Fast Robots

Catalog description

The course focus is on systems level design and implementation of fast and dynamic autonomous robots. With the recent DIY movement, design of kinematic robots is largely becoming a software challenge. In dynamic robots, however, any latency or noise can be detrimental. We will design a fast autonomous car, explore dynamic behaviors, acting forces, sensors, and reactive control on an embedded processor, as well as the benefit of partial off-board computation. Students will learn how to derive design specifications from abstract problem descriptions and gain familiarity with rapid prototyping techniques, system debugging, system evaluation, and online dissemination of work.