Introduction to Robotics

Kinematics and Motion Planning

I2R Information Sheet

Instructor: Hector Rotstein Phone: 054-365 845. Evenings only! Office hours: Mo: 17:30-18:30 Fri: 11:30 - 12:30 (appointment only) E-mail: hector@ee.technion.ac.il

I2R Information Sheet

Assistant: Dan Phone: 4528. Office hours: Su: 10:00 - 12:00 Mailbox: 33 E-mail: ido@cs.technion.ac.il

Bibliography
John Craig, Introduction to robotics, Addison Wesley. Jean-Claude Latombe, Robot Motion Planning, Kluger International Series in Engineering and Computer Science.

Course Objectives
At the end of this course, you should be able to: Describe and analyze rigid motion. Write down manipulator kinematics and operate with the resulting equations Solve simple inverse kinematics problems. Select sensors for performing robotic tasks Solve motion planning problems.

Syllabus
A brief history of robotics. Coordinates and Coordinates Inversion. Trajectory planning. Sensors. Actuators and control. Why robotics? Basic Kinematics. Introduction. Reference frames. Translation. Rotation. Rigid body motion. Velocity and acceleration for General Rigid Motion. Relative motion. Homogeneous coordinates. Robot Kinematics. Forward kinematics. Link description and connection. Manipulator kinematics. The workspace.

Syllabus (cont.)
Inverse Kinematics. Introduction. Solvability. Inverse Kinematics. Examples. Repeatability and accuracy. Basic Dynamics and Control. Introduction. Definitions and notation. Laws of Motion. Robot control. Trajectory generation. Introduction. General considerations. Path generation. Motion Planning.Introduction. Algorithms for motion planning.

Policies and Grades

There will be six homework assignments, one mid-term test and two short projects. The test will be open book. The homeworks will count 4% each towards the final grade, the test 36% and each project 20%. The worst homework will be given 20% of the normal weight, while the best will be given 180% of the normal weight.

Policies and Grades (cont.)

Collaboration in the sense of discussions is allowed. You should write final solutions and understand them fully. Violation of this norm will be considered cheating, and will be taken into account accordingly. Can work alone or in teams of 2 You can also consult additional books and references but not copy from them.

Policies and Grades (cont.)

Required homework will be due before the beginning of practice, at the course mailbox. Late homework will be accepted up to one week after the due date, will receive a maximum grade of 80% and loose 10% for each delay day after the first one. However, bonus problems must be handed in on their due date.

Additional Information
There are really 2 sub-course in the course: Basis robotics (K, IK, some D) Robot Motion Planning and navigation

Evaluation of sub-courses: HW + BR: mid-term RMP&N: a competition. Sort of autonomous computer game.

The Competition
A simulator will be use to generate an artificial environment (region + obstacles) Two participants: simulator will call each navigation function alternatively. Participant reaching the target first wins. Classifying round + playoffs.

Robot Examples

Robot Demos

A Brief History of Robotics

The word robot introduced by Czech playwright Karel Capek: robots are machines which resemble people but work tirelessly. His view is still to be fulfill!

Best soccer player ever

Best robot player ever

A Brief History of Robotics II

Definition: a robot is a software-controllable mechanical device that uses sensors to guide one or more end-effectors through programmed motions in a workspace in order to manipulate physical objects. Todays robots are not androids built to impersonate humans. Manipulators are anthropomorphic in the sense that they are patterned after the human arm. Industrial robots: robotic arms or manipulators

History of Robotics (cont.)

Early work at end of WWII for handling radioactive materials: Teleoperation. Computer numerically controlled machine tools for low-volume, high-performance AC parts Unimation (61): built first robot in a GM plant. The machine is programmable. Robots were then improved with sensing: force sensing, rudimentary vision.

History of Robotics (cont.)

Two famous robots:
Puma. (Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly). 78. SCARA. (Selective Compliant Articulated Robot Assembly). 79.

In the 80 efforts to improve performance: feedback control + redesign. Research dedicated to basic topics. Arms got flexible. 90: modifiable robots for assembly. Mobile autonomous robots. Vision controlled robots. Walking robots.

Robot Classification
Robotic manipulator: a collection of links interconnected by flexible joints. At the end of the robot there is a tool or end-effector. Drive Technology. Which source of power drives the joints of the robot. Work-envelope geometries. Points in space which can be reached by the end-effector. Motion control method. Either point-to-point or continuous path

The Course at a Glimpse: Kinematics

F(robot variables) = world coordinates x = x(1,, n) y = y(1,, n) z = z(1,, n) In a cascade robot, Kinematics is a single-valued mapping. Easy to compute.

Kinematics: Example
1= , 2=r 1 r 4.5 0 50o
x = r cos y = r sin

workspace

Inverse Kinematics
G(world coordinates) = robot variables 1 = 1(x,y,z)

1 = 1(x,y,z)
The inverse problem has a lot of geometrical difficulties inversion may not be unique!

Inverse Kinematics: Example

Make unique by constraining angles

2
1

Trajectory Planning
Get from (xo, yo, zo) to (xf, yf, zf) In robot coordinates: o f Planning in robot coordinates is easier, but we loose visualization. Additional constraints may be desirable:
smoothness dynamic limitations obstacles