Braitenberg vehicle [SEP] named after
Braitenberg vehicle
A Braitenberg vehicle is a concept conceived in a thought experiment by the Italian-Austrian cyberneticist Valentino Braitenberg. The book models the animal world in a minimalistic and constructive way, from simple reactive behaviours (like phototaxis) through the simplest vehicles, to the formation of concepts, spatial behaviour, and generation of ideas.
For the simplest vehicles, the motion of the vehicle is directly controlled by some sensors (for example photo cells). Yet the resulting behaviour may appear complex or even intelligent.
Mechanism
detectors), but each one stimulating a wheel on the other side of the body. It obeys the following rule:
- More light left → right wheel turns faster → turns towards the left, closer to the light.
As a result, the robot follows the light; it moves to be closer to the light.
Behavior.
In a complex environment with several sources of stimulus, Braitenberg vehicles will exhibit complex and dynamic behavior.
Depending on the connections between sensors and actuators, a Braitenberg vehicle