COMP 462/562: Introduction to Modern Robotics (Spring 2025)

Credits: 3
Lectures: 4:00PM - 5:15PM MW (13-JAN-2025 - 25-APR-2025)
Instructor: Kaiyu Hang
Office Hours: Wednesday 2:30pm-3:30pm in DH 3056
TA: Yiting Chen (yc203<_at_>rice.edu)
Office Hours: Monday 2:30pm-3:30pm in DH 3110 (except for Feb. 3 in DH 1049)
TA: Gaotian Wang (gw23<_at_>rice.edu)
Office Hours: Thursday 2:30pm-3:30pm in DH 3110

Course Description

Robots, as seen in many different forms, can help people in various scenarios to improve the efficiency, safety, and quality of task executions. In particular, those robots which can physically interact with the world possess essential skills to engage themselves more comprehensively in the real-world tasks. For example, robots with manipulation skills can help us in factories, kitchens, hospitals, warehouses, construction sites, and even in space or on other planets. This course introduces both fundamental and state-of-the-art knowledge to let students acquire a broad understanding of modern robotics. Topics including robot motions, kinematics, dynamics, simulation and Robot Operating System (ROS), hand and grasping, prehensile and nonprehensile manipulation, robot control, and interactive estimation, will be covered. Programming projects are involved to facilitate converting textbook knowledge to solid hands-on experiences.

Textbook

Primary:
"Modern Robotics"
Kevin M. Lynch, Frank C. Park
Cambridge University Press

Other:
"Probabilistic Robotics"
Sebastian Thrun, Wolfram Burgard, Dieter Fox
MIT Press

"A Gentle Introduction to ROS"
Jason M. O'Kane

Grading

Homework assignments (40 points), project assignments (60 points), mid-term test (5 points), and final test (5 points)

Late homework submission: 0.5 point will be deducted every day after the due date
Late project submission: 1 point will be deducted every day after the due date
Project resubmission: everyone can resubmit at most 1 time for each project to improve the points. However, the resubmission will be deducted by 5 points.

Grading Scale (462): A (≥ 90 points), B (≥ 80 points), C (≥ 70 points), D (≥ 60 points), F (<60 points).
Grading Scale (562): A (≥ 100 points), B (≥ 90 points), C (≥ 80 points), D (≥ 70 points), F (<70 points).

Absence Policies

5 quizzes will be randomly taken throughout the semester and used to measure attendance. Every absence, unless excused, will deduct 5 points from the final grade.

Rice Honor Code

All students will be held to the standards of the Rice Honor Code, a code that you pledged to honor when you matriculated at this institution. If you are unfamiliar with the details of this code and how it is administered, you should consult the Honor System Handbook. This handbook outlines the University's expectations for the integrity of your academic work, the procedures for resolving alleged violations of those expectations, and the rights and responsibilities of students and faculty members throughout the process.

Disability Resource Center

If you have a documented disability or other condition that may affect academic performance you should: 1) make sure this documentation is on file with the Disability Resource Center (Allen Center, Room 111 / adarice@rice.edu / x5841) to determine the accommodations you need; and 2) talk with me to discuss your accommodation needs.

Course Schedule (Subject to changes)

Week of Monday Wednesday Note
Jan-13 Introduction Configuration Space
Jan-20 No Class Robot Motions 1
Jan-27 Robot Motions 2 Robot Motions 3
Fed-3 Forward Kinematics Velocity Kinematics
Feb-10 Motion Planning 1 Inverse Kinematics
Feb-17 Physics and Simulation Motion Planning 2 Project #1 begins
Feb-24 ROS Midterm Test
Mar-3 Kinematics of Closed Chains Contacts and Grasping 1
Mar-10 Contacts and Grasping 2 Dynamics of Open Chains 1 Project #2 begins
Project #1 Due
Mar-17 No Class No Class
Mar-24 Dynamics of Open Chains 2 Dynamics of Open Chains 3
Mar-31 Trajectory Generation State Estimation Project #3 begins
Project #2 Due
Apr-7 Robot Control 1 Robot Control 2
Apr-14 Robot Control 3 Invited Talk (Space Robotics)
Apr-21 Course Review Final Test Project #3 Due