I - Reactive Paradigm:

Representation:
Often uses a set of reactive rules or behaviors.

Software Engineering Principles:

May lack a clear modular structure.

Easy to Program:
Relatively easy for simple tasks.

Robustness:
Good for immediate reactions, may lack adaptability.

Scalability:
Can be limited as complexity increases.

II - Discussion
1. The Best Approach for Navigation Tasks:
The best approach for navigation tasks is to use the classical paradigm.

2. Benefits and Drawbacks of Behavior-Based Paradigm:

Benefits:
– Modularity and Flexibility: Behavior-based systems are modular, al-
lowing the addition or modification of individual behaviors without affect-
ing the entire system. This modularity increases flexibility and makes it
easier to adapt the robot to different tasks.
– Scalability: It is relatively easy to scale up the complexity of the robot’s
behavior by adding more individual behaviors. This makes behavior-based
systems suitable for a wide range of tasks, from simple to complex.
– Real-time Responsiveness: Behavior-based systems often exhibit real-
time responsiveness because each behavior operates independently and
reacts to the immediate environment. This can be advantageous in dy-
namic and unpredictable situations.

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Drawbacks:
– Lack of Global Planning: Behavior-based systems typically lack a cen-
tralized mechanism for global planning. While this makes them respon-
sive, it may limit their ability to perform complex, long-term planning or
optimize paths over extended periods.
– Difficulty in Behavior Coordination: Coordinating behaviors to achieve
a specific goal can be challenging. Without a centralized controller, en-
suring that individual behaviors work together seamlessly requires careful
design and tuning.
– Limited Understanding of the Environment: Since behaviors are
often reactive, the robot may have a limited understanding of the global
environment. This can lead to suboptimal decision-making in certain sit-
uations, especially when a more comprehensive understanding is required.

3. Drawbacks of Subsumption Architecture:

– Limited Global Understanding: Subsumption architecture focuses on
reactive behaviors, lacking a comprehensive global understanding of the
environment.

– Difficulty in Complex Task Planning: Suited for simple tasks, the

architecture struggles with intricate planning and coordination over an
extended period.
– Limited Memory and Learning: Lacks mechanisms for learning and
memory, hindering adaptation based on past experiences.
– Emergent Behavior Complexity: Understanding and predicting emer-
gent behavior become complex as the number of behaviors increases.
– Scalability Challenges: While effective for simple robots, scalability
challenges arise in more complex scenarios.

– Maintenance and Extensibility: Maintaining and extending the ar-

chitecture may become challenging as the system grows in complexity.