Instructor: Dan Rupert
Instructor Email: drupert@ucsd.edu

Course Description:This course will provide a challenging hands-on educational opportunity in robotics engineering.  Students will be introduced to the mechanics, electronics and computer engineering of robotics, culminating in a series of autonomous robot challenges.  The morning session will consist of a brief lesson followed by an interactive project illustrating the engineering concepts.  In the afternoon, students will be participating in a hands-on guided challenge as they build, program and operate robots capable of sophisticated sensing and intelligent decision-making that closely mimic real-world machines.  Field trips, engineering lab tours and faculty presentations may be included. 

Course Objectives:

The primary objective of this class is to provide students with an in-depth understanding and control of the basic abilities of autonomous mobile robots: movements, senses, and intelligence.  Student will explore a dynamic range of engineering skills, including:

• Mechanical design of mobile robots
• Actuation: DC motors and servo motors for robot motion
• Perception: Range sensing and vision for obstacle avoidance and target tracking
• Cognition: mobile robot tele-operation, obstacle avoidance, path planning and intelligent decision-making for long-term missions (computer programming problem solving and debugging).

In addition students will gain critical thinking, effective project management and teamwork skills, and communication skills that will help them in their future academic pursuits.

Course Outline:

Week 1:  Introduction to basic mechanical and electrical engineering concepts and computer programming. Hands on CAD design.

Week 2:  Programming methods (Robot C, Microchip C) and guided projects. Hands on building and guided programming to solve basic robotic tasks.

Week 3:  Advanced programming methods, creative problem solving of complex tasks. Presentation of final projects and contests.