Robotics: Locomotion Engineering

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Free Online Course: Robotics: Locomotion Engineering provided by edX is a comprehensive online course, which lasts for 12 weeks long, 8-10 hours a week. The course is taught in English and is free of charge. Robotics: Locomotion Engineering is taught by Dan Koditschek.

Overview
  • How do robots climb stairs, traverse shifting sand and navigate through hilly and rocky terrain?

    This course, part of the Robotics MicroMasters program, will teach you how to think about complex mobility challenges that arise when robots are deployed in unstructured human and natural environments.

    You will learn how to design and program the sequence of energetic interactions that must occur between sensors and mechanical actuators in order to ensure stable mobility. We will expose you to underlying and still actively developing concepts, while providing you with practical examples and projects.

Syllabus
  • Week 1: Big-Picture Motivation
    Week 2: A Linear Time Invariant Mechanical System
    Week 3: A Nonlinear Time Invariant Mechanical System
    Week 4: Project #1: A Brachiating Robot
    Week 5: Qualitative Theory of Dynamical Systems
    Week 6: First Locomotion Model
    Week 7: A Vertical Hopping Controller
    Week 8: Project #2: From Bouncing Ball to Stable Hopper
    Week 9: The Spring Loaded Inverted Pendulum (SLIP)
    Week 10: Stepping Control of Fore-aft Speed
    Week 11: Project #3: Anchoring SLIP in Multi-Jointed Mechanisms
    Week 12: Project #4: A Running Controller for the Jerboa Robot