ME115 2016
This is the homepage for ME 115(a,b) (Introduction to Kinematic and Robotics) for Winter/Spring 2016.
Course Staff, Hours, Location
| Position | Name | Office | Office Hours | Phone | |
| Instructor | Joel Burdick | 245 Gates-Thomas | TBD | jwb at robotics dot caltech dot edu | 626-395-4139 |
| Teach Asst. | Krishna Shankar | 205 Gates-Thomas | TBD | krishna at caltech dot edu | 626-395-???? |
| Teach Asst. | TBD | TBD | TBD | ??? at caltech dot edu | 626-395-???? |
| Administrative | Sonya Lincoln | 250 Gates-Thomas | 7:30am-noon; 1:00pm-4:30pm | lincolns at caltech dot edu | 626-395-3385 |
- Lecture Schedule: The first class will meet at 11:00 am in Gates-Thomas 135. Due to numerous class conflicts, the time will be changed to accommodate as many students as possible.
- Lecture Location: Gates-Thomas 135 is the tentative location, but subject to change.
Course Text and References
The main course text is:
- R.M. Murray, Z. Li, and S. Sastry, A Mathematical Introduction to Robotic Manipulation, CR Press, 1994.
- The 1st edition of this book is available freely on-line at the link above, and is perfectly adequate for the course
We will refer to this text as MLS (the initials of the authors last names). While the course topics will follow the text subjects, additional material not in the text will often be presented in class. Additional course handouts covering this material will be posted on this website
Course Syllabus
Theoretical Kinematics is the study of motion and the analytical tools to represent motion, while Applied Kinematics is the analysis and synthesis of mechanisms which implement given motions. This course presents a basic overview of theoretical kinematics, while the applied portions focus on robotic mechanisms.
An overview of the course, including course mechanics, grading, etc.
Grading
The final grade will be based on homework sets, and a final exam or final project:
- Homework (70%): Homework sets will be handed out every 7-10 days, and are due at 5 pm on the due date (which will always coincide with a class meeting). Homeworks can be dropped off in class, or deposited in the box outside of 245 Gates-Thomas. Some homeworks will require computation. MATLAB or Mathematica should be sufficient to solve every homework posed in this course, though students can choose their favorite programming language. Code is considered part of your solution and should be included in with the problem set when appropriate.
- Final exam/project (30%): Students have the option to take a final exam (a limited time take-home format exam which is open book, open note, and computer allowed) or select a final project. The final project must incorporate some aspect of the course, and the topic and scope my be approved by the course instructor. The final exam will due at 5:00 pm the last day of finals. The final project is similarly due at 5:00 pm on the last day of finals.
- Late Homework Policy: Students may automatically take a 2-day extension on two homeworks during each quarter.
Collaboration Policy
Collaboration on homework assignments is encouraged. You may consult outside reference materials, other students, the TA, or the instructor, but you must cite any use of material from outside references. All solutions that are handed in should be written up individually and should reflect your own understanding of the subject matter. Computer code and graphical plots are considered part of your solution, and therefore should be done individually (you can share ideas, but not code). No collaboration is allowed on the examinations.
Announcements
- 01/04/16: The class time (and probably location) will be changed in order to allow the maximum number of students to participate. Look for updates.
Course Schedule for ME115(a)
| Week | Date | Topic | Reading | Optional Reading | Homework |
| 1 |
Introduction and Review of Rigid Body Kinematics | ||||
| 4 Jan (Mon.) | Class Overview | Chapter 1 of MLS | History of Kinematics Through 1900 (Introductory chapter from Kinematic Synthesis of Linkages) | -No Homework- | |
| 6 Jan (W) | Planar Rigid Body Kinematics, Planar displacements |
MLS Ch 2.1, Pages 19-23 | -N/A- | ||
| 8 Jan (F) | Planar Rigid Body Displacements (continued), Displacement groups and poles |
MLS Ch 2.1, Notes on the Elliptical Trammel |
Archemides Trammel (Wikipedia) Polyhedral Linkages Synthesized Using Cardan Motion Along Radial Lines | ||
| 2 |
From Planar Rigid Body Kinematics to Spherical Kinematics | ||||
| 11 Jan (M) | Intro to Spherical Kinematics, Classical Matrix Groups |
MLS Pages 22-26, Notes on Classical Matrix Groups |
-N/A- | Homework 1 | |
| 13 Jan (W) | Spherical Kinematics (continued), Cayley's Theorem |
MLS Ch 2.2, 2.3, | -N/A- | ||
| 15 Jan (F) | Kinematics of Rotations, Euler's Theorem |
MLS Ch 2.2, 2.3, Notes on Rotations |
-N/A- | ||
| 3 |
Spherical Kinematics | ||||
| 18 Jan (M) | No Class: Marin Luther King Holiday | -N/A- | -N/A- | No Homework | |
| 20 Jan (W) | Exponetial Coordinates Matrix Groups | MLS 27-31 | -N/A- | ||
| 22 Jan (F) | Euler Angles, Quaternions | MLS 31-34 | -N/A- | ||
| 4 |
Spherical Kinematics (continued) | ||||
| 25 Jan (M) | Quaternions (continued), Intro to Spatial Kinematics |
MLS 34-39 | Notes on Algebras | Homework 2 | |
| 27 Jan (W) | Spatial Displacments, Chasle's Theorem |
MLS Pages 35-50 | -N/A- | ||
| 29 Jan (W) | Spatial Displacements, Exponential Coordinates |
MLS Ch 2.2, 2.3 | -N/A- | ||
| 5 |
Spatial Kinematics | ||||
| 1 Feb (M) | Spatial Displacements, Exponential Coordinates |
-N/A- | -N/A- | Homework 3 | |
| 3 Feb (W) | MLS Ch 2.2, 2.3 | -N/A- | |||
| 5 Feb (F) | Intro to Rigid Body Velocities | MLS Pages 51-52 | -N/A- | ||
| 6 |
Spatial Kinematics | ||||
| 8 Feb (M) | Spatial Kinematics: Homogeneous Coordinates and Chasle\'s Theorem | MLS Ch 2.3; Rodriguez' Displacement Equation; | -N/A- | Homework 4 | |
| 10 Feb (W) | Relations among various representations of displacements & motion capture | MLS Ch 2.3 | -N/A- | ||
| 12 Feb(F) | Motion capture & Rigid Body Velocities | MLS Ch 2.4 | -N/A- | ||
| 7 |
Spatial Kinematics: Wrenches | ||||
| 15 Feb (M) | No Class: President's Day Holiday | MLS Ch 2.3; | -N/A- | -N/A- | |
| 17 Feb (W) | Wrenches and Poinsot\'s Theorem | MLS Ch 2.4-2.5 | -N/A- | ||
| 19 Feb(F) | Screws and the Reciprocal Product | MLS Ch 2.5 | -N/A- | ||
| 8 |
Manipulators | ||||
| 22 Feb (M) | TBD | -N/A- | -N/A- | No Homework | |
| 23 Feb (W) | Manipulator Mechanisms and Lower Pair Joints | MLS Ch 3 | -N/A- | ||
| 25 Feb(F) | Denavit-Hartenberg Convention | MLS Ch 3 | -N/A- | ||
| 9 |
Forward/Inverse Kinematics | ||||
| 29 Feb (M) | Denavit-Hartenberg Convention (continued), Examples | MLS Ch 3; Rodriguez' Displacement Equation; | -N/A- | Homework 5 | |
| 2 Mar (W) | Product of Exponentials Formula | MLS Ch 3 | -N/A- | ||
| 4 Mar(F) | Inverse Kinematics | MLS Ch 3 | -N/A- | ||
| 10 |
Forward/Inverse Kinematics | ||||
| 7 Mar (M) | Denavit-Hartenberg Convention (continued), Examples | MLS Ch 3; Rodriguez' Displacement Equation; | -N/A- | Homework 6 | |
| 9 Mar (W) | Product of Exponentials Formula | MLS Ch 3 | -N/A- | ||
