Robotics and Mechatronics module (ME40003)

This course is intended to give students an appreciation of the theory and application of mechatronics and robotics in real engineering situations. The aim of the course is to show that modern machines and products depend on the integration of many facets of engineering science and technology in the realisation of successful working systems. Examples of the principles of modern sensors, actuators and interfaces, including case study material will be used to demonstrate the interdependency of specialisms in a range of mechatronic and robot applications and mechatronic products.

Robot Motion: Robot design and applications. Analysis and control of robot motion. Joint, world and tool coordinate frames. Transformation between coordinate frames. Forward and inverse kinematics. Denavit-Hartenberg homogeneous transformations.

Robot Programming and Interfacing: Levels of sophistication of robot programming. On and offline programming. Text based systems, graphical systems, algorithmic programming. Programming in the VAL robotics language, with practical demonstrations.

Mechatronics:  The evolution of mechatronics. Computers and microcontrollers. Intelligence in mechatronic systems. Applications of mechatronics in industry and medicine.

Vision and Imaging: Image processing and analysis:  image data reduction, segmentation, feature extraction, object recognition. Camera location and perspective transformation. Integration of vision systems with mechatronic and robotic systems.

Sensors and Actuators: Force and tactile sensors, microfabricated sensors; piezoelectric, shape memory alloy and other smart actuators, robotic and mechatronic systems applications in industry and medicine.