Unit 1: Robots as Systems

The machine in front of you is not the whole system

A robot can look like one object while actually being several systems negotiating with one another. Before worrying about code or parts, learn to trace sensing, decision, actuation, power, and human authority as separate responsibilities.

The opening question is simple enough to argue about: what separates a robot from a machine that only follows a fixed motion? The useful answer will come from architecture rather than appearance.

This course is self-paced. week-01 is an internal CourseOS route, not a calendar deadline.

Three views of the same robot

When Does a Machine Become a Robot? gives you a working definition based on observable functions.
The Sense-Decide-Act Loop turns that definition into a causal loop you can trace.
Safe Work Is Part of the Architecture adds something beginner diagrams often omit: the person, the stop condition, and the energy boundary.

By the end, the robot should look less like a gadget and more like a set of interacting responsibilities.

Keep this diagram

Build a labeled robot system map with a safe test boundary. Preserve it. Every later Unit adds another layer to this same systems dossier.

Use these terms because they help you name real boundaries: robot, system, input, controller, actuator, sensor, feedback, boundary.

Access does not determine the grade

You can complete the core reasoning with diagrams, supplied evidence, simulation, or documented observation. Powered hardware is optional and requires an approved supervised environment. A student with no robot kit should still be able to explain the architecture correctly.