ME 115(a,b) Information Page

ME 115(a,b): Introduction to Kinematics and Robotics

Winter/Spring 2013-2014

Tu/Th 10:30-11:55 am, 306 Thomas

Course Staff

Course Instructor:	Joel Burdick	Room 319 Thomas	(626) 395-4139	jwb@robotics.caltech.edu
Teaching Assistant:	TBD
Administrative:	Mrs. Maria Koeper	Room 321 Thomas	(626) 395-3385	maria@robotics.caltech.edu

Course Information

An Overview of the scope and format of ME 115 (in PDF Format)
An Overview of the ME 115(a) Final Project alternative, and some final project ideas:

Delta Mechanisms: Paper on its geometry and singularities ; Video of Adept Delta ; Video of Adept Robot Food Packaging ; NovInt Delta Game Controller ;
More Deltas: A Planar Delta 3 DOF Delta-like Mechanism (see page 18 of this product brochure) Asyril Deltas ;
Other Parallel Mechanisms: Parallel Mechanism Info. Center ; Mikrolar ; Parallel Mechanisms for Adaptive Mirror Optics ;
Planar Mechanisms: Small Atlas of Planar Mechanisms
Passive Walkers: Cornell Tinker Toy Walker ;

The ME115(a) take home final exam (including instruction on the cover page
The solution to the ME115(a) final exam
The ME115(b) take home final exam (including instruction on the cover page
Homework 4b ; Solution 4b

Course Texts

The main course text is A Mathematical Introduction to Robotic Manipulation , by Murray, Li, and Sastry. The text is often refered to as "MLS". While the list of topics studied in this course will follow the subjects in this text, additional material not in the text will often be presented in class. Thus, class attendence is wise. The 1st edition of this book is now available on-line

Lectures, Reading, and Homework Schedule

The ME 115(a) schedule can be found here

Date:	Lecture	Reading	Optional Reading	Homework
03/29/10	manipulator Jacobians	Section 3.4 of MLS (pages 115-121)	-none-	-none-
03/31/10	No Class	-none-	-none-	-none-
04/02/10	Manipulator Jacobians	-none-	-none-	-none-
04/05/10	Manipulator Jacobians and Forces	Section 4.2 of MLS (pp. 121-123)	-none-	-none-
04/07/10	Manipulator Singularities	MLS Section 4.3 (pp 123-127)	-none-	-none-
04/09/10	Intro to Redundant Manipulators	MLS Section 3.5 (pp. 129-132)	-none-	Homework 1b Solution 1b
04/12/10	Redundant Manipulators: Resolved Rate	Notes on Moore-Penrose Pseudo-Inverse	-none-	-none-
04/14/10	Redundant Manipulators	Notes on the "damped" Pseudo-Inverse	-none-	-none-
04/16/10	Closed Loop Linkages	MLS Sections 3.5.2 and 3.5.3	-none-	Homework 2b
04/19/10	Guest Lecture on Passive BiPeds	-none-	-none-	-none-
04/21/10	Closed Loop Linkages (cont.) Special Configurations	-none-	-none-	-none-
04/23/10	Special Configurations Parallel Mechanisms	MLS pages 138-142	Review/History of Stewart Platforms	Homework 3b Solution 3b
04/26/10	Parallel Linkage Delta 3DOF Linkage	Paper on Delta Mechanism Kinematics and Singularities	Paper on Descriptive Geometry of the Delta Mechanism	-none-
04/28/10	Delta 3DOF Linkage (continued) Intro to Robotic Grasping	-none-	-none-	-none-
04/28/10	Introduction to Robotic Grasping	MLS 211-214	-none-	-none-
04/30/10	Robotic Grasping: Contact Models	MLS 214-223	-none-	-none-
05/03/10	No Class	-none-	-none-	-none-
05/05/10	No Class	-none-	-none-	-none-
05/07/10	No Class	-none-	-none-	-none-
05/10/10	Grasp Contact Models/Grasp Map	-none-	-none-	-none-
05/12/10	Grasp Map/Force Closure	MLS 223-228	-none-	Homework #4 Solution #4
05/14/10	Force Closure continued	MLS 223-228	-none-	-none-
05/17/10	Force Closure continued	MLS 223-228	-none-	-none-
05/19/10	Number of fingers	MLS 223-228	-none-	-none-
05/21/10	No Class: Ditch Day	MLS 223-228	-none-	-none-
05/24/10	No Class	-none-	-none-	-none-
05/26/10	No Class	-none-	-none-	-none-
05/28/10	Minimal # of fingers	-none-	-none-	-none-
05/31/10	Memorial Day Holiday	-none-	-none-	-none-
06/02/10	Optional: Differential Geometry of Curves	-none-	Notes on Differential Geometry of Curves	-none-
06/04/10	Optional: Planar Contact Equations	-none-	Notes on Planar Contact Equations	-none-

Questions and complaints should be addressed to:

jwb@robotics.caltech.edu