Copyright © Antonio D'Angelo, Univ. of Udine

Robotica Syllabus

1. Aims

   The aim of the course is to provide a student with a technical background to understand and devise programs which are able to control autonomous robots, such as working agents like vehicles, humanoids, etc... The general notion of situated agent is presented and discussed by introducing concepts like behaviour-based systems, the direct coupling of perception to action, the dynamical interaction with the environment. The focus of attention is especially oriented to autonomous vehicle control by discussing a number of distinguishing examples from the technical literature. The locomotion problem for the so called legged-robots is also presented discussing various kinds of mechanical structures, humanoids included.

2. Method

   The course is intended to understand the underlying principles which distinguish robot control programs from computer programs. Their specific features are introduced from the point of view of the behaviour-based systems starting from the direct coupling of perception to action and the dynamic interaction with the environment. In this perspective a general method to implement autonomous robot control is discussed, including legged and humanoid robotics. Multirobot systems are also presented. A number of examples from autonomous robotics are investigated including details of vehicle control with some possible experimental lectures using available moving platforms. Students are encouraged to gain insights starting from the topics presented during lectures and to make guided experimentations.

3. Contents

   The topics are primarily based on situated agents, behaviour-based architectures, reactive systems but the connection with A.I. and planning are also discussed. Biological motivations, adaptive and collective behaviours are introduced but also industrial manipulators performing an automatic assembly are also referred to. In the following a preliminary program of the course is presented with possible changes in the scheduling during the lecture ongoing.

   • Situated Agents

     • Sensing and Acting
     • Planning
     • Reactive Systems
     • Biological Motivations
     • Environment Constraints through Agent Embodiment

   • Autonomous Vehicles

     • Behaviour-based Architectures
     • Mobile Robotics
     • Representational Issues
     • Control Issues
     • Applications

   • Implementing Behaviours

     • Perceptual Basis for Behaviour-based Control
     • Reactive Architectures
     • Hybrid Architectures
     • Adaptive Behaviours
     • Collective Behaviours

   • Locomotion

     • Wheel-driven vehicles
     • Legged robots
     • Exapodes, four-legged and bipedal robots
     • Humanoid: a brief introduction
     • Active and Passive Walking
     • Gait control using the inverted pendulum model

4. Suggested Readings

   • Behavior-Based Robotics: Ronald C. Arkin, MIT Press, 1998
   • Understanding Intelligence: Rolf Pfeifer & Christian Scheier, MIT Press, 1999
   • Introduction to AI Robotics: Robin Murphy, A Bradford Book, The MIT Press, 2000
   • Introduction to Autonomous Robots: Nikolaus Correll, Magellan Scientific, 2016
   • Introduction to Robotics: Mechanics and Control: John J. Craig, Pearson - Prentice Hall, 2005
   • A Mathematical Introduction to Robotic Manipulation: Richard M. Murray, CRC Press, 1994
   • Designing Autonomous Mobile Robots: John Holland, Elsevier, 2004
   • Artificial Intelligence: a Modern Approach: Russel & Norvig, Prentice Hall, 2003
   • Mobile Robots, Inspiration to Implementation: Johns & Flynn, A.K. Peters, 1993
   • Planning Algorithms: Steven M. LaValle, Cambridge University Press, 2006
   • Cambrian Intelligence: The Early History of the New AI: Rodney A. Brooks, A Bradford Book - The MIT Press, 1999
   • Modern Robotics: Building Versatile Machines: Harry Henderson, Chelsea House Publisher, 2006
   • Robotics Science and Systems IV, edited by Y. Matsuoka, H. Durrant-Whyte and J. Neira, The MIT Press, 2011
   • Introduction to Autonomous Mobile Robots: Roland Siegwart and Illah R. Nourbakhsh, A Bradford Book - The MIT Press, 2004
   • Introduction à la commande des robots humanoïdes, edited by S. Kajita, H. Hirukawa, K. Harada and K. Yokoi, Springer, 2009
   • Robot Motion Planning: Jean Claude Latombe, Kluwer, New York, 1991
   • Robotics Science: Michael Brady, MIT Press, 1989
   • Robotics: Fu, Lee & Gonzales, Mc-Graw Hill, 1987
   • Lectures from the Course, available via Web