Robotics and Control
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Safe airplanes and vehicles, minimally invasive surgery, reliable manufacturing, computer-assisted physical rehabilitation -- these all have automatic control and robotics as core technologies. Automatic control has been a key technological component since the middle of the 20th century, and with the advent of fast computers, nearly any device that moves or has dynamics has an embedded digital controller. Moreover, robotic applications have found their way into more than just automotive manufacturing. We now see robotic devices in medical, defense, and renewable power industries. Students wishing to pursue these areas will increasingly need expertise in the robotics and control areas.
To study robotics and control, students need to have taken linear systems (ECEN 3300) and the controls sequence early. If possible, students should take ECEN 3300 by their spring sophomore term so that they can take ECEN 4138/4638 in their fall junior term. This will allow them to take a senior robotics elective. Many students find that a course in matrix methods (typically offered through the Applied Mathematics Department) is helpful in robotics and control. Other relevant courses include embedded systems and power electronics, both of which play significant roles in autonomous, robotic systems.
Some Technological Problem Areas
- Haptic rendering for minimally-invasive surgery
- Motion planning in uncertain environments, such as the NASA Mars rover
- Flight control of aggressive aircraft
- Reconfigurable manufacturing
- Image recognition and autonomous response
- Fast and precise control of atomic force and near field scanning optical microscopes
- Safe transportation
- Precise medical treatment and rehabilitation
- Efficient energy usage
