69. AUTONOMOUS ROBOTS-

♤ Autonomous robots are robots that can perform desired tasks in unstructured environments without continuous human guidance. Many kinds of robots have some degree of autonomy. Different robots can be autonomous in different ways. A high degree of autonomy is particularly desirable in fields such as space exploration, cleaning floors, mowing lawns, and waste water treatment.

♤ A fully autonomous robot has the ability to

 Gain information about the environment (Rule #1)

 Work for an extended period without human intervention (Rule #2)

 Move either all or part of itself throughout its operating environment without human assistance (Rule #3)

 Avoid situations that are harmful to people, property, or itself unless those are part of its design specifications (Rule #4)

♤ An autonomous robot may also learn or gain new capabilities like adjusting strategies for accomplishing its task(s) or adapting to changing surroundings.

♤ Autonomous robots still require regular maintenance, as do other machines.