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This course addresses some
practical issues concerning the design,
fabrication and operation of wheel-driven mobile
robots. You will build on what you have learned
in previous design courses by applying that
knowledge to the design and construction of
robots that must accomplish certain performance
goals. The course utilizes a hands-on,
project-based approach to learning about
robotics. The objectives of the course are to:
1. Design and fabricate
wheel-driven mobile robots to accomplish
particular performance objectives
2. Incorporate typical elements
used in robot construction, such as electric
motors, drive train components, pneumatic
components, and sensors, into your robot
designs.
3. Develop and test code for a
programmable robot controller to incorporate
various sensors and enable autonomous operation
The course is taught using two
parallel inter-related tracks. The theory behind
robotic elements and controllers is covered in
the Lecture Track and reinforced through
homework assignments. Practical experience with
design, assembly, and testing of actual robots
is the focus of the Project Track, where teams
of students construct robots to meet certain
design challenges. The theoretical understanding
gained in the lecture track is combined with the
practical experience in the project track as you
build and test wheel-driven mobile robots. The
course culminates with the Robot Rampage
competition where robots compete against each
other in a game requiring strategy and effective
robot design. This competition is the final exam
for the course, and is typically a crowd
favorite for the Mechanical Engineering
department.
Upon completion of this course,
you should have a better understanding of how
typical robots work, how various mechanisms can
be designed to achieve prescribed motions, and
how microprocessors are used to control robots.
This course should help you get started on your
capstone design project if you choose to pursue
a project related to robotics. Even if you don’t
choose robotics for your capstone project, it
will give you a better understanding of how
military robots such as Unmanned Arial Vehicles
(UAV), Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV), and
Ordinance Disposal robots are designed, built,
and operated.
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