Controls and Robotics
Initial Publication Date: September 12, 2022
Summary
In this activity, students will simulate the forward kinematics on a mobile robot given an initial pose and sensor location and how it moves in the global or reference frame from an initial position to a goal position. Create a GUI in AppDesigner to simulate robot motion given an initial and goal posiiton.
CollapseLearning Goals
The goal is for students to understand forward and inverse kinematics for a mobile robot and be able to simulate it in software such as MATLAB or Python. The students calculate the robot's pose and plot it on a graph by using MATLAB. They should understand critical thinking and problem solving.
Context for Use
Advanced Mobile Robotics, juniors and seniors in computer science, computer, electrical, mechanical and software engineering. This would be an either in class or homework assignment expected to take 90 minutes. My classes are no more than 30 students at a school primarily for undergraduates in science, engineering, and math. Students should have prior knowledge of controls as well as MATLAB, C, Python or JAVA. It may not be very difficult to adapt to other controls or robotics courses.
Description and Teaching Materials
Matrix A represents the pose of a robot in space
Matrix B represents the position of a sensor on the robot
The sensor perceives an object at a given location, p.
The sensor or robot is in its own reference frame which means it has no context of its location in the global reference frame
Where is the object in the global reference frame?
Given the sensor or robot in the global reference frame, where is it in the local reference frame.
Lecture 1-1 Linear Algebra (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 1.1MB Aug17 22)
Lecture 1-2 Kinematics in Mobile Robotics (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 1.3MB Aug17 22)
Matrix B represents the position of a sensor on the robot
The sensor perceives an object at a given location, p.
The sensor or robot is in its own reference frame which means it has no context of its location in the global reference frame
Where is the object in the global reference frame?
Given the sensor or robot in the global reference frame, where is it in the local reference frame.
Lecture 1-1 Linear Algebra (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 1.1MB Aug17 22)
Lecture 1-2 Kinematics in Mobile Robotics (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 1.3MB Aug17 22)
Teaching Notes and Tips
Review basic topics in linear algebra to help students prepare for this assignment.
Share your modifications and improvements to this activity through the Community Contribution Tool »
Assessment
If they simulate the problem and the robot ends at the correct location then they receive full credit.
References and Resources
Textbook lectures, slides, videos: http://probabilistic-robotics.org/
Course Lectures: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBK7yyieyrAYyvfgPyqoPAaG9JRDTfm78
Course Lectures: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBK7yyieyrAYyvfgPyqoPAaG9JRDTfm78