CS148: Building Intelligent Robots

CS148: BUILDING INTELLIGENT ROBOTS

Syllabus

This page is subject to frequent updates. Please check it regularly for the latest information. Last updated February 5, 2001.

Missive (ps, pdf)

Date Topic Readings Assignment out/due

Jan 24 Organization: Brief overview of the course including some historical background on robots and automation. Administrivia will include a discussion of how grades will be assigned, the policy on the use and abuse of robot hardware, and the criteria for determining course enrollment. You must attend this class to be in the enrollment lottery!

Week 1
Jan 29 Introduction: a brief history of robotics and cybernetics, simple robotic behaviors and sensory feedback loops, synthetic psychology and lessons from ethology and animal behavior
Braitenberg, Chapters 1-5
Lab/Project 1 out

Jan 31 Lab 1: LEGO Design
Martin, The Art of LEGO Design

Martin, MIT 6.270 Notes, Chapter 4

Baum, Chapter 4

Week 2
Feb 5 Programming Robots: multiple threads of control, sensor feedback loops, behaviors, coordination, Robot Invention System (RIS), Not Quite C (NQC) Lab/Project 2 out

Feb 7 Lab 2: Introduction to NQC
Baum, Chapter 3
Project 1 due

Week 3
Feb 12 Sensing and Control: survey of robot sensor technology, basic control theory, setpoint regulation, proportional integral derivative (PID) control
Dean and Wellman, Section 4.6 (suggested)
Lab/Project 3 out

Feb 15 Lab 3: Sensors Project 2 due

Week 4
Feb 19 Long Weekend: no class Monday Lab/Project 4 out

Feb 21 Lab 4: PID Control
VanDoren, Tuning Fundamentals

Jones and Flynn, Mobile Robots

Knudsen, p 71
Project 3 due

Week 5
Feb 26 Architectures: hierarchical, reactive systems, hybrids, REX, subsumption, compiler and programming language issues
Brooks

Dean and Wellman, Section 4.7
Lab/Project 5 out

Feb 28 Lab 5: Subsumption
Knudsen, Chapter 9
Project 4 due

Week 6
Mar 5 Alternative Control Paradigms: behavior based architectures, schema theory, innate releasing mechanisms and other insights from ethology, artificial potential fields.
Lab 6 out, no Project 6, Midterm out
Dean and Wellman, Section 4.8

Murphy, excerpts
Lab 6 out (no Project 6)
Midterm out

Mar 7 Lab 6: Artificial Potential Fields Project 5 due

Week 7
Mar 12 Uncertainty: dealing with noise in sensing, modeling uncertainty in sensing using probability and decision theory,
Dean et al., Sections 8.1, 8.2

Mar 14 Midterm: preparation

Week 8
Mar 19 Robot Competition: a survey of the various robot competitions and the tasks they emphasize including AAAI Robot Competitions, RoboCup for soccer playing robots.
Kortenkamp et al., excerpts

Mar 21 Midterm: demonstration/competition Midterm due

Mar 24-Apr 1 Spring Break: no classes.

Week 9
Apr 2

Date	Topic	Readings	Assignment out/due
Jan 24	Organization: Brief overview of the course including some historical background on robots and automation. Administrivia will include a discussion of how grades will be assigned, the policy on the use and abuse of robot hardware, and the criteria for determining course enrollment. You must attend this class to be in the enrollment lottery!
Week 1 Jan 29	Introduction: a brief history of robotics and cybernetics, simple robotic behaviors and sensory feedback loops, synthetic psychology and lessons from ethology and animal behavior	Braitenberg, Chapters 1-5	Lab/Project 1 out
Jan 31	Lab 1: LEGO Design	Martin, The Art of LEGO Design Martin, MIT 6.270 Notes, Chapter 4 Baum, Chapter 4
Week 2 Feb 5	Programming Robots: multiple threads of control, sensor feedback loops, behaviors, coordination, Robot Invention System (RIS), Not Quite C (NQC)		Lab/Project 2 out
Feb 7	Lab 2: Introduction to NQC	Baum, Chapter 3	Project 1 due
Week 3 Feb 12	Sensing and Control: survey of robot sensor technology, basic control theory, setpoint regulation, proportional integral derivative (PID) control	Dean and Wellman, Section 4.6 (suggested)	Lab/Project 3 out
Feb 15	Lab 3: Sensors		Project 2 due
Week 4 Feb 19	Long Weekend: no class Monday		Lab/Project 4 out
Feb 21	Lab 4: PID Control	VanDoren, Tuning Fundamentals Jones and Flynn, Mobile Robots Knudsen, p 71	Project 3 due
Week 5 Feb 26	Architectures: hierarchical, reactive systems, hybrids, REX, subsumption, compiler and programming language issues	Brooks Dean and Wellman, Section 4.7	Lab/Project 5 out
Feb 28	Lab 5: Subsumption	Knudsen, Chapter 9	Project 4 due
Week 6 Mar 5	Alternative Control Paradigms: behavior based architectures, schema theory, innate releasing mechanisms and other insights from ethology, artificial potential fields. Lab 6 out, no Project 6, Midterm out	Dean and Wellman, Section 4.8 Murphy, excerpts	Lab 6 out (no Project 6) Midterm out
Mar 7	Lab 6: Artificial Potential Fields		Project 5 due
Week 7 Mar 12	Uncertainty: dealing with noise in sensing, modeling uncertainty in sensing using probability and decision theory,	Dean et al., Sections 8.1, 8.2
Mar 14	Midterm: preparation
Week 8 Mar 19	Robot Competition: a survey of the various robot competitions and the tasks they emphasize including AAAI Robot Competitions, RoboCup for soccer playing robots.	Kortenkamp et al., excerpts
Mar 21	Midterm: demonstration/competition		Midterm due
Mar 24-Apr 1	Spring Break: no classes.
Week 9 Apr 2