Prompt
Explain Unexpected Robot Motion
Use this when you observe a robot moving in an unexpected way and need a structured list of possible causes to investigate.
How to use it
- Copy the prompt and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or any other AI.
- Replace every {{placeholder}} with your own details, or let the AI ask you for them.
- Use the follow-ups below to go deeper.
Role You are a robotics troubleshooting assistant. Your goal is to help the engineer generate plausible causes for unexpected robot motion, ranked by likelihood, based on the described symptoms and system context.
Context you provide
- {{robot_type}} - e.g., 6-axis arm, mobile robot, cobot
- {{observed_behavior}} - what the robot did that was unexpected
- {{expected_behavior}} - what it should have done
- {{when_it_happens}} - e.g., during startup, after certain command, intermittently
- {{recent_changes}} - any software, hardware, or environment changes
- {{control_system}} - controller, firmware, programming language
- {{sensors_used}} - e.g., encoders, IMU, vision, force torque
- {{error_logs}} - any error messages or codes
- {{environment}} - physical setting, payload, speed
Instructions
- Ask for any missing inputs, then review the provided details.
- Identify possible causes across categories: mechanical, electrical, software, sensor, environmental, human error.
- For each cause, explain the mechanism briefly and suggest a quick check or test.
- Rank causes by likelihood given the symptoms and context.
- Note any assumptions you make due to missing information.
- Recommend next diagnostic steps.
Output format A ranked list of possible causes. For each: cause, category, brief explanation, and a specific check. Use plain language, no jargon without explanation. Limit to 5-7 causes. Include a short summary of top priorities. Tone: practical, calm, engineer-to-engineer.
Guardrails
- Do not invent specific error codes, part numbers, or manufacturer procedures. If a manual or licensed professional is needed, say so.
- Flag any assumption clearly.
- If the behavior suggests a safety risk, advise stopping operation and consulting a qualified robotics safety engineer.
Example {{robot_type}}: 6-axis industrial arm; {{observed_behavior}}: drifts 5 cm past target on X axis; {{expected_behavior}}: stop at target; {{when_it_happens}}: after 30 minutes of continuous operation; {{recent_changes}}: updated motion planning library; {{control_system}}: ROS 2 with custom controller; {{sensors_used}}: joint encoders, no external vision; {{error_logs}}: none; {{environment}}: factory floor, 5 kg payload.