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Automated Systems, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence: Question 2

Syllabus 6.1

Structured 6 marks

A poultry farmer keeps trays of newly laid eggs in an automated incubator so that they hatch successfully, instead of a farm worker checking on them by hand every hour, day and night.

Inside the incubator there is a temperature sensor and a small electric heating element, as well as a separate humidity sensor and a fan-driven water mister.

(a) Describe how the temperature sensor, the incubator's microprocessor and the heating element work together to keep the temperature inside the incubator within the correct range for hatching. [3]

(b) Give one advantage and one disadvantage, to the farmer, of using this automated incubator rather than checking and adjusting the eggs' environment by hand. [2]

(c) Name one scenario, other than agriculture, in which a sensor, a microprocessor and an actuator could be used together to form an automated system. [1]

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Worked solution

Part (a): The sensor–microprocessor–actuator loop

An automated system works by continuously repeating three steps:

  1. Sensor, the temperature sensor measures the air temperature inside the incubator and sends this reading, as input data, to the microprocessor.
  2. Microprocessor, the microprocessor compares the sensor’s reading against a target temperature stored in its memory (the temperature the eggs need to develop properly).
    • If the reading is below the target, it sends a signal to switch the heating element on.
    • If the reading has reached the target, it sends a signal to switch the heating element off.
  3. Actuator, the heating element (the actuator) carries out the microprocessor’s instruction, physically warming the air inside the incubator.

This sense–compare–act cycle repeats over and over, which is what keeps the temperature within the correct range without anyone watching it constantly.

Part (b): Advantage and disadvantage of automating the incubator

Advantage: the automated system checks and adjusts the temperature constantly, including through the night, reacting faster and more consistently than a farm worker who cannot watch the eggs every minute. This reduces the chance that eggs overheat or cool too much and fail to hatch.

Disadvantage: buying, installing and maintaining the sensors, microprocessor and heating element is expensive. If the system develops a fault, for example a power cut or a broken sensor, nobody may notice straight away, risking the whole batch of eggs, whereas a worker doing manual checks might spot a problem sooner.

Part (c): Another automated-system scenario

The syllabus lists several scenarios besides agriculture in which a sensor, microprocessor and actuator combine to form an automated system, including industry, transport, weather, gaming, lighting and science.

For example, in industry, a factory could keep a chemical storage tank within a safe temperature range: a temperature sensor measures the tank, the microprocessor compares this to a safe stored range, and a heater or cooler (the actuator) is switched on or off in response.

Final answers

  • (a) Sensor measures temperature → microprocessor compares it to a stored target and decides → heating element (actuator) switches on or off; the cycle repeats continuously.
  • (b) Advantage: constant, consistent monitoring including overnight. Disadvantage: high cost, and a fault may go unnoticed.
  • (c) Any scenario other than agriculture, e.g. industry (a factory storage tank kept at a safe temperature).