Mobile Robotics

Faculty
Joan Sola
Postdoc, Institut de Robòtica i Informàtica Industrial, CSIC-UPC
Course length
Duration
Total hours
Credits
Language
Course type
Fee for single course
Fee for degree students
Skills you’ll learn
Overview
This course covers the general topics of mobile robotics, from perception to planning and execution.
In terms of perception, we will learn about different sensor modalities relevant to motion and mapping. We will also learn how to localize the robot and create maps of its environment.
On the planning side, we will discover a few algorithms that will allow the robot to solve for a feasible trajectory to reach a certain point B from point A, taking care of the constraints imposed by the environment.
The planned trajectory will have to be executed. At times, unexpected obstacles will be in its way, and the robot has to act reactively.
These topics will be covered through a practical project where the students will fully program a small mobile robot.
The course will finish with a complete demonstration of the robot’s capabilities as they were implemented by the students.
Learning highlights
- To have a general overview of the sensors used in mobile robotics.
- To learn how to localize the robot in the environment, and how to create maps of this environment.
- To learn how to plan a trajectory in this environment.
- To learn how to execute this trajectory.
- To learn how to organize robot capacities in a well-designed software architecture.
Course outline
4 classes
Theory
Presentation, motivation, organization
A brief on sensor modalities
Practice
The turtle3 burger robot
ROS and other necessary libraries
Theory
Sensor models
Noise and uncertainty
Practice
Software architecture
Creating the ROS nodes’ skeletons
Prerequisites
This course is one of three in a wholistic series.
Students that have already taken MSL-111 and those with prior experience with HTML, CSS, and Javascript building simple web pages will be good candidates for this module.
Research professional with experience in several disciplines, like deepwater manned submarines, computer vision, robotics, control systems, analog and power electronics and renewable energies. With a good engineering and mathematics formation, I am also very intuitive and especially like the difficult problems. Looking back, I see that I like to change the major axes of my research activity every X years, with 3 < X < 8. This keeps me motivated while it allows me to broaden my fields of knowledge and expertise. My primary goals are always related to knowledge and to participate in challenging civil projects. In this direction, I would like to get involved in planetary exploration, on one side, and humanoid robotics on the other side. Time will tell if I can manage doing both of them. In 2007 I joined a small team at Ictineu Submarins with the aim of building a civil submersible for 3 people and 1200m depth, Ictineu3. Indeed, a submarine is the closest thing to a spacecraft one can imagine on Earth. And I made a small collaboration with isardSAT, in the field of planetary observation from satellite-based radar altimeters. In 2013 I obtained a Ramon y Cajal research grant which will allow me to pursue research in Robotics, which I do at the Institut de Robòtica Industrial de Barcelona. My research is on sensor fusion and state estimation for wheeled, legged and aerial robots -- among which, humanoids. Specialties: Computer vision; Simultaneous Localization and Mapping; Estimation and sensor fusion; Control systems; robotic systems; Renewable energies, energy in general; electricity and electronics, especially analog and power electronics; Deep-water (over 1000m) submarine technology. Special batteries for electric vehicles. Lithium batteries for deep-water submarines.
See full profileApply for this course
Mobile Robotics
by Joan Sola
Total hours
45 Hours
Dates
Feb 17 - Mar 07, 2020
Fee for single course
€1500
Fee for degree students
€750
How to secure your spot
Complete the form below to kickstart your application
Schedule your Harbour.Space interview
If successful, get ready to join us on campus
FAQ
Will I receive a certificate after completion?
Yes. Upon completion of the course, you will receive a certificate signed by the director of the program your course belonged to.
Do I need a visa?
This depends on your case. Please check with the Spanish or Thai consulate in your country of residence about visa requirements. We will do our part to provide you with the necessary documents, such as the Certificate of Enrollment.
Can I get a discount?
Yes. The easiest way to enroll in a course at a discounted price is to register for multiple courses. Registering for multiple courses will reduce the cost per individual course. Please ask the Admissions Office for more information about the other kinds of discounts we offer and what you can do to receive one.