Explore robot anatomy, control and behaviour through a set of simulated tasks

Robots today are roving Mars, hoovering our floors, building cars and entertaining us in films. You may even share Stephen Hawking’s world view that super-intelligent ones may one day bring about the end of the human race.

If you’d like to find out more, but don’t have Hawking’s brain or an advanced qualification in cybernetics, this course is for you. You won’t require a soldering iron, but you’ll explore the basics of robot design, control and behaviour through a series of simulations that will have you test driving an ERIC – our very own University of Reading mobile robot.

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What topics will you cover?

Week 1:

An introduction to robotics from a cybernetic perspective
Overview of different types of robots and their application
History of robotics
Introduction to the robot simulations used in the course
Problem solving: commanding a mobile robot to move

Week 2:

A description of the components of a robot – sensors, actuators, ’brain’ and power supply
An understanding of different sensors, their operation and application
A description of motors, and how their velocity is set, and other robotic actuators
Problem solving: commanding a robot to achieve tasks on the basis of sensor information

Week 3:

Feedback for control and human-machine interaction
An explanation of feedback control of steering and speed in robots and in other applications such as balance, temperature and damping oscillations
Simple mathematical modelling of robots and different forms of control strategies
Human-Computer Interaction: feedback, including haptics
Problem solving: commanding a robot to follow a path

Week 4:

Feedback for Learning and robot: robot interaction
An appreciation of neuron based brains through Braitenburg vehicles
Robot learning by trial and error
Multiple robots and artificial life, relating to biological processes
Problem solving: commanding a robot to traverse a maze

When would you like to start?

Date to be announced

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What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

Describe different forms of robot and applications where they may be used
Determine the appropriate commands to allow a robot to achieve particular tasks using information from sensors
Appreciate how aspects of robotics can be applied in many different scenarios

Who is the course for?

The course is designed for anyone with an interest in robotics- you don’t need to own your own robot to take part!

Please be aware that this course contains video clips that include sequences of flickering/flashing lights which might affect learners who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy.

Who will you learn with?

Richard Mitchell

I am Professor of Cybernetics in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Reading. My interests include Education, Computing, Control, Robotics, AI Gaia Theory and Programming.