Introduction to Robotics & Mechatronics (151-0641-00)

Instructors

Prof. Dr. Bradley Nelson
CLA H1.1
Phone: +41 44 632 55 29

Dr. Quentin Boehler
CLA H15.2
Phone: +41 44 632 43 23

 

 

Assistants

Alexandre Mesot
CLA H11.1
Phone: +41 44 632 68 64

Michelle Mattille
CLA H21.2

Oliver Brinkmann
CLA H5

Course Info

This course requires preregistration due to limited space. See information below. Do not take this course on mystudies if you did not receive confirmation from us.

Lecture: Spring Semester (FS), Mondays, 16.00 - 18.00, ML F38
Lab Session: Spring Semester (FS).  Mo, 10.15-12.00; 12.15-14.00; 14.15-16.00. The exercise sessions will take place in CLA H16
Language: English
ECTS credits: 4
Prerequisites: Students are expected to be familiar* with C programming. Registration is mandatory and limited to 45 students.**

*While C programming is not considered a prerequisite, the course will require that students attain good C programming skills quickly during the first weeks of class. We teach the basics of C in the course, but a student without any prior knowledge of programming languages will probably benefit to go online and self-study by following a course such as external pagethis before the class starts. If you already have a lot of programming experience in C and Arduino we do not recommend to take the course.

**The number of students might be adapted depending on the situation with the Coronavirus.

Course Registration

This course requires preregistration due to limited space. Do not take this course on myStudies if you did not receive confirmation from us.

The registration for IRM 2024 is now open. Due to the high number of students interested in the course in the previous years, you will have to write a motivation letter of maximal 750 characters as part of the registration. Fill out the following form in order to pre-register for the course:

external pagehttps://forms.gle/6dAZaXzTyLH1snxe6

Please note that the selection process will be random (NOT first come first served). The deadline for the registration is Thursday, February 1st 2024 at midnight. We will let you know by February 12th if you got into the course or not.  


Please refer to the FAQ below or contact Alexandre Mesot, Michelle Mattille or Oliver Brinkmann if you have any further questions.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: What are my chances of getting in?
A: It depends on how many students apply. We have 45 spots and last year 95 students applied.

Q: Can I increase my chances by getting in contact with the lecturers/TAs?
A: No

Q: I am an exchange student and have to decide on my courses beforehand. Can you offer me a spot?
A: No, you have to apply like everybody else. Discuss it with your Tutor(?) and have a backup course in case you don't get in.

Q: I'm in my last year of my Master and would really like to participate. Can you offer me a spot?
A: No, you have to apply like everybody else.
 

Course Description:

The aim of this lecture is to expose students to the fundamentals of these systems. Over the course of these lectures, topics will include how to interface a computer with the real world, different types of sensors and their use, different types of actuators and their use, and forward and inverse kinematics of robotic manipulators. After this course you will be able to understand the software and hardware that is required to design your own control systems and robots. In the class we apply this knowledge by controlling a ball on a spider like robotic platform (see image).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robotic Ball Balancing System used in the course

Learning Objectives:

The aim of this course is to practically and theoretically expose students to the fundamentals of mechatronic and robotic systems. Over the course of the semester, the lecture topics will include an overview of robotics, an introduction to different types of sensors and their use, the programming of microcontrollers and interfacing these embedded computers with the real world, signal filtering and processing, an introduction to different types of actuators and their use, an overview of computer vision, and forward and inverse kinematics. Throughout the course, students will periodically attend laboratory sessions and implement lessons learned during lectures on real mechatronic systems. By the end of the course, you will be able to independently choose, design and integrate these different building blocks into a working mechatronic system.
The course consists of weekly lectures and lab sessions. Take a look at the Syllabus for more information on the covered topics.

Lecture Notes:

The lecture notes will be shared via Moodle.

Course Syllabus:

An ever increasing number of mechatronic systems are finding their way into our daily lives. Mechatronic systems synergistically combine computer science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. Robotics systems can be viewed as a subset of mechatronics that focuses on sophisticated control of moving devices. The aim of this lecture is to expose students to the fundamentals of these systems. Over the course of these lectures, topics will include how to interface a computer with the real world, different types of sensors and their use, different types of actuators and their use, and forward and inverse kinematics of simple two link robotic manipulators. Throughout the course students will periodically attend laboratory sessions and implement lessons learned during lectures on real mechatronic systems.

DownloadSchedule 2024 (PDF, 61 KB) (updated 08.02.2024)

 

Exams:

- Lab reports are collected and graded throughout the semester. As the labwork takes place in groups of three students each, a single combined lab report is generally expected from the group.
- Exam: Computer based exam, 90 minutes.
- Lab reports account for 60% of the course grade and the final examination accounts for 40%.

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