Control Problems in Robotics

Control Problems in Robotics
2019/20

Leonardo Lanari (coordinator)

Information

schedule	September 23, 2019 - December 20, 2019 (first semester); February 24, 2020 - May 29, 2020 (second semester)
coordinator e-mail	lanari [at] diag [dot] uniroma1 [dot] it

Audience

Students of the Master in Control Engineering and of the Master in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics at the Dipartimento di Ingegneria informatica, Automatica e Gestionale (DIAG) of Sapienza Università di Roma.

Objective

The course presents a selection of advanced topics on the control of robots and robotic systems, and is intended as an introduction to research in the field. Guided through case studies taken from the research activities of the instructors, the student will be able to fully develop a control problem in Robotics, from its analysis to the proposal of solution methods and their implementation.

Contents

The course gives 6 credits, and is organized in two modules of 3 credits each. The two modules can be chosen among the four modules offered each year, two per semester, within the Elective in Robotics course (code 1056414, 12 credits). The modules cover in a seminar fashion a number of research topics. Lectures/seminars are presented by instructors and/or by qualified external researchers. The four modules of the academic year 2019-20, out of which you can choose two, are:

First semester

Module 1: Modeling and control of multi-rotor UAVs (Marilena Vendittelli)
Module 2: Underactuated Robots (Leonardo Lanari, Giuseppe Oriolo)

Second semester

Module 3: Locomotion and haptic interfaces for VR exploration (Alessandro De Luca)
Module 4: Control of Multi-Robot Systems (Andrea Cristofaro)

For actual schedules, teaching materials, and further details, please access the web page of the individual modules by following the links above.

Important Note: If your curriculum includes the course of Control of Multi-Agent Autonomous Systems, you cannot choose Module 4 as part of Control Problems in Robotics.

Prerequisites

A general background in robotics (kinematics, dynamics, planning, control), as given for example in Robotics 1, Robotics 2, and Autonomous and Mobile Robotics, is desirable but not mandatory.

Grading

To obtain 6 credits for Control Problems in Robotics it is necessary to complete two modules from the list above. To complete a single module, one may either give a presentation on a certain topic (based on technical papers) or complete a small project (typically involving simulations). Altogether, each student should give one (1) presentation and complete one (1) project.

Master Theses at the Robotics Laboratory

Master Theses on the topics studied in this course are available at the DIAG Robotics Lab. More information can be found here.

Questions/comments: lanari [at] diag [dot] uniroma1 [dot] it