module specification

The aim of the module is to provide the theoretical and practical aspects, and the fundamental principles and methods that are used to model, design, and control a robotic system.

The objectives of the module are:
• To introduce the terminology and history of robotics and discuss various classification of robots according to their design and applications
• To introduce the mathematical and practical foundations of robotics
• To study the structural behaviour of robot manipulators and mobile robots
• To present the foundations of modelling and control of robot manipulators
• To develop forward and inverse kinematics to describe objects, locations, orientation and movements 
• To apply a hands-on approach using appropriate hardware and industry’s software (MATLAB and/or ROS: Robot Operating Systems) to develop relevant algorithms for path planning, trajectory and control for robot manipulators.
• To explain the social, economic, environmental and ethical issues relevant to robotics including current laws and regulations

Same as the entry requirement of MSc Robotics with Artificial Intelligence course.
Available for Study Abroad? (YES)

Terminology, history of robotics and most common robot design and applications. [LO1]
Classification of robots (industrial/fixed vs mobile); Classification of the most common manipulator mechanical structures; robot manipulator (links, joints, arms, wrist and end-effector). [LO1, LO2, LO3]

Modelling and control of robot manipulators; Robot degrees of freedom (DOF);
Position and orientation of a rigid body; Geometry of movement of a robot (Kinematics, both forward and Inverse), examples and applications; Rotational motion of a robotic arm; Statics and dynamics control of serial-link manipulator arm; Manipulator and robot grippers; Trajectory and path planning. [LO2, LO3]

Mobile robotics, local navigation; Obstacle avoidance; Localization, mapping and mapping-based navigation; Intelligent robotics. [LO3, LO4]

Current techniques in software architectures, programming tools / platforms and environments for robotic systems. [LO5]

Ethics for robotics and social, economic, and environmental issues. [LO6]

The module will be delivered by a mixture of lectures, tutorials/workshops, synchronous/asynchronous e-Learning/ blended learning. Students will be expected to carry out directed independent background study to familiarise themselves with the platforms and tools that will be used during the module.

All required learning material for the module (lectures/ tutorials/ workshops/ recordings / links etc) will be available to students on University VLE (Weblearn). The module page on VLE will be continuously updated with announcements and need based additional information to ensure appropriate support for students’ learning.

Students will be encouraged to keep logbook for reflective learning and regular feedback.

At the end of this module, you should be able to demonstrate:
LO1. A comprehensive understanding of the mechanical structure of various robotic systems, and a critical awareness of current problems and new insights.
LO2. Detailed knowledge of the mathematical description of the mechanical structure of a robot manipulator.
LO3. Advanced level knowledge and understanding concerning the motion of robots in the environment from modelling, simultaneous localization and mapping, motion planning and obstacle avoidance.
LO4. Motion, position and orientation of the bodies in a robotic mechanism using Kinematics to compute the workspace.
LO5. Knowledge of established and new techniques in software architectures, programming tools / platforms and environments for robotic systems.
LO6. A critical awareness of the current laws and regulation relevant to robotics, including the social, economic, environmental and ethical issues.

Reading list link: https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/B67A7796-29C5-178C-EF03-51FAE3C17E3E.html?lang=en-GB&login=1

Core Textbooks:
• Corke, Peter.  ® second, completely revised. Vol. 118. Springer, 2017.
(https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/items/71388210-A3BF-FDA4-3E9A-0868EE3A31D9.html?lang=en-GB&login=1)
• Spong, Mark W., Seth Hutchinson, and Mathukumalli Vidyasagar. Robot modeling and control. John Wiley & Sons, 2020.
(https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/items/AE7C10F6-669F-B4E6-99AC-158CFA1BD231.html?lang=en-GB&login=1)
• Siegwart, Roland, Illah Reza Nourbakhsh, and Davide Scaramuzza. Introduction to autonomous mobile robots. MIT press, 2011.
(https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/items/3090AEA5-78DD-0C68-07F7-6843BFEB89F4.html?lang=en-GB&login=1)

Recommended Textbooks:
• Lynch, Kevin M., and Frank C. Park. Modern Robotics. Cambridge University Press, 2017.
(https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/items/66FB94E7-1AFF-853F-53DA-37F6E9218787.html?lang=en-GB&login=1)
• Sciavicco, Lorenzo, and Bruno Siciliano. Modelling and control of robot manipulators. Springer Science & Business Media, 2012.
(https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/items/0660AFD0-70FE-0941-4B2B-2FEC319E8A14.html?lang=en-GB&login=1)
• Mordechai Ben-Ari, Francesco Mondada (2018), Elements of Robotics
ISBN 978-3-319-62532-4 ISBN 978-3-319-62533-1 (eBook), Springer Open
(https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/items/90E82007-1555-6845-B3FD- 58A25BE45EA0.html?lang=en-GB&login=1)
Journals:
• IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (http://catalogue.londonmet.ac.uk/record=b2112633~S1)
• IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics (http://catalogue.londonmet.ac.uk/record=b2047807~S1)
• IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (http://catalogue.londonmet.ac.uk/record=b1710899~S1)
• The International Journal of Robotics Research (https://journals.sagepub.com/home/ijr)
• IEEE Transactions on Robotics (http://catalogue.londonmet.ac.uk/record=b2050836~S1)