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awareness in robotics requires an array of sensors, sophisticated data fusion, and robust AI integration. Environmental awareness in robotics is much like a human's ability to use multiple senses to interact with the world. Just as humans rely on sight, sound, and touch, robots utilize sensors to interpret their surroundings and respond appropriately. In industrial environments, such as manufacturing and logistics, where robots often work alongside human operators, environmental awareness minimizes accidents and ensures smooth collaboration. Robots equipped with advanced perception can navigate complex layouts, avoid collisions, and perform tasks in unstructured settings. Environmental perception relies on a combination of advanced sensors, each with specific capabilities that contribute to the robot's overall awareness. Core sensors include light detection and ranging (LiDAR), cameras, radar, and inertial measurement units (IMUs), each of which serves a unique function in interpreting the robot's environment. • LiDAR provides high-resolution, real- time mapping, which is invaluable for navigation and collision avoidance. By emitting light pulses and measuring the time it takes for them to return, LiDAR generates a 3D map of the environment, helping robots detect obstacles and navigate with precision. • Cameras offer visual perception, including red, green, and blue (RGB); depth; and thermal imaging. Visual data from cameras are essential for recognizing objects, identifying human workers, and distinguishing among various operational scenarios. Combined with AI algorithms, cameras enable robots to perform complex tasks like object recognition and classification. • Radar is particularly useful in detecting the speed and distance of moving objects. Unlike LiDAR, which is more C h a p t e r 2 | A u t o n o my T h r o u g h Pe r c e p t i o n a n d E n v i r o n m e n t a l A w a r e n e s s Sensor technologies such as LiDAR, stereo cameras, RGB-D cameras, and ultrasonic sensors are vital for giving autonomous robots real-time environmental awareness. High- resolution 3D spatial data enables robots to navigate, avoid obstacles, recognize objects, and perform precise manipulations." Deepak Ajayakumar Senior Robotics Engineer, Createc 13 9 Experts Discuss Robotics, AI, and ML in Industrial Applications