Which robot system gathers information about the environment, analogous to the human senses?

• A. Sensory
• B. Structural
• C. Computing
• D. Power

Answer: (A)

The robot’s sensory system is what gathers information about the environment, just like human senses. It uses sensors—cameras, LiDAR, bump sensors, gyroscopes, microphones, and more—to detect light, distance, touch, sound, temperature, and orientation. These sensors convert physical phenomena into electrical signals that the robot’s computing system can interpret, providing the data needed for perception, navigation, and interaction. Without this input, the robot wouldn’t know what’s around or how it’s positioned. The structural system is the physical frame and joints, the computing system processes and makes decisions from the sensed data, and the power system provides energy to run everything. Therefore, gathering environment information is the role of the sensory system.