Robot Kinematics and Dynamics (MSc)

Module overview

Robots are becoming more widely used in society, with applications ranging from agriculture through to manufacturing, with increasing interest in autonomous systems. This module will introduce students to the concept of a robot, varieties of robotic systems and the some of the fundamental techniques which are required to get robot systems to work. The module concentrates on introducing students to the necessary kinematics, dynamics and control which are needed to analyse and design robotic systems. In addition, the course will discuss trajectory generation and path planning at a basic level. The course will use dextrous manipulators and mobile robots to illustrate the concepts which will be introduced.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Formulate and/or solve inverse kinematic problems via a variety of methods
Analyse the kinematics of a robot and its associated control system
Formulate and/or solve path planning and trajectory generation problems
Establish underlying dynamical equations of simple robots
Design simple linear control systems for simple robots

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

Be able to identify the limitations of a robot (either mobile or static),
e able to appreciate the difficulties of establishing solutions to inverse kinematic equations

Engineering practice

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Understand the constraints and limitations in the design and deployment of robotic systems in practice

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

All students will be provided with a hard copy of the lectured material. Teaching will mainly by by lectures although these sessions will include tutorial sessions and demonstration sessions.

Study time
Type	Hours
Preparation for scheduled sessions	18
Revision	14
Follow-up work	26
Lecture	36
Wider reading or practice	56
Total study time	150

Assessment

Assessment strategy

100% Examination

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Closed book Examination	100%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Closed book Examination	100%

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Closed book Examination	100%