100% coursework assessing Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4:
A 3000 word individual report based on laboratory work.

Overview of industrial robot arms and how to program them
Overview of PLCs and how they interface to robots and automatic processes
Digital implementation of PID control
Forward kinematics using D-H matrices
Inverse kinematics
The Jacobean matrix and its use in force and speed determination
Trajectory control
Introduction to vision
Current advances in robotics

Lectures / tutorials - 24 hours
Practical laboratory work - 12 hours
The lectures will focus on practical application of each new topic, with the course being delivered so the student has access to a PC and can simulate the concepts alongside the lecture. Robot simulation software will allow each student to practise using a robot whilst MATLAB will underpin the control theory, kinematics (using the MATLAB robotics toolbox), trajectory and vision. Practical PLC programming will be developed and demonstrated on mock factory layouts. Group learning will be encouraged.
The tutorials will be run as a question answer session away from the computers where students can ask specific questions or work on example problems.

PCs running MATLAB with Control Toolbox and Robotics Toolbox
PCs with interface cards
Control laboratory equipment
Stepper motors
Robot arm
PLCs

None.

Bergren Charles M, 2003, Anatomy of a Robot, McGraw-Hill, ISBN 0071416579
CROWDER Richard M, 1995, Electric Drives and their Controls, Oxford U.P., ISBN 0198593716
SCHULER Charles A, 1986, Industrial Electronics and Robotics, McGraw-Hill, ISBN 0070556253
CRAIG John J, 1986, Introduction to Robotics : Mechanics and Control, Addison-Wesley, ISBN 0201103265
Martin, Fred, 2001, Robotic Explorations-a Hands on Introduction to Engineering, Prentice Hall, ISBN 0130895687
McCarthy, J.M. 1987, The Kinematics of Robot Manipulators, MIT Press, ISBN 0262631059