COMP4500: Mobile Robotics I

Instructor: Asst. Prof. Reza Ahmadzadeh
Email:
reza {_} ahmadzadeh {at} uml {dot} edu
Course: COMP.4500 (Formerly 91.450)
Credit: 3
Campus: North
When: Tuesday-Thursday 14:00-15:15
Where: Dandeneau Hall, 321
Pre-requisites: Linear Algebra, Python programming + COMP1020 Computing II, or Co-req: EECE3170 Microprocessor System Desing I
Semester: Spring 2019
Website: We will use Blackboard for tracking grades, assignments, submissions, announcements, and discussions.
Office hours: Tuesday-Thursday 12:30-14:00 (and with appointment)

Course Description

This course covers fundamental problems and leading solutions for computer and robot perception and action from the point of view of autonomous robot navigation. Topics are approached primarily from the point of view of autonomous robot navigation -- what and how must a robot perceive the world, and how can it use that information to navigate effectively.

The formal prerequisites include COMP1020 Computing II, or Co-req: EECE3170 Microprocessor System Desing I. Prior knowledge of fundamentals of linear algebra and probability is also assumed. Familiarity with kinematics, dynamics, control, and statistical machine learning approaches is plus.

Python programming skill is required.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

Describe and explain what robots are and what they can do
Describe mathematically the position and orientation of objects and how they move
Compute mobile robot kinematics
Develop a control architecture for a mobile robotic system
Implement navigation algorithms based on sensor fusion and environment representation
Write moderately involved programs in Python to control real-time tasks with a robotic system
Construct, program, and test the operation of a robotic system to perform a specified task.

These goals will be evaluated through written assignments, and several hands-on projects.

Text Books:

[1]. Probabilistic Robotics, by S. Thrun, W. Burgard and D. Fox, MIT Press, 2006.
[2]. Introduction to Autonomous Mobile Robots, by R. Siegwart, I. Nourbakhsh, MIT Press, 2011.
[3]. Robotics, Vision, and Control, by Peter Corke, Springer, 2011.
[4]. Mobile Robots: Navigation, Control, and Remote Sensing, by G. Cook, Wiley-IEEE Press, 2011.

Targeted Students

This course is designed to be accessible to undergraduate students of all levels who have basic knowledge of a) linear algebra, b) calculus, and c) statistics. Fair knowledge of Python programming is required.