Hands On Training

Robotics

Columbia University

via

edX

Course Features

Duration

10 weeks

Delivery Method

Online

Available on

Limited Access

Accessibility

Mobile, Desktop, Laptop

Language

English

Subtitles

English

Level

Advanced

Effort

10 hours per week

Teaching Type

Instructor Paced

Course Description

We think of Robotics as the science of building devices that physically interact with their environment. The most useful robots do it precisely, powerfully, repeatedly, tirelessly, fast, or some combinations of these. The most interesting robots maybe even do it intelligently. This course will cover the fundamentals of robotics, focusing on both the mind and the body.

We will learn about two core robot classes: kinematic chains (robot arms) and mobile bases. For both robot types, we will introduce methods to reason about 3-dimensional space and relationships between coordinate frames. For robot arms, we will use these to model the task of delivering a payload to a specified location. For mobile robots, we will introduce concepts for autonomous navigation in the presence of obstacles.

Class projects will make use of ROS - the open-source Robot Operating System (www.ros.org) widely used in both research and industry. Computer requirements for working on the projects will include a computer set up with Ubuntu Linux and high bandwidth internet access for downloading and installing ROS packages.

Course Overview

Live Class

Human Interaction

Personlized Teaching

International Faculty

Post Course Interactions

Instructor-Moderated Discussions

Skills You Will Gain

Prerequisites/Requirements

College-level introductory linear algebra (vector spaces, linear systems, matrix decomposition)

College-level introductory calculus (partial derivatives, function gradients)

Basic knowledge of computer programming (variables, functions, control flow)

Projects will be carried out in the Python language, with C++ as an option

What You Will Learn

Represent 2D and 3D spatial relationships, homogeneous coordinates

Manipulate robot arms: kinematic chains, forward and inverse kinematics, differential kinematics

Program and navigate mobile robots: robot and map representations, motion planning

Plan complete robot systems

Develop present and future applications for robots

Course Content

Expand all sections

Module 1: Week 1

Module 2: Week 2

Module 3: Week 3

Module 4: Week 4

Course Instructors

Matei Ciocarlie

Department of Mechanical Engineering at Columbia University

Matei Ciocarlie is an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering department at Columbia University. Matei completed his Ph.D. at Columbia University in New York. His doctoral dissertation, foc...