The course introduces the basic concepts of robotic manipulators and autonomous systems. After a review of some fundamental mathematics the course examines the mechanics and dynamics of robot arms, mobile robots, their sensors and algorithms for controlling them. A Robotics Laboratory is available equipped with a manipulator and a moving platform with sonar, several workstations and an extensive collection of software.
Labs typically cover following topics:
- Robotic Manipulator
- Forward and Inverse Kinematics
- Robot Locomotion and Sensing
- Robot Vision
- Manipulator Velocities and Forces
- Control concepts
Following robots and arms are utilized for the labs.
CRS Plus Robotic Arms A150 and A255 and Pioneer 3AT Mobile Robot.
The CRS Plus Arms are nearing the end of their life and as such four new Kinova Genlite robotic arms have also been recently obtained.
This course introduces the basic principles of Virtual Reality and its applications. The necessary hardware and software components of interactive 3D systems as well as human factors are discussed. The material is reinforced by practical assignments and projects.
The lab has dedicated desktops for this course, with upgraded graphic cards for handling intense graphics.
The scheduled lab sessions involve practical experimentation with virtual environments and will support the development, presentation and demonstration of a comprehensive student design project. Two-hour lab sessions are held alternate weeks in the Virtual Reality lab.