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Course Offerings

Course Details

Fall 2011-2012
COS 495 / ELE 495  

Special Topics in Computer Science - Autonomous Robot Navigation

Christopher M. Clark

Introduces students to a variety of autonomous mobile robots, concentrating on wheeled robots. In particular, students will build, experiment with and compete with the Dr Robot X80 robots. Topics to be covered include robot platforms and modeling, control structures, sensing and estimation, localization, motion planning, and a specialized module on underwater robotic systems. The course has a heavy experimental component that involves students programming the X80 robots and an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle.

Sample reading list:
Roland Siegwart and Illah R. Nourbakhsh, An Introduction to Autonomus Mobile Robots
George A. Bekey, Autonomous Robots: From Biological Inspiration To Implementa
Sebastian Thrun, Probabilistic Robotics
Howie Choset, Kevin M. Lynch, Principles of Robot Motion
Ronald C. Arkin, Behavior-Based Robotics

Reading/Writing assignments:
Students will be required to write formal lab reports that demonstrate their understanding of goals of the lab, and desired results. Sections to be included in the report are an introduction, background, experiment description, results and discussion, and conclusion. While the reports are very technical in nature, they are to be written in the context that other scientists or engineers not familiar with robotics can understand them.

Requirements/Grading:
Mid Term Exam - 10%
Final Exam - 30%
Lab Reports - 45%
Other (See Instructor) - 15%

Other Requirements:
Not Open to Freshmen.

Prerequisites and Restrictions:
COS 126. Courses in Statistics and Controls are helpful..

Schedule/Classroom assignment:

Class numberSectionTimeDaysRoomEnrollmentStatus
20813 L01 10:00 am - 10:50 am M W F   Engineering Quad E-Wing   E225   Enrolled:28 Limit:30
23689 B01 11:00 am - 11:50 am M W F   Engineering Quad F-Wing   F114   Enrolled:28 Limit:30