1. ES4A1 Advanced Robotics Core part of Robotics Elective
Dr Emma Rushforth (EJR)
Mrs Margaret Low (MJL)
Prof Robert Harrison (RH)
Dr Bilal Ahmad

2. Course Books
Niku, Saeed B., “Introduction to Robotics, Analysis, Systems, Applications” (Highly recommended)
See reading list on website!

3. Software PILZ Safety Controller Siemens PLC simulator
Cognex DVT Intellect
4x4 matrix manipulation:
MathWorks MATLAB
Or Spread sheet (e.g. Excel)
ABB’s RobotStudio?

4. Coursework Essay – 10% (1.5 CATS) Lab project – 40% (6 CATS)
Exam – 50% (7.5 CATS)

5. Essay Worth 1.5 C.A.T.S., 2000 words Due in week 7, return week 11.
Title: “Limitations of current robots outside the factory”.
Select ONE of the following application areas:
Agriculture
Military
Medical
Domestic
Marine
Nuclear/Rescue

6. Lab Project
Combines machine vision with machine motion! (DVT Intellect with robot programming “RAPID”)
Apply Kinematics to a real robot.
Worth 6 C.A.T.S. Set week 5, submit week 21, Return Fri week 24.
Lab work will be carried out in weeks 5-16 inclusive. See your timetable!
Location IMC Hall: UG teaching lab.

7. Locations

8. Exam! Worth 7.5 C.A.T.S. (50% of Module) 2 hour exam
On the lecture content of the course and will include questions similar to the problem sheets.
See past papers + solutions/comments on website.
Rubrics: answer all 4: one on PLC, 2 on Kinematics, one on anything else!
Kinematic datasheet will be attached!

9. What is a robot?1 By general agreement a robot is:
A programmable machine that imitates the actions or appearance of an intelligent creature–usually a human.
To qualify as a robot, it must be able to:
Sensing and perception: get information from its surroundings and/or internally
Carry out different tasks: Locomotion or manipulation, do something physical–such as move or manipulate objects
Re-programmable: can do different things
Function autonomously and/or interact with human beings/other objects (sometimes with no autonomy)
1. Adapted From lecture notes Jizhong Xiao, City College of New York

10. Why use a robot?1 Perform the 4 “A” tasks in a 3-D world, namely:
Automation,
Augmentation (reinforcement),
Assistance,
Autonomous
In the 4 “D”’s environments:
Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous, Dull,
Increase product quality
Superior Accuracies (thousands of an inch, wafer-handling: microinch)
Repeatable precision  Consistency of products
Increase efficiency
Work continuously without fatigue
Need no vacation
Increase safety
Operate in dangerous environment
Need no environmental comfort – air conditioning, noise protection, etc
Reduce Cost
Reduce scrap rate
Lower in-process inventory
Lower labor cost
Reduce manufacturing lead time
Rapid response to changes in design
Increase productivity
Value of output per person per hour increases
1. From lecture notes Jizhong Xiao, City College of New York

11. Manipulators Industrial Robot arms
Rigid bodies (links) connected by joints
Joints: revolute or prismatic
Drive: electric (or hydraulic)
End-effector (tool) mounted on a flange or plate secured to the wrist joint of robot

12. Types of Manipulator Cartesian: PPP Cylindrical: RPP Spherical: RRP
Plus you end-effector!
Revolute: RRR
SCARA: RRP
1. From lecture notes Jizhong Xiao, City College of New York

13. Motion Control Methods
Point to point control
a sequence of discrete points
spot welding, pick-and-place, loading & unloading
Continuous path control
follow a prescribed path, controlled-path motion
Spray painting, Arc welding, Gluing
1. From lecture notes Jizhong Xiao, City College of New York

14. Robot Specifications Number of Axes Degree of Freedom (DOF) Workspace
Major axes, (1-3) => Position the wrist
Minor axes, (4-6) => Orient the tool
Redundant, (7-n) => reaching around obstacles, avoiding undesirable configuration
Degree of Freedom (DOF)
Workspace
Payload (load capacity)
Accuracy v.s. Repeatability
1. From lecture notes Jizhong Xiao, City College of New York

15. What is Kinematics? Forward kinematics Given joint variables
Position and orientation
(x, y, z, θ1, θ2, θ3)

16. What is Kinematics? Inverse kinematics
Given Position and orientation of end-effector
(x, y, z, θ1, θ2, θ3)
joint variables
(θ1, θ2, θ3, θ4,….. θn)

17. Example in 2-D – rotary joint

18. Robot Reference Frames
World frame (or reference frame)
Base frame
Joint frame
Tool frame
Product frame R P T

19. History
Always good to know where we have come from so that we know where we are?
Easy way of introducing a complex topic!
Shakey
Stanford Cart/Chair
Service robots
Mobile robots

20. Next week: Robot Applications
End
Next week: Robot Applications