Autonomous Mobile Robotics

Description:

Students move from building stationary embedded systems to designing complete autonomous machines.

They explore the engineering process behind a mobile robot, starting with its mechanical structure and chassis, then designing its electronic system and robot control board, integrating motors and sensors, and finally developing the software that controls its behavior.

Students learn that a robot is not simply a collection of components. It is an integrated engineering system in which mechanics, electronics, sensing, and programming must work together.

Different robotic challenges introduce students to navigation, environmental sensing, decision-making, and autonomous behavior.

By the end of the course, students experience the complete process of turning an engineering idea into a working autonomous robot.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Understand the basic architecture of a mobile robot.
• Identify the mechanical, electronic, sensing, and software subsystems of a robot.
• Understand basic principles of robot locomotion.
• Design a mechanical chassis for a mobile robot.
• Consider component placement during mechanical design.
• Select and integrate motors and wheels.
• Understand basic robot power distribution.
• Design the electronic architecture of a robot.
• Design and assemble a robot control board.
• Interface motors with motor drivers.
• Integrate different sensors into a mobile robot.
• Control robot direction and movement.
• Use sensor information to control robot behavior.
• Develop autonomous decision-making logic.
• Understand basic line-following behavior.
• Implement obstacle detection and avoidance.
• Design robot behavior according to a specific task.
• Test and troubleshoot mechanical, electronic, and software problems.
• Integrate mechanics, electronics, and programming into one complete robotic system.