Italian. English available if required by the pupils.
Course Content - Part B
This part of the course is a practical one, with the exception of some lectures devoted to the introduction to ROS (Robotics Operating System), nowdays more and more used in the development of robotic systems.
B. SICILIANO, L. SCIAVICCO LORENZO, L. VILLANI, G. ORIOLO, "ROBOTICA:
MODELLISTICA, PIANIFICAZIONE E CONTROLLO," THE MCGRAW-HILL
COMPANIES
Pubblicazione: 04/2008 (640 pagine, 37.00 Euro)
Also available in English:
B. Siciliano, L. Sciavicco, L. Villani, G. Oriolo, Robotics ? Modelling, Planning and
Control, Springer, London, UK, 2009
Learning Objectives - Part A
cc1: In-depth knowledge and understanding of the theoretical-scientific aspects of engineering, with a specific reference to mechanical engineering, in which students are able to identify, formulate and solve, even in an innovative way, complex and/or interdisciplinary problems. The ability to understand a multidisciplinary context in the engineering field and to work with a problem solving approach., cc10: Knowledge and understanding of the automation and control industry. Knowledge and understanding of mechatronic systems.
ca4: Applying knowledge and understanding related to the implementation of engineering projects adapted to their level of knowledge and understanding, working in collaboration with engineers and non-engineers. The projects may concern components, equipment and mechanical systems of various kinds and for the widest possible applications., ca7: Applying knowledge and understanding related to the definition, design and implementation of researches useful for understanding problems, through the use of both theoretical and experimental models and techniques., ca12: Applying adequate knowledge and understanding to understand English texts., ca15: Applying knowledge and understanding to achieve adequate preparation for tertiary level university studies (frequency to post-master's degree courses and doctoral schools) in order to further deepen knowledge and skills in research.
Learning Objectives - Part B
The goal of this part of the course is to invite the pupils to accept the challenge of a practical problem in field robotics. Single pupils or teams of two pupils shall design and implement a subsystem of a robot normally devoted to operate in the open field (water, air, earth) or in confined areas (buildings and/or civil infrastructures).
Prerequisites - Part A
Industrial Robotics (not mandatory).
Prerequisites - Part B
Knowledge of the fundamentals of robotics is desired: kinematics, dynamics, trajectory planning of free motion, sensors and actuators, decentralized and centralized control techniques.
Teaching Methods - Part A
Classroom lectures and exercises.
Teaching Methods - Part B
At the beginning of the course the lecturers will propose to the class a list of possible project works, supplying, for each of the project works the final goals and the operational context. The pupils and groups of two pupils will have some weeks to decide about their choice. Meanwhile, the ROS mini course will be given.
Type of Assessment - Part A
Oral exam is mandatory.
The student can discuss a research work agreed with the teacher during the course (not mandatory).
The oral exam is usually composed of 3 questions; these questions focus on kinematics, dynamics, control theory and related exercises. The student has to demonstrate a sufficient preparation during the examination, critical reasoning ability and effectiveness and competence during the oral exposure.
Type of Assessment - Part B
The enrollment into the final exam will be possible upon delivery of a written report which demonstrates sufficient achievement of the project work goals.
Course program - Part A
Selected topics of analytical dynamics. Lagrange coordinates. D'Alembert's equation.
Holonomic and non-holonomic systems. II-type Lagrange Equations. Computation examples for lagrangian components of active forces.
Configuration space of a mechanical system. Differentiable manifolds. Tangent space, vector fields.
Distributions, involutive closure of a distribution, Lie bracket, Chow theorem.
Kinematic model of the unicycle. Lyapunov-based design of a tracking controller for the unicycle: backstepping control then.
Kinematic control techniques for non-holonomic systems: periodic (synusoidal) inputs. Application to the unicycle: change of input and configuration variables and chained form. Parking of the unicycle.
Backstepping control of a tricycle: equivalent unicycle, virtual control inputs for the unicycle.
Sliding mode control of single-input systems.
Control chattering and practical methods to avoid it: boundary layer, second order sliding mode control.
Robust control of robot manipulators.
Introduction to visual servoing. Cameras. CCD and C-MOS sensors. Pinhole camera and focal distance. Full perspective camera model: lens matrix and spatial sampling matrix. Undistortion techniques. Camera calibration. Structure from motion.
Exercises:
1) Classwork on the dynamic modelling of a lumped mass Furuta pendulum.
2) Classwork on the controllability of non-holonomic systems: unicycle, sphere on plane, differential drive vehicle.
3) Classwork on the backstepping control of a 1DOF system.
4) Classwork on the sliding mode control of a 1DOF system.
5) Classwork on the robust control of a 1DOF system.