Designing a Driving Instructor Robot Essay -- Robotics

Driver-Bot Paper Introduction/Overall Project Description The idea for the Driver-Bot came from a simple discussion about driver’s education. Driver’s training and education are big events for young adults, but sometimes learning to drive from a parent or from an online course can be too stressful. The Driver-Bot was born from a need to invent a new way to teach driving. Unlike online courses, the Driver-Bot gives a better and more realistic physical representation of driving. However, modern simulators can actually placed drivers in situations, forcing to react to virtual situations. The Driver-Bot was designed to be cheaper than these simulators. This project is just a smaller scale of the actual project idea. This primitive Driver-Bot is only able to do a few of the daily tasks that all drivers face. It can sense other cars, change lanes, turn left or right, stop, and park. With the use of electrical tape, the Driver-Bot has been programmed to react accordingly. Background Information The project is in no way the only new innovative way to teach driving, and it is not the first to use programming to drive autonomously. Today, many are taught through computers and simulators, learning to drive cars, trucks, or even tanks. Scientists and researchers are also taking technology further, programming cars to drive on their own. These cars are aptly titled â€Å"smart cars.† Modern Ways to Teach Driving The invention of the automobile brought not only an efficient way to travel but also a new set of problems in the early twentieth century. The automobile was considered to be a dangerous invention, meant for adventures not daily life. â€Å"Several California counties passed ordinances requiring motorists to pull to the s... ... Works Cited â€Å"DMV History.† 2005. Accessed July 25th, 2006 from http://www.dui.com/states/california/dui_library/dmv_history.html. â€Å"Driving Simulator.† 24 July 2006. Accessed July 24th, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_simulator. Kanellos, Michael. â€Å"Grateful for Army Robot Contest, Entrants give Tanks.† October 30, 2003. Accessed 24 July 2006 from http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9584_22-5100315.html. Leavitt, Wendy. â€Å"21st Century Driver Training.† 1 January 2006. Accessed July 24th, 2006 from http://fleetowner.com/information_technology/feature/fleet_st_century_driver/index.html . â€Å"Smart Cars.† Accessed 24 July 2006 from http://nicta.com/au/director/research/programs/asst/research_activities/smartcars.cfm. Voss, Georgina. â€Å"Smart Cars to Rule the Roads.† Accessed 24 July 2006 from http://www.upi.com/Hi-Tech/view.php?StoryID=20060712-095418-3540r.