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    16-868

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Teaching

Fall 2015 (2010-present)

16-868: Biomechanics and Motor Control of Legged Locomotion

12 Units, Graduate Level
Tues & Thurs 12pm-1:20pm, Room NSH 1305

The course provides an introduction into the mechanics and control of legged locomotion with a focus on the human system. The main topics covered include fundamental concepts, muscle-skeleton mechanics, and neural control. Examples of bio-inspiration in robots and rehabilitation devices are highlighted.  By the end of the course, you will have the basic knowledge to build your own dynamic models of animal and human motions. The course develops the material in parallel with an introduction into the Matlab's  Simulink and SimMechanics environments for modeling nonlinear dynamic systems.  Assignments and team projects will let you apply your knowledge to problems of animal and human motion in theory and computer simulations.

Short Syllabus:

Aug-Oct Dynamics & Control Fundamentals
    Basic Observations about Animal Locomotion
    Standing and Balance (CoP, Support Polygon)
    Walking (LIPM, Capture Points)
    Running (SLIP, Raibert and Deadbeat Control)

Oct-Dec Neuromuscular Implementation
    Muscle Motors (Dynamic Properties, Hill Models)
    Motor Control (CPGs, Reflexes, Complex Locomotion Models) 
    Comparison to Legged Robot Control

Tue New Content
Thu Implementation in Simulink/SimMechanics

Uselful Background: Modeling in Matlab Simulink

Fall 2015 (2011-present)

16-642: Manipulation, Mobility and Control

12 Units, Graduate Level
Mon & Wed 12pm-1:20pm, Room NSH 1305

The course is part of the RI MRSD program. It provides an overview of the current techniques that allow robots to locomote and interact with the world. The kinematics and dynamics of electromechanical systems will be covered with a particular focus on their application to robotic arms. Some basic principles of robot control will be discussed, ranging from independent- joint PID tracking to coupled computed torque approaches. The practice and theory of robotic mobility will be investigated through various mobile robot platforms, including wheeled and tracked vehicle and legged robots. Hands-on experience with some of the topics in the class will be provided through practical demonstrations and lab assignments.

Spring 2016 (2011-present)

16-711: Kinematics, Dynamic Systems and Control

12 Units, Graduate Level
Tues & Thurs 1:30pm-2:50pm, Room NSH 1305

Kinematics, Dynamic Systems, and Control is a graduate level introduction to robotics. The course covers fundamental concepts and methods to analyze, model and control robotic mechanisms which move in the physical world and manipulate it.

Short Syllabus:

Jan-Feb Kinematics
    Rigid Body Fundamentals (Screw Theory)
    Multi-Body Robots (Forward/Inverse Kinematics, Jacobian)

Feb-Mar Dynamics
    Fundamentals (Principle of Virtual Work/Power, Lagrange, Inertia Tensor)
    Multi-Body Robots (EOMs, Forward/Inverse Dynamics)

Mar-Apr Control
    Fundamentals (LTI, PID, Observers)
    Multi-Body Robots (Motion & Force Control)