Actuation

Actuators are components that control the movement in an autonomous system. In many systems, actuators of various kinds are controlled to give the desired behaviour. These include electric motors of various kinds, and other means of motion such as pistons driven by compressed air.

For example, the Oxboard shown in Figure 5 has two motors. You will learn more about the Oxboard in Section 1.2.

Figure 5  The Oxboard has two motor-wheel actuators

Show description|Hide description

This is a photograph of the legs and feet of a person riding an Oxboard, showing the Oxboard in action from the front. The Oxboard has two wheels, one at either side, with each wheel connected to a small platform of appropriate size for a person’s foot. The board is narrower in the middle where the two platforms meet.

Figure 5  The Oxboard has two motor-wheel actuators