function encapsulates the logic, rules, strategies, or algorithms that govern the agent’s behavior.
- Agent Function and Agent Program: For artificial agents, the agent function is typically implemented through an “agent program.” The agent program is the concrete software or algorithm that embodies the agent function’s logic. It takes the agent’s current percept as input and produces an action or decision as output. The agent program essentially encapsulates the intelligence of the agent, determining how it processes information and responds to its environment.
In summary, the terms “percept,” “percept sequence,” “agent behavior,” “agent function,” and “agent program” all play critical roles in defining how an agent interacts with its environment. They describe the sensory inputs, historical context, decision-making process, and the implementation of that process in artificial agents, collectively contributing to the agent’s ability to perceive, process, and act upon its surroundings.
An agent can be: (examples of Agents)
Human Agent: A human agent refers to a human being who interacts with their environment. Humans possess sensory organs such as eyes for visual perception and ears for auditory input, which serve as sensors. Additionally, hands, legs, and vocal tract function as actuators, enabling humans to manipulate objects, move around, and communicate. Human agents rely on their senses to perceive the environment and use their limbs and voice to effect changes in the world.
Robotic Agent: A robotic agent is an autonomous machine designed to perform tasks in an environment. It’s equipped with various types of sensors to collect data from its surroundings. Cameras provide visual information, infrared range finders measure distances, and Natural Language Processing (NLP) capabilities allow the robot to interpret and respond to human speech. Actuators in robots are usually motors that enable movement, manipulation of objects, and sometimes even complex tasks. Robotic agents can operate in physically challenging or hazardous environments without direct human intervention.
Software Agent: A software agent is a program that operates in a digital environment. Sensors for software agents can include keyboard input, mouse movements, or even data read from files or network streams. These agents use these inputs to make decisions and perform actions. The outputs are usually displayed on a screen, sent over a network, or stored in files. Software agents are commonly used in automation, data analysis, and communication tasks. They operate in virtual environments and can interact with other software agents or humans through user interfaces.
Each type of agent has its own set of sensory inputs, actuators, and capabilities. While human agents have biological sensory organs, robotic agents have specialized sensors and mechanical actuators, and software agents interact with digital data. The concept of agents, regardless of their nature, is integral to the fields of artificial intelligence, robotics, and automation, as it helps us understand how systems can perceive, reason, and act in different environments.
Environment
- The space in which the agent perceives and acts upon
- The environment is the space or surroundings in which agents operate, and it’s where they perceive information and execute actions.
LET’S LOOK at VACUUM CLEANER EXAMPLE
Fron the above note identify the agent percept, ,percept sequence, environment etc.
