Postgraduate Course: Intelligent Autonomous Robotics (Level 11) (INFR11070)
Course Outline
| School |
School of Informatics |
College |
College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type |
Standard |
Availability |
Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) |
SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits |
10 |
| Home subject area |
Informatics |
Other subject area |
None |
| Course website |
http://www.inf.ed.ac.uk/teaching/courses/iar-5 |
|
|
| Course description |
The aims of this course are to introduce the fundamental problems of producing real world intelligent behaviour in robots, some of the different kinds of information processing techniques and control architectures that have been developed, and how biological systems can be modelled on robots and contribute to their design.
The course is structured around a practical-based programme involving the construction of a series of small mobile LEGO vehicles of increasing sensorimotor sophistication. We will cover related sensing and control ideas, approaches, and organisational architectures. We consider some alternative types of mechanism suggested for the production of desired intelligent behaviour by both engineers (simple control theory) and biologists (e.g. muscle control, biomimetic robotics, learning). |
Entry Requirements
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Introduction to Vision and Robotics (INFR09019)
|
Co-requisites |
Students MUST also take:
Advanced Vision (Level 10) (INFR10001) OR
Machine Learning and Sensorimotor Control (INFR11014)
|
| Prohibited Combinations |
Students MUST NOT also be taking
Intelligent Autonomous Robotics (Level 10) (INFR10005)
|
Other requirements |
For Informatics PG and final year MInf students only, or by special permission of the School. A good grounding in mathematics and some knowledge of first-order differential equations are essential. In addition, hands-on experience of working with small mechanical parts, computer assembly and skills such as using LEGO kits and Mindstorm kits would be useful.
This course may be taken as a co-requisite for MSc students on the Intelligent Robotics theme, they will be taking at least one of Advanced Vision (Level 10) and/or Machine Learning & Sensorimotor Control.
|
| Additional Costs |
None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2010/11 Semester 1, Available to all students (SV1)
|
WebCT enabled: No |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| Central | Lecture | | 1-11 | 09:00 - 09:50 | | | | | | Central | Lecture | | 1-11 | | | | 09:00 - 09:50 | |
| First Class |
Week 1, Thursday, 09:00 - 09:50, Zone: Central. Room G.11, William Robertson Building |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
1 - Knowledge of robot control architectures and sensors, understanding of the issues involved in programming real robots as opposed to simulators.
2 - Familiarity with current approaches to robotics, including reactive, subsumption, cybernetic, classical planning and evolutionary and multirobot approaches.
3 - Familiarity with current literature on state-of-the-art in mobile robot planning and navigation (with the expectation of being tested in exam conditions)
4 - Understanding the main issues and methods in mobile robot navigation.
5 - Understand how to model and evaluate models of biological systems on robots.
6 - Build and program a robot to do specified tasks, dealing with sensing and acting in the real world, achieve a set of milestones defined on a weekly timetable, evaluate the results and present the work in a written report.
7 - Presentation of your work to a group, working in a small group. |
Assessment Information
Written Examination 50
Assessed Assignments 50
Oral Presentations 0
Assessment
One assignment, carried out in groups of 2 or 3, account for 22% of the course marks. This requires you to build and program a robot using the kits, electronics, sensors and programming environments provided and to present the results in a written report. The other 8% of the marks will be assigned to completion of a set of weekly timetabled sub-goals, which will have a mini-report component and a rigorous evaluation criterion for each milestone. In addition, a literature reading list will be setup which will contain examinable material for the final exam.
If delivered in semester 1, this course will have an option for semester 1 only visiting undergraduate students, providing assessment prior to the end of the calendar year. |
| Please see Visiting Student Prospectus website for Visiting Student Assessment information |
Special Arrangements
| Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser |
Dr Michael Rovatsos
Tel: (0131 6)51 3263
Email: mrovatso@inf.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary |
Miss Kate Weston
Tel: (0131 6)50 2701
Email: Kate.Weston@ed.ac.uk |
|
copyright 2010 The University of Edinburgh -
1 September 2010 6:11 am
|
University Homepage