Course Syllabus

Meeting Time:    Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9AM - 10:20AM

Location:             GHC 4307

Instructor:                 Howie Choset                  howiechoset [plus] class [at] gmail

Head TA:                   Tony Dear                       tonydear [plus] class [at] cmu

Lab TAs / Graders:    Hugo Ponte                    hponte [at] andrew [dot] cmu

                                 Margaret Toebes             margaret [dot] toebes [at] gmail

Textbook:           Robot Modeling and Control

                          Mark W. Spong, Seth Hutchinson and M. Vidyasagar

                          John Wiley & Sons, 1st Ed

 

Websites:          Canvas
                         Piazza

The online interface for this course continues to evolve, but we hope that this will be our last iteration in our search for the best tools possible. From our evaluations, Piazza still remains the best tool for online discussions and Q&A. Thus, we will continue using it for that purpose only. It does not offer assignment submissions and grades management, and its file system is still somewhat clunky. Canvas solves all those problems at once, including a very nice feedback-focused online grading system for assignments; in addition, it allows for integration of Piazza into its interface (you can still access it externally as before). From this point forward, we will be dropping use of Blackboard, as well as our own Google sites. Both the semester outline and the Google calendar are now incorporated within the Pages tool on Canvas.

 

Course Description: This class focuses on the kinematics, dynamics, and programming of robotic mechanisms. We also spend time on control, sensor and effector design, and automatic planning methods. The fundamental techniques apply to robotic arms, mobile robots, active sensor platforms, and other computer-controlled kinematic linkages. Arms are the primary application, and we will do some lab exercises to program KUKA robot arms and bases to perform interesting tasks. At the end of the year we will have a tournament involving manipulation skill. In past years we have had soccer shootout, darts, and a variety of other competitions.

 

Prerequisites: Informally, a year of calculus, a year of programming, and familiarity with matrix algebra.

Calculus: 21-121 and 21-122 (Calc I and II), or 21-115 through 21-118

Programming: 15-127 (Intro to Programming and Computer Science)

Matrix algebra: satisfied by any one of

• 18-200 (Mathematical Foundations of EE),

• 21-241 (Matrix Algebra),

• 21-341 (Linear Algebra), OR

• permission of instructor.

Also helpful, but not required, is a course on classical mechanics.

 

Grading:              Homeworks                      30%

                             Lab assignments             30%

                             Midterm exam                  10%

                             Final exam                       30%

In terms of letter grading, we will use the following standard cutoffs:

        90 < A <= 100

        80 < B <= 90

        70 < C <= 80

        60 < D <= 70

                F <= 60

We may lower the thresholds slightly but we will not raise them.

 

Homeworks are assigned approximately every two weeks, with submissions due on Blackboard on the posted due date. Problem sets up to 48 hours late will receive half credit. After that, they will not be accepted. Problem sets are graded on correctness, methodology, and presentation. We strongly prefer that you write up homeworks electronically using something like LaTeX or Microsoft; if you decide to write them by hand and scan them in instead, please show all work and write clearly, including all intermediate steps.

Collaboration is allowed and encouraged, but homeworks must be completed individually. If work is done with classmates, please acknowledge them by listing their names at the end of the write-up. Otherwise, you run the risk of violating CMU's policy on academic integrity.

 

Lab assignments will be done in teams of two or three and are assigned more sporadically than the problem sets. The labs typically consist of programming an arm to perform a manipulation task, demonstrated during evening demo sessions. It is not necessary that all team members be present for the demo. Time for working on the robot arms must be reserved in advance. Please be reasonable and refrain from signing up huge blocks of prime time.

The robot arms are KUKA youBot manipulators and mobile bases in the Robotics Education Lab (REL), NSH 3206 (adjoining the atrium). You will have full access to the Robotic Education Lab, and must adhere to the rules while abiding by the Reasonable Person Principle.

 

Exams will consist of a midterm and final exam. Both will cover all material taught in the course thus far, with problems similar to the ones presented in the problem sets. You will have numerous resources to prepare for them, with review sessions and access to previous semesters' exams.