ELEC 448

ELEC-448
Introduction to Robotics:
Mechanics and Control
Winter 2008
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario

Instructor
Dr. Keyvan Hashtrudi-Zaad
Walter Light Hall - Room 427
Tel: (613) 533-2991
email: khz [at] post.queensu.ca
Office Hours: 9:00-10:00 am Wednesdays, or by appointment.

Course Description
Robotics is an interdicsiplinary subject concerning areas of mechanics, eletronics, information theory, control and
automation. This course provides an introduction to robotics and covers fundamental aspects of modeling and control of
robot manipulators. Topics include history and application of robotics in industry, rigid body kinematics, manipulator
forward and inverse kinematic solution methods, Jacobians, singularities, redundancies, serial link manipulator dynamics,
trajectory generation, sensors and actuators, position control and interatcion force control.

Course Material
Text Book: "Introduction to Robotics: Mechanics and Control," by John J. Craig, 3rd edition, Pearson Prentice-Hall, 2005.
Copies are now available at Campus Bookstore for purchase. Two copies of the 2005 edition are put on reserve for
3-hour term loan in the Science and Engineeirng library.
Lecture Notes: Copies will be available in Campus Bookstore as custom courseware by mid January.
Additional References: On reseve for 3-hour term loan in the Science and Engineering library.

"Modelling and Control of Robot Manipulators," by L. Sciavicco and B. Siciliano, 2nd edition, Springer-Verlag, 2000.
"Robot Dynamics and Control," by Mark. W. Spong, and M. Vidyasagar, John Wiley, 1989.
"Introduction to Robotics: Analysis, Systems, Applications," by Saeed Niku, 1st edition, Prentice-Hall, 2001.
"Introduction to Robotics in CIM," by James A. Rehg, Prenticd-Hall, 2000.

Syllabus & Timetable

Overview [w1]
Intrduction to Robotics Manipulators [w 1]
Rigid Motions: Spatial Descriptions and Transfornmations [w 1-3]
Forward and Inverse Kinematics, Workspace, and Redundancies [w 3-4]
Differential Kinematics and Statics [w 5-6]
Dynamics [w 7-8]

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Position Control [w 8-11]

Force Control [w 11]
Trajectory Generation [w12]
Actuators and Sensors [w 7-12] (Time Permitting)

Requisite: A course in linear control systems, such as ELEC-443, MECH-350, or MATH-332.

Lectures: Mon (12:30-1:30), Wed (11:30-12:30), Thu (1:30-2:30) @ GOO-247

Teaching Assistants and Office Hours

Stephen Ball sball [at] biomed.queensu.ca
Jacques Georgy 7jg8 [at] queensu.ca

Marking Scheme

Assignments 15%
Laboratories 10%
Mid-Term 30%
Final 45%

Assignments and Problem Sets

MATLAB/Simulink Assignments: Six Matlab/Simulink assignments will be given, collected and marked. The weight of
each assignment is 2.5% of your total course mark. Assignment questions will be posted on the course dynamic page
linked to the address below at the bottom of this page. Student ID, assignment number, and course number should be
written on all the returned assignment pages. Assignments should be dropped by the due date in the assignment box at
the stairwell of Walter Light Hall building. One day late submission is allowed at 50% reduction in mark. Students will have
1 week after mark announcements to discuss their marks with the course TA in charge of the assignments.
Book Problem Sets: End-of-chapter book problems will be posted on the course dynamic page linked to the address
below at the bottom of this page. Students do not need to hand in their solutions. Solutions will be posted on a password
protected site within one week.

Laboratory
A total of 4 laboratory experiments in weeks 7,8,9, and 10. Each experiments will be held in two similar sessions on Thu
(8:30-11:30) and Fri (14:30-17:30). The mark weight for each lab session is 2.5%. The assement will be done by the
course TAs based on "attendance", "preparation", "attentiveness", completion of the experiments", and "in-session
anaylsis".
The lab group and experiment schedules will be posted on the course dynamic page linked to the address below at the
bottom of this page.

Examinations
Mid-Term: TBD.
Final: The final examination will be scheduled by the Exams Office. Location and Time: TBA.
Samples of past mid-term and final exams with their solutions can be found in the course dynamic page linked to the
address below at the bottom of this page.

MATLAB Simulink Workshops

The material presented at this workshop will be at an introductory level; however, they needed for solving MATLAB
assignments and for running laboratory experiments. The workshop is 1.5 hours and will be held at ILC-213. Attendance

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is optional.
Copies of the workshop hand-outs will be posted on the course dynamic page liked to the address at the bottom of this
page.

Field Trip
With the support from Faculty of Applied Science and the ECE Department, every year the robotics class is taken to a
industrial field trip. These trips provide a unique opportunity for students to learn more about industrial robots (design,
structure, programming, applications) and see these robots in action.
This year the class will go to Honda Manufacturing Plant in Alliston, Ontario on Tuesday, March 4st, 2008. For details
please refer to the course dynamic page linked to the address below at the bottom of this page.
Link to ELEC-448 Dynamic Page

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