MecE 555 Introduction to Robotics

INSTRUCTOR:

Dr. R.W. Toogood
4-8H Mechanical Engineering Bldg.
Phone: 492 - 4412
office hours: whenever the door is open! (ie. most of the time, but afternoons are best)
email: roger.toogood@ualberta.ca

Assignments and Projects

Link to Some MATLAB files

TEXT:

Industrial Robotics: Technology, Programming, and Applications, M. Groover, M. Weiss, R. Nagel, and N. Odrey, McGraw-Hill, 1986

There are a large number of additional references, some of which are in Cameron library.

Since extensive use will be made of MATLAB in this course, the following will be handy:

Student Edition of MATLAB Version 4.0, Prentice-Hall, 1995
The complete user manual for the student version (800 pages) describing more than you need to know! Complete description and tutorial for MATLAB. Available in several places in the bookstore.

MATLAB Primer Second Edition, K. Sigmon, 1995

This Primer is available in a postscript file in the 555 directory on the department network: see /usr/local/mece_courses/555/robot.ps. Hard copy is also available in the department office.

Robotics Toolbox for MATLAB, P. Corke, 1995

Soft bound hard copy is available in the department office.

UNIX Primer for Mec.E. Computer Lab , K. Fyfe and P. Skoczylas, 1996

This primer is essential if you are new to the UNIX lab and is available in the department office or from your instructor.

Links to WEB PAGES:

Mec.E. department home page

Mathworks - home of MATLAB

Look under "software" for an extensive list of user-contributed MATLAB software.

Robotics Toolbox FTP Download Site

This is the site to get all the MATLAB M-files that make up the toolbox. It also includes a demo file and a postscript file containing the manual listed above.

ASSIGNMENT OF FINAL GRADE:

Course ComponentWeight
Project (due late March)20%
Term Paper (due end of classes)10%
Assignments (about 5)30%
Final Exam40%

COURSE OUTLINE:

1. Historical background
2. Basic concepts, definitions, and technical features
3. Mathematical description of industrial manipulators
4. Programming and Control
5. Application Considerations and Studies
6. Advanced Sensor Systems
7. Social Implications of Robotics and Automation
8. The Future

PROJECT:

Students can work alone or in groups of two or three. Topics for the project are to be suggested by the group and must be accepted by the instructor before the project is commenced.

TERM PAPER:

This 4-6 page paper can be on either of two topics: social implications or artificial intelligence. More details will be forthcoming.

FINAL EXAM:

The exam will consist of short answer questions and some problems. More details will be provided later in the term.

Additional References:

Robot Manipulators: Mathematics, Programming, and Control, Richard Paul, MIT Press, 1981.

Robotics in Practice, Joseph Engelberger, Amacom, 1980.

Industrial Robots: Computer Interfacing and Control, Wesley Snyder, Prentice-Hall, 1985.

Robotics Applications and Social Implications, Robert Ayres and Steven Miller, Ballinger, 1983.

Introduction to Robotics: Mechanics and Control, John Craig, Addison-Wesley, 1986.

Robotic Engineering: An Integrated Approach, Richard Klafter et al, Prentice-Hall, 1989.

Introduction to Robotics, Phillip McKerrow, Addison Wesley, 1991.

Robotics Introduction, Programming, and Projects, James Fuller, Merril, 1991.

Handbook of Industrial Robotics, ed. Shimon Nof, Wiley, 1985.

A Robot Engineering Textbook, Mohsen Shahinpoor, Harper & Row, 1987.

Robot Technology: Theory, Design, and Applications, Anthony McDonald, Reston (Prentice-Hall), 1986.

Robot Motion: Planning and Control, ed. Michael Brady et al, MIT Press, 1982.

Robotics: Control, Sensing, Vision, and Intelligence, K.S. Fu et al, McGraw Hill, 1987.

Introduction to Robotics, Arthur Critchlow, Macmillan, 1985.

Robotics and AI: An Introduction to Applied Machine Intelligence, Andrew Staugaard, Jr., Prentice Hall, 1987.

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