engineering

Sensory-motor map

Sensory-motor map is a engineering topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Sensory-motor map rather than just read about it. In short: In robotics one often combines external sensory input and motor kinematics. A Sensory Motor-Map(SMM) is a map between the perception system of the robot and an action performed by the robot.

Key takeaways

Sensory-motor map belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Sensory-motor map to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Sensory-motor map from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In robotics one often combines external sensory input and motor kinematics. A Sensory Motor-Map(SMM) is a map between the perception system of the robot and an action performed by the robot. The map gives the robot an understanding of how certain motor actions affect the perceived reality by relating the kinematics and dynamics used by the robot to achieve the external sensory input.

See also Asomatognosia – Neurological disorder characterized as loss of recognition or awareness of part of the body Body schema – Postural model that keeps track of limb position Context awareness – Ability of software to adjust to the situation of users or devices Deafferentation – Postural model that keeps track of limb positionPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets Illusions of self-motion – Misperception of one's location or movement Proprioception – Sense of self-movement, force, and body position Spatial disorientation – Inability of a person to correctly determine their body position in space Spatial contextual awareness – Software utilizing information from sensors, a user's activity, and maps

Citations

References Montesano, Luis; Lopes, Manuel; Bernardino, Alexandre; Santos-Victor, José (2008). "Learning Object Affordances: From Sensory-Motor Coordination to Imitation" (PDF). IEEE Transactions on Robotics. 24 (1). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers: 15–26. doi:10.1109/tro.2007.914848. ISSN 1552-3098. Retrieved 10 November 2023.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Sensory-motor map

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Sensory-motor map claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Sensory-motor map before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Sensory-motor map ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Sensory-motor map

In research: Sensory-motor map appears in engineering research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Sensory-motor map in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Sensory-motor map is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Robot control, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Sensory-motor map outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Sensory-motor map in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Sensory-motor map means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Sensory-motor map out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sensory-motor map in simple terms?

In robotics one often combines external sensory input and motor kinematics. A Sensory Motor-Map(SMM) is a map between the perception system of the robot and an action performed by the robot.

Why does Sensory-motor map matter?

Because it connects several engineering ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Sensory-motor map?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Sensory-motor map.