Computer Controlled Systems

On a modern production line, robot arms weld car bodies, fill thousands of cans an hour and never stop for a break. On the road, self-driving cars read their surroundings and steer themselves. None of this is magic: behind every one of these machines is the same loop of sensors, a microprocessor and actuators, working together far faster and more consistently than any human could. Understanding that loop is the key to this whole topic.

This lesson explains how a computer controlled system senses the world, decides what to do and acts on it, then keeps checking the result. You will see how robots are taught and used in manufacturing, how a bottling plant runs itself, and how autonomous vehicles work. You will also weigh the real benefits of these systems against their costs, including the impact on jobs, exactly the balanced judgement the exam rewards.