- (here we will add some typical multiple choice tests to determine basic literacy and understanding of different topics depending on skill level and type of job)
- basic arduino knowledge hardware (identify the digital and analog ports, pwm, usb, etc)
- basic arduino software knowledge (install, load a sketch and compile it run)
- know basic robotics terms (dof, servos, actuators, explain types of robots in various industries
Job seekers may be able to display examples of robotic applications they have built or links to their sites.
Before answering the questions below you could be asked if you have ever worked with any industrial robots in a work setting and what you did with them. You would be asked what your experience has been with Arduino or Raspberry pi as it relates to robotics and what you could actually put together using a box of components in one half hour to demonstrate what you know.
For now here are some basic questions to test basic to in depth knowledge in robotics.
ROBOTICS BACKGROUND:
Define the term “robotics”.
Pick 2 names of famous people in the early days of robotics:
Tyler, Devol, Peterson, Engelburger, Bradley, Thomson
Complete the names of these well known robotics companies
Fa**c, B**t** D*n***cs, H**s** Robotics
Why do you find robotics interesting?
If you were given $100,000 to build a robot what kind would you want to build and why?
Spend a few minutes with each person and describe what you know about each of them. Elon Musk, David Hanson, Mark Tilden, Isaac Asimov,
What do you know about “soft robotics”?
How are pneumatics and hydraulics used in robotics?
ROBOTICS TERMS:
Define “DOF”
What is the term “uncanny valley”?
What makes a robot Autonomous?
What does the word “animatronics” mean?
Explain Kinematics and Inverse kinematics.
BASIC ELECTRONICS:
Define the terms volt, current, watt, amp, AC, DC, resistors
What are the main parts of a breadboard used with Arduino?
Talk about the parts of a typical Arduino Uno board.
Define these terms: capacitor, IC, microprocessor, GPU, transistor,
MOTOR BASICS:
Explain how you would decide to use an AC motor versus a DC motor in a 90 pound humanoid robot.
Explain what a stepper motor is and how it differs from a servo motor.
Explain the parts of a servo motor.
Talk about the ways you would choose a servo motor by mentioning the differences in size/torque/
Why does Tesla use AC motors in some of their cars?
Explain why servos are popular with Arduino robotics projects?
Describe what the terms brushless and brush motors mean.
Why is a motor from a refridgerator a good or a bad idea to use in a 90 pound humanoid robot?
SENSOR BASICS:
Name as many sensors used in robotics as you can.
Explain what a Lidar is.
What is an accelerometer used for?
What would you say are the 4 most important sensors to use in building an outdoor 5 pound work robot?
POWER AND BATTERIES:
Define AC and DC power and the benefits of each.
Talk about lithium batteries and why they caught fire back a few years ago and how things have improved since.
What do you know about new battery technologies like solid state?
Could you explain how an older car battery works with the plates and the electrolyte etc?
How would you prevent an enclosed humanoid lipo powered 90 pound robot from overheating?
PROGRAMMING:
Name some of the most popular languages used in modern robotics?
What is an object oriented language?
What is the benefit of using the language P*t*on. (fill in the missing letters)
Describe the term “open source” and why it is so popular in the robotics field.
Describe how “github” is used.
Describe what you know about Unix and Linux.
Describe what arrays are talk about matrixes.
Talk about IOT and the benefits and the downsides.
Explain how the cloud is used in robotics projects and what to be concerned with.
Talk about ROS.
Write a few lines to show what the start of a C program could look like.
Describe how you would set up a brand new Arduino board onto a new computer and attach it to a simple breadboard with any needed components including the wires/battery/LED light etc and load the sketch to make an LED blink.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE:
Explain how machine learning and deep learning relates to artificial intelligence.
Name 3 branches of mathematics which are important in AI.
What is OpenCV, Tensor flo,
Explain terms like vectors, matrix,
Why are massive amounts of data important in AI?
Define Jacobian math.
What do you know about GAN?
Describe how AI could benefit mankind and be used to its detriment.
ROBOT BUILDING:
Describe in 5 minutes how you would build a $200 or less mobile land robot to navigate a flat surface 20×20 foot room and pick up 5 small 5 ounce each boxes using basic parts including (arduino board, any sensors you want, any motors you want, a pre-assembled moving frame with wheels, axles etc
Describe how you would convert a solid foam mannequin head with neck on a stand into a $300 realistic semi-autonomous moving robot head with ….moving eyes and lids, moving mouth and side to side neck with basic vision sensing and object recognition and basic speech recognition and mouth movements matching the speech.
Describe a 5 pound battle bot you could build for under $200 and how you would equip it to fight other unknown types of battle bots including those who may use fire, water, impact blows and hardening spray foam.