Robotics (ROB)

In this subject, students acquire a basic understanding of mobile and manipulator robots emphasising the information technology-related aspects of perception, planning and implementation. Upon completion, they should have an understanding of the basic areas in which robotics is used and the demands for it, both in industry and services. Furthermore, they should be able to design and develop robot-based systems that allow tasks or processes to be automated.

Knowledges

1. Understand the development of robotics, the state-of-the-art, and current trends in this field.
2. Learn the elements that make up a robot system, how they work, and the various alternatives available.
3. Learn the different ways of programming robots an their characteristics.
4. Learn the different levels of planning and control of robot movements.
5. Learn the techniques for defining, calculating, generating suitable trajectories for robots, and using algorithms to implement these techniques.
6. Learn the sensors and perception systems for providing environmental interaction for the most frequent applications.
7. Learn the problems of and strategies for navigating guided, autonomous vehicles.
8. Learn the planning techniques used in robotics.
9. Learn the sensor requirements of mobile robots.
10. Learn the requirements of the commonest applications in robotics
11. Learn the factors reducing a robot"s reliability and how to reduce their impact.
12. Learn the security aspects of robotic systems.
13. Learn the development methodology used in robotics projects.

Abilities

1. Ability to identity which tasks can be robotised.
2. Ability to identity the requirements of a task to be robotised.
3. Ability to design a project for the robotisation of a given task.
4. Ability to choose the most suitable robot for each problem.
5. Ability to rigorously compare and evaluate various robot programming systems and languages. Ability to select the best kind of programming for each application.
6. Ability to programme and use robots in order to come up with a solution to a given task.
7. Ability to incorporate the information provided by the sensors in the robot programme.
8. Ability to choose the kind of sensors needed for each application.

Competences

1. Ability to design systems, components and processes meeting certain needs, using the most appropriate methods, techniques and tools in each case.
2. Ability to relate and structure information from various sources and thus integrate ideas and knowledge.
3. Ability to work in multidisciplinary teams.
4. Willingness and ability to update one"s professional knowledge throughout one"s career.
5. Documentation of the developed application. Be familiar with the technical language and be able to communicate with other professionals.
6. Ability to solve poorly-structured problems.

(-)

The course evaluation is based on two exams (a part exam and a final exam), lab sessions, and voluntary activities (class participation, special assignments, and exercises).







The Robotics course grade (NA) is calculated as follows:







NA= minimum (10, maximum (0.2*P + 0.5*F + 0.3*(L + T), 0.7*F + 0.3*(L + T))







Where:



L : Lab grade



F : Final exam grade.



P : Part exam grade.



T : Grade for class participation and practical problems or special assignments of a voluntary nature. The grade awarded will range from 0 to 3.

• Antonio Barrientos ... [et al.] Fundamentos de robótica, McGraw-Hill, 2007.
• Torres Fernando, Pomares Jorge ,Gil Pablo et al. Robots y Sistemas Sensoriales , Prentice Hall, 2002.
• McKerrow, P.J. Introduction to robotics, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1991.
• Murphy, Robin Introduction to AI Robotics, MIT Press, 2000.
• Roland Siegwart and Illah R. Nourbakhsh Introduction to autonomous mobile robots, MIT Press, 2004.

• Mikell P. Groover ... [et al.] Robótica industrial : tecnología, programación y aplicaciones, McGraw-Hill, 1989.
• K.S. Fu; R.C. González, C.S.G. Lee Robótica : Control, detección, visión e inteligencia, McGraw-Hill, 1988.

1. http://www.roboticsonline.com/
   



2. http://www.ri.cmu.edu/
   



3. http://www.ifr.org
   



4. http://www-pagines.fib.upc.es/~rob/
   



5. http://www.euron.org
   

Mathematics
* Knowledge of derivatives and partial derivatives and the ability to apply them.
* Knowledge of elementary graphic methods for representing functions (asymptotes, maxima, minima, etc.).
* Understanding the elementary properties of trignometric functions.
* Understanding the basic concepts in manipulating and operating with matrices.

Physics
* Learn the concepts and basic laws of electricity: magnetism and electricity (Coulomb's Law, Ohm's Law, electric and magnetic fields, magnetic poles, electric potential, potential difference, electric voltage, current, electrical resistance and conductivity, and the MKS system of units.
* Learn the most important features of the physical behaviour of semi-conductor devices: The PN union, bipolar transistor, and MOS transistor.

Computing Languages and Systems
* Learn how to specify, design, and implement simple algorithms in an imperative programming language.
* Learn how to properly construct efficiently structured programmes.
* Learn the concepts of interpreted languages and compiled languages.
* Learn data search algorithms (tables, lists, trees, ...).

Computer Architecture and Technology
* Learn the functional features of various logic gates.
* Learn how to analyze and implement simple combinational and sequential logic systems.
* Learn how to minimise and synthesise logic functions.
* Learn the basic structure of a computer.
* Learn the input/output and interruption sub-system of a computer.
* Learn what an operating system is and what its functions are.
* Learn the concepts of concurrence, communication, and synchronisation between processes.