Advanced Robotics & Mechatronic Systems (151-0608-00) :: Syllabus
Instructor
Prof. Dr. Bradley Nelson
CLA H 15.2
Phone: +41 44 632 55 29
bnelson@ethz.ch
Dr. Bradley E. Kratochvil
CLA H 11.1
Phone: +41 44 632 69 21
bkratochvil@ethz.ch
Assistants
Stefano Fusco
CLA H19
Phone: +41 44 632 43 23
fuscos@ethz.ch
Lecture: Spring Semester (FS), Wednesday, 14:15 - 17:00, HG D3.2
Lab: Spring Semester (FS), Wednesday, 14:15 - 17:00, CLA F22
ECTS credits: 4
Prerequisite
The students are expected to form multidisciplinary teams involving a) multiple students with a strong background in C++ programming and algorithms, b) multiple students with a suitable background for the overall design and modeling of magneto-mechanical systems (CAD, FEM, analytical). The project work will be exceptionally demanding and time consuming.
2010 Competition Rules
Language
English
Learning Objectives
Based on our successful microrobotic platform, the students are given tasks involving the (re)design of magneto-mechanical microrobots (dim. < 1000um). This lecture exposes students to these challenges by presenting them with a complex mechatronic problem to be solved in a semester time frame. The students will be given the chance to test and improve both their professional and social skills in a real-world engineering project from concept to competition. The project primarily includes insights into the microfabrication process, but also focuses on the development of robust real-time strategies and algorithms to track and control these robots in a fully automated fashion.
Course content
Microrobotics is the study of robotics at the micron scale, and includes robots that are microscale in size and large robots capable of manipulating objects that have dimensions in the microscale range. Key challenges in microrobotics are power, actuation, localization and control. This project course is based on state-of-the-art microrobots which are wirelessly powered and controlled with external magnetic fields. The students will be organized in 2-3 competing multidisciplinary teams. The students can develop their own robots and systems in the framework of our helical swimming microrobot platform. These tasks are open-ended and require skills of creativity, teamwork, organization, and firm theoretical and practical backgrounds for the students to succeed. Strong personal commitment and determination as well as good teamwork will be key aspects to success.
Lecture notes
No script, but technical papers and other guidelines.
Literature
- Characterizing the Swimming Properties of Artificial Bacterial Flagella
- Artificial Bacterial Flagella: Fabrication and Magnetic Control
- How Should Microrobots Swim?
- Micromanipulation Using Artificial Bacterial Flagella
- Three-Dimensional Microfabrication by Localized Electrochemical Deposition
- Microfabrication by localized electrochemical deposition: experimental investigation and theoretical modelling
Lecture Plan
Dates will be updated shortly before the start of FS2010.
| (Mo) | Wk8: Beginning of semester | |
| (We) | Wk8: Introduction lecture | |
| (We) | Wk9: Microfabrication lecture, Modeling lecture, finalize groups, divide tasks | |
| (We) | Wk12: First project review with Prof. Nelson | |
| (Mo) | Wk15: Semester half finished, start testing | |
| (We) | Wk15: Rules Finalized | |
| (We) | Wk17: Second project review with Prof. Nelson | |
| (We) | Wk21: Practice competition | |
| (Mo) | Wk22: End of semester competition |
