Instructors:
Lectures:
Secretaries:
Course Newsgroup: cmu.ece.class.ee879
Required Text: J. L. Jones and A. M. Flynn, Mobile Robots: Inspiration to Implementation , A K Peters, Ltd., Wellesley, MA, 1993.
Recommended Text: D.A. Bradley et. al., Mechatronics, Chapman and Hall, London, 1991.
Laboratory: HH 1204, Wed*, Fri 1:30pm - 4:20pm (*Lab for evaluation of designs will replace lecture on selected classes throughout the term.)
Prerequisites: Graduate or 5th-year senior standing in Mech.E, ECE, or Robotics. Limited to 10 students from each department. Seniors may take the course upon availability of slots with permission of instructor.
Mechatronic Home Page (CMU access only).
Mechatronics is the synergistic integration of mechanism, electronics, and computer control to achieve a functional system. Because of the emphasis upon integration, this course will center around laboratory projects in which small teams of students will configure, design, and implement a succession of mechatronic subsystems, leading to system integration in a final project. Lectures will complement the laboratory experience with comparative surveys, operational principles, and integrated design issues associated with the spectrum of mechanism, electronics, and control components. Class lectures will cover topics intended to complement the laboratory assignments and final project, including 68HC16 microcontroller, basic controls, motor drives, mechanisms, sensors, IR communications, and motion planning.
During the first week of class, each student will be asked to complete a questionnaire about their technical background. The class will then be divided into multi-disciplinary teams of three students. During the first half of the class, lab assignments will be made every 1-2 weeks to construct useful subsystems based on material learned in lecture. The lab assignments should be useful in working on your main project. This year, the main project will be a stair-climbing robot.
The following course outline is tentative. Time allotted to some topics and laboratories may be modified during the semester.
| Week | Date | Topics |
| 1 | Jan. 12-14 | Logistics; Questionnaire; Team assignments |
| 2 | Jan. 19-21 | 68HC16 microcontroller (Fedder/Montemerlo) |
| 3 | Jan. 26-28 | Controls; MATLAB (Choset) |
| 4 | Feb. 2-4 | Motors; encoders; drivers (Fedder) |
| 5 | Feb. 9-11 | Mechanisms; mobile platforms (Choset) |
| 6 | Feb. 16-18 | Stair-climbing; brainstorming (Choset) |
| 7 | Feb. 23-25 | Sensors; IR, sonic, xcell, gyro (Fedder) |
| 8 | Mar. 4 | IR communication; protocols (Fedder) |
| 9 | Mar. 9-11 | Signal conditioning; noise (Fedder) |
| 10 | Mar. 16-18 | Motion planning; cooperative robotics (Choset) |
| or Miniaturization/packaging (Fedder/Choset) | ||
| 11 | Mar. 23-25 | Spring break (no classes) |
| 12 | Mar. 30-Apr. 1 | Group meetings (TBD) |
| 13 | Apr. 6-8 | Meet in Lab (no lecture) |
| 14 | Apr. 13-15 | Group meetings (TBD) |
| 15 | Apr. 20-22 | Meet in Lab (no lecture) |
| 16 | Apr. 27-29 | Demonstrations (4/27); Technical discussion (4/29) |
Assignments include 5 laboratories (demonstrations and reports) and a main project (demonstration and report). Grading will be based on functionality and on technical accuracy and innovation.
| Task | % of Grade | Demo Date | Description |
| Lab 1 | 5% | Jan. 28 | Microcontroller Battery Meter |
| Lab 2 | 5% | Feb. 4 | MATLAB Simulation of Mechanical Controller |
| Lab 3 | 10% | Feb. 18 | Motor Speed Controller |
| Lab 4 | 10% | Mar. 4 | Ultrasonic Tracker |
| Lab 5 | 10% | Mar. 18 | IR Communication/Tracker |
| Main Project | 60% | Apr. 27 | Stair Climbing Demonstration |
IMPORTANT: You must use word processing software to generate reports.
Each student should keep a softcopy of all reports submitted.
Teams and Selection
Based on the questionnaires filled out in the first week of classes, the instructors will
split the class into three pools. The student pools will roughly break down into 3
different skill sets: computer engineers, electrical engineers, and mechanical
engineers. We will then be asked to form 3-person teams consisting of one student
from each pool. In the case of non-multiples of three in the class, the instructors will
consider teams of 2 students, and in exceptional circumstances teams of 4 students.
Lab Access
Teams will have 24-hour access to HH 1204 , excluding specific times when other
courses will be using the labs. These exclusionary times will
be posted on the lab door.
(18-474 MT 1:30-4:20; 18-551 T 6:30-9:20,R 1:30-4:20)
Keys can be obtained from Rick Burgett in HH 1308. Keys must be returned at the
end of the semester to obtain a grade in the class. The lab has eight stations, each
with a PC and power supply. Oscilloscopes, meters, and other test equipment are
shared among the stations.
Machine Shop and Manufacturing
You have limited access to the Mechanical Engineering Machine Shop
(HH C124), determined by the staff availability. You must have taken or sign up
during the first week for the Machine Shop Safety Course (7 weeks long) if you
intend to use the machine shop.
Before embarking on the full-scale model, you should make small-scale models
of mechanical components and assemblies. Depending on the project, you might use
balsa wood or cardboard. Toy and hobby stores are great sources of items that might
assist you in building such models. Electronics prototypes may be constructed on
protoboards, but final construction must have robust solder or wire-wrap
connections.
Purchasing and Reimbursements
Purchasing and reimbursements will be handled by Danielle Vasser in Scaife Hall 402. A
tentative ceiling for total parts and materials cost (excluding the microcontroller
board) is $200. Penalties may be assessed for exceeding the cost limit. However, if you
have a compelling reason for exceeding the cost limit, please discuss the situation
with the instructors. In general, it is desirable to purchase parts using a purchase
order. Please use the reimbursement method only after consulting with Danielle or if
you have a very urgent need.
We are providing each team with a 68HC16 microcontroller board for use with
their projects. PC's in the labs will be installed with a C compiler
and debugger software. In addition, some components for the laboratories will be
provided.
Electronic parts can be purchased from the ECE Electronic Stock Room (HH 1301),
from local electronic parts stores, or from mail-order suppliers. Mechanical parts
can be purchased from local hardware stores, manufactured in the Mechanical
Engineering Machine Shop (HH C124), or found in the Mech.E. Tool Room (HH B134).
Responsibilities of the Students
If you are not serious about taking this class, please drop the class. People that drop the class late in the semester will affect their teamıs progress. In the event of late drops or other unavoidable problems, the instructors will try to compensate for some of the grading. Each group will work completely independently of the other groups. Each member of each group will assume an equitable portion of the technical tasks. Technical tasks include all aspects of design including report writing. Although gathering of information or materials for design or prototype are important, by themselves such tasks are not considered technical and therefore will not be counted as satisfactory workload. Each student will be graded individually. Therefore each student is required to perform the engineering tasks involved at each stage of the design process, starting from feasibility, concept development to testing and communication of the results.
Team members will be selected based on various skills. Each member has specific responsibilities to their team. The minimum of these include timely attendance in class and at pre-scheduled out-of-class group meetings and to produce the assigned tasks promptly. If there is an irreconcilable problem within your team, you must bring it to the instructors attention as soon as possible (certainly within the first month of classes!).
Attendance in class is mandatory.
In case of difficulties among the group members
which can not be handled by the group members, you must inform the instructor
promptly. Waiting until the end of the term to bring up such problems will be too
late.
Lab Reports
Laboratory reports must include :
Lab Demonstrations
Grading criteria includes:
Main Project Report
The final report must include: