The Need for a Systemic Approach to Specifying a Robotics Tutorial
J. El KHAKDI, H. WERTANI, L. BOUSLIMI, J. BEN SALEM, M.N. LAKHOUA
Research Laboratory Smart Electricity & ICT, SEICT,
LR18ES44 National Engineering School of Carthage,
University of Carthage,
TUNISIA
Abstract: - The objective of this paper is to underscore the advantages of employing tutorials for teaching
robotics, along with addressing the primary challenges faced by students at the National Engineering School
of Carthage. The study was conducted with students enrolled in the “Automation, Robotics and Information
Processing” master's program and could potentially be extended to other higher education institutions in
Tunisia. The core of this pedagogical approach involves specifying the components of various tutorials to be
made accessible to students using a systemic OOPP (oriented objectives project planning) method. This
instructional method, fostering student accountability for their learning, has emerged as a cornerstone in the
evolution of engineering education.
Key-Words: - Tutorials, robotics, systemics, OOPP method, control, planning.
Received: March 16, 2024. Revised: October 9, 2024. Accepted: November 5, 2024. Published: December 5, 2024.
1 Introduction
Today, tutorial design is seen as the creative search
for a solution to a problem. It must follow certain
predefined and essential stages, which are, [1]:
The choice of subject and programming
language, which forms the starting point.
Definition of the tutorial's operational
objectives.
Planning the tutorial.
Programming and testing the tutorial.
The specification of a real-time system involves
taking into account two essential characteristics: the
temporal evolution of the system's components and
the interaction between the system and its
environment, [2]. The complexity of the
relationships between a system and its environment
is particularly true in the field of real-time process
control, [3].
Techniques for specifying real-time systems
include, [4]:
Analysis methods to systematize and
channel the various perceptions of
requirements (SA, SADT, SA-RT, OOPP,
etc.);
Specification languages with well-defined
syntax and semantics (Petri nets, Grafcet,
etc.);
Simulation languages used to implement
modeling tools (Arena, SIMAN, SLAM,
CADENCE, etc.).
This paper aims to show the interest of software
for learning robotics.
2 Presentation of the Robotics
Robotics is the branch of artificial intelligence
concerned with the study of automatic systems
capable of direct interaction with the physical world.
Figure 1 shows how the robot works.
Fig. 1: Robot operation
WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on ADVANCES in ENGINEERING EDUCATION
DOI: 10.37394/232010.2024.21.19
J. El Khakdi, H. Wertani,
L. Bouslimi, J. Ben Salem, M. N. Lakhoua
E-ISSN: 2224-3410
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There are two types of robots, [5]:
Robot manipulators designed to perform a
specific task are difficult to find on the
market unless they have been specially
designed or programmed. The majority of
existing robots are called upon to question
their sites and respond to the requirements
of their users, [6].
The mobile robot is of interest in the
industrial field and even in everyday life, as
it can be used to carry out tasks in hostile
environments, managerial tasks, as a means
of transport for the handicapped, common
means of transport, etc. [7].
To identify the components of a robot, we have
presented the following list, [8]:
Mechanical aspect: this is the robot's
skeleton, made up of five parts: chassis,
structure, locomotion (wheels and legs),
motor, and torque.
Electronics: being a highly sensitive part of
the robot, it must be protected. All
connections between boards, sensors,
motors, and power supply are sensitive
points. One idea is to group as many
components as possible on a single board or
to group as many functions as possible on a
single component.
Power supply: this consists in defining the
autonomy skipped for normal operation, and
also in determining the capacity of several
independent sources. The power supply is
made up of the control system, batteries,
chargers, and safety devices.
Actuators: the term "actuator" covers
everything that transforms electronic energy
into mechanical energy. Motors and relays
are considered classic actuators.
Transistors: the main component of a motor
interface is the transistor.
Integrated circuits: these are very practical
components. They incorporate everything
you need to build an H-bridge. The control
part is directly compatible with a
microprocessor.
Chopper: uses the principle of pulse-width
modulation applied to the motor. Speed
control by pulse-width modulation is much
better and more efficient at low speeds.
DC motors: these are usually combined with
geared motors that reduce the motor shaft
speed to reasonable values for the robot.
Speed can be controlled by varying the
voltage or using PWM control. The duty
cycle of the signal will change the motor's
torque and therefore its speed.
Stepper motors: when used for traction, they
enable precise estimation of the robot's
position by counting the number of pulses
sent to each motor. To take the strain off the
CPU, these motors are often combined with
motor control boards to generate signals and
create movements through simple
commands.
Servomotors: found in many small robots.
They are used in the world of model-
making to perform small circular
movements.
Control unit: this is physically materialized
by the microcontroller, which has its
internal program to carry out the task for
which it has been designed. This mode of
operation is particularly well-suited to
"embedded" applications, where the human
operator cannot intervene directly, and
where the machine's desired behavior is
defined in advance.
3 Tutorial Specification
Among the stages of building a robotics tutorial is
the planning stage, [9]. This stage consists of
defining the various activities involved in the
project, [10]. The objectives to be achieved must be
set and identified, [11].
3.1 Presentation of the OOPP Method
OOPP is a global systemic modeling tool (Figure 2),
[12] for analyzing a complex situation by breaking it
down into a hierarchy and reducing it to elementary
situations, leading to elementary operational
planning, [13]. This method, widely used in the
planning of complex projects, involves various
operators and partners, [14].
The two decisive stages in the development of
the modeling strategy are, [15]:
The project Planning Scheme, which
consists on the one hand of establishing an
overall diagnosis of the situation by drawing
up a Problem Tree using causal logic, and
on the other hand inverting this tree to form
an Objective Tree based on a "Means-End"
logic, [16].
The Activity Planning Scheme, leading to a
hierarchical analysis of the results to be
achieved, and the identification of the
various implementation parameters (person
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L. Bouslimi, J. Ben Salem, M. N. Lakhoua
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in charge, resources, timing, location,
implementation indicators), [17].
Fig. 2: OOPP model
3.2 Results of the OOPP Analysis
The specific objectives to achieve the overall
objective (Figure 3) “Robotics tutorial developed”
are:
project presentation and planning (OS1);
composition of the tutorial (OS2);
tutorial programming (OS3);
tutorial testing and maintenance (OS4).
Fig. 3: Objective tree for specifying a robotics
tutorial
Table 1 presents the OOPP analysis for specific
objective OS3.
Table 1. OOPP analysis
N°
Code
1
OS3
2
R3.1
3
Ri3.1.1
4
Ri3.1.2
5
Ri3.1.3
6
Ri3.1.4
7
Ri3.1.5
8
R3.2
9
R3.3
10
Ri3.3.1
11
Ri3.3.2
12
A3.3.2.1
13
A3.3.2.2
14
Ri3.3.3
15
Ri3.3.4
4 Conclusion
In this paper, we presented a methodology for
developing a robotics tutorial based on the use of
the systemic OOPP method.
This experience is currently being developed to
be able to use the most advanced tools and
techniques in designing tutorials.
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Contribution of Individual Authors to the
Creation of a Scientific Article (Ghostwriting
Policy)
- J. El Khaldi, H. Wertani prepared, created and
presented the published work. J. Ben Salem,
formulated general aims and objectives of the
research.
- L. Bousslimi, formulated general aims and
objectives of the research
- J. Ben Salem, prepared, created, and published the
work, in particular the writing of the initial draft.
- M. N. Lakhoua, has supervisory and leadership
responsibility for the planning and execution of
research activities.
Sources of Funding for Research Presented in a
Scientific Article or Scientific Article Itself
No funding was received for conducting this study.
Conflict of Interest
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0
(Attribution 4.0 International, CC BY 4.0)
This article is published under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en
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WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on ADVANCES in ENGINEERING EDUCATION
DOI: 10.37394/232010.2024.21.19
J. El Khakdi, H. Wertani,
L. Bouslimi, J. Ben Salem, M. N. Lakhoua
E-ISSN: 2224-3410
173
Volume 21, 2024