ENMT482-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025

Robotics

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 14 July 2025
End Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 27 July 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 28 September 2025

Description

This course is structured as two parts: (1) articulated robot manipulators and (2) autonomous mobile robotics. Articulated manipulators form an important class of robots that are commonly used in industrial situations. The purpose of this part of the course is to introduce students to fundamental concepts of geometry, kinematics, dynamics, and control of robotic systems allowing students to model and analyse a robot manipulator. The autonomous mobile robotics part of the course is an introduction to the probablistic robotics techniques that underpin self-driving cars and other autonomous robots. This course is project-based and students will be given the opportunity to apply the material in both simulation and with real industrial and research robots through project work.

Learning Outcomes

  • Washington Accord (V4) Summary of Graduate Attributes attained in this course:
     WA1 – Engineering Knowledge
     WA2 – Problem Analysis
     WA3 – Design/Development of Solutions
     WA5 – Tool Usage

  • Course topics with Learning Outcomes (and Washington Accord (WA) and UC Graduate Attributes) identified.

    1. Autonomous robots: Introduction to sensor fusion; 1-D Bayes filters (Kalman, histogram, and particle); Multivariate Bayes filters; Motion models; Mapping/Localisation/SLAM; Navigation and path planning
           1.1. Implement Bayes filters (such as a particle filter and an extended Kalman filter) for robot sensor fusion (WA1, WA2)
           1.2. Understand navigation and path planning algorithms to control an autonomous robot (WA2)
           1.3. Implement a motion model for a wheeled robot (WA3, WA5)
           1.4. Understand the principles of simultaneous localisation and mapping (WA2)

    2. Articulated manipulators: Spatial descriptions and transformations; Forward kinematics; Inverse kinematics; Jacobians; Motion planning
           2.1. Develop and apply forward kinematics to obtain the end-effector position and orientation in the base coordinate frame as a function of the joint parameters for an articulated manipulator (WA3)
           2.2. Apply inverse kinematics to calculate all possible sets of joint parameters that result in a given end-effector position and orientation relative to the base coordinate frame (WA2)
           2.3. Apply simple linear interpolative path planning techniques to control end-effector motion for an articulated manipulator (WA2)
           2.4. Construct the Jacobian matrix for an articulated manipulator and use it to calculate static forces and torques and derive dynamic equations for each link (WA2)
    • University Graduate Attributes

      This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

      Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award

      Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.

      Employable, innovative and enterprising

      Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.

Prerequisites

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 17:00 - 18:00 C3 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lecture B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 16:00 - 17:00 E9 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lecture C
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 11:00 - 12:00 Meremere 108 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lab A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 12:00 - 14:00 Elec 109 Automation Lab
14 Jul - 20 Jul
02 Tuesday 13:00 - 15:00 Elec 109 Automation Lab
14 Jul - 20 Jul
03 Monday 14:00 - 16:00 Elec 109 Automation Lab
14 Jul - 20 Jul
04 Monday 14:00 - 16:00 Elec 109 Automation Lab
21 Jul - 27 Jul
05 Tuesday 13:00 - 15:00 Elec 109 Automation Lab
21 Jul - 27 Jul
06 Wednesday 12:00 - 14:00 Elec 109 Automation Lab
21 Jul - 27 Jul
07 Monday 14:00 - 16:00 Elec 109 Automation Lab
28 Jul - 3 Aug
08 Tuesday 13:00 - 15:00 Elec 109 Automation Lab
28 Jul - 3 Aug
09 Wednesday 12:00 - 14:00 Elec 109 Automation Lab
28 Jul - 3 Aug
10 Monday 14:00 - 16:00 Elec 109 Automation Lab
4 Aug - 10 Aug
11 Tuesday 13:00 - 15:00 Elec 109 Automation Lab
4 Aug - 10 Aug
12 Wednesday 12:00 - 14:00 Elec 109 Automation Lab
4 Aug - 10 Aug
13 Monday 14:00 - 16:00 Elec 109 Automation Lab
11 Aug - 17 Aug
14 Tuesday 13:00 - 15:00 Elec 109 Automation Lab
11 Aug - 17 Aug
Lab B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 12:00 - 14:00 Mech 214 Mechatronics Lab
8 Sep - 19 Oct

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Michael Hayes

Lecturer

Chris Pretty

Notes

For detailed course, policy, regulatory and integrity information, please refer to the UC web site, or see relevant Course or Department LEARN pages, (which are available to enrolled students).

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,268.00

International fee $6,238.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Mechanical Engineering .

All ENMT482 Occurrences

  • ENMT482-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025