Vision, Robotics, and Planning—Intelligent Machines

If weather or other emergencies arise, instructions for finding the class on Zoom will be sent.


Prof. J. Baillieul
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Systems Engineering
BOSTON UNIVERSITY

ENG ME/SE740 Course Outline: (Spring 2024)

(1/5/24)

1. Foundations of intelligent mechatronics
2. Geometry and robot coordinate systems
3. Euclidean group theory and kinematic equations
4. Differential relationships
5. Specifying robot motions
6. Analytical dynamics of mechanical systems
7. Control: basic issues
8. Control: sampled data systems
9. Control: advanced topics
10. The control theory of micro-mechanical systems
11. Advanced topics: kinematic redundancy
12. Advanced topics: Super-articulated mechanical systems
13. Advanced topics: Information based control
14. Advanced topics: Networked control systems

Communication regarding this course will frequently involve this Web page.



2020 Mini Projects Page.
2013 Mini Project of Professor Alyssa Pierson when she was a student here.
Neurobiology and autonomy Lecture.


The TED Lectures on Robotics

Professor Theodore E. Djaferis co-taught the course in the Spring of 2017.
These are course notes that he has provided on selected lectures.

  
Lecture 4 Lecture 5 Lecture 6 Lecture 7
Lecture 8 Lecture 9 Lecture 10 Lecture 11
Lecture 12 Lecture 13 Lecture 14 Lecture 15
Lecture 16 Lecture 17 Lecture 18 Lecture 19
Lecture 20 Lecture 21 Lecture 22 Lecture 23
Lecture 24 Lecture 25


April 14, 2020 lecture supplement here.
April 16, 2020 lecture supplement here.
April 21, 2020 lecture supplement here.


Homework, project proposals and more

Term Project proposals are due on Thursday, February 6.
Please submit through the course Blackboard sites: https://learn.bu.edu/ultra/courses/_160104_1/cl/outline for ME740 and https://learn.bu.edu/ultra/courses/_160249_1/cl/outline for SE740.

Exercises — All homework is due by noon of the posted due date.   Late homework will not be accepted.
 1. Exercise Set 1.
     Solution Set 1.
 2. Exercise Set 2.
     Solution Set 2.
 3. Exercise Set 3.
     Solution Set 3.
   Quad chart template. Please use this template to prepare a three minute summary of the state of your project. Reports will be online via Zoom on March 20.
   Quad chart examples.
 4. Exercise Set 4.

If you wish to pursue a masters degree with Robotics Specialization noted on your transcript, please visit https://www.bu.edu/eng/programs/masters-degree-specialization-programs.

Course handouts 2025:

1. Course syllabus outline: [PDF] or [HTML]. (HTML with book purchase options.)
2. Examples of possible course projects: [PDF]. Project proposals due soon.
    —Sample proposals from 2017.
     Theses that started as ME/SE 740 course projects:
        Ben Troxler thesis,
        Paul Seebacher thesis,
        Laura Corvese thesis.
      A thesis on vision-based naviation:
        Chiara Boretti, Philippe Bich thesis.
3. Project report sample and report template.

ROS Resources:

1. Recommended book: A Gentle Introduction to ROS.
2. ROS Tutorial by Bee Vang: [Slides] and   [Video]
3. Blog about ROS2.

Elbow manipulator solution here.

Course readings: See Syllabus.

Generative AI and ChatGPT.

Intelligent Mechatronics Lab in the news.

Dancing Robots at Boston University.

Dancing Robots at Boston Dynamics.

Robotic reconnaissance game



Visual navigation

Old Mini Projects Page .

Last Revised: March, 2025