Robotics: Kinematics, Dynamics & Control

Prerequisites

[Optional]

[Must have]

This course is a broad, hands-on introduction to robotic manipulators and mobile robots: how they are actuated and sensed, how their motion is described and planned, and how they are controlled. Topics include actuators and drives, embedded control software, sensing, forward and inverse kinematics (Denavit–Hartenberg convention), differential kinematics and the Jacobian, kinematic singularities and redundancy, statics, trajectory generation, manipulator dynamics (Newton–Euler and Lagrangian formulations), joint-space and task-space control, force/impedance control, non-holonomic mobile robots, and an introduction to robot vision and navigation.

Equip students with the ability to model, analyze, and control robotic manipulators and mobile robots
Develop working fluency with kinematics, Jacobians, dynamics, and classical control as applied to robotic systems
Enable design and evaluation of motion plans and controllers in simulation and on hardware
Provide hands-on experience through problem sets, a lab component, and a design project

Derive forward and inverse kinematics for serial manipulators using homogeneous transforms and DH parameters
Compute the manipulator Jacobian, identify kinematic singularities, and resolve redundancy (e.g. via pinv)
Generate smooth joint- and task-space trajectories subject to velocity/acceleration limits
Derive equations of motion via Newton–Euler and Lagrangian methods
Design and implement joint-space, task-space, and force/impedance controllers
Analyze non-holonomic constraints and basic navigation for mobile robots

Week	Topic	Slides
1	Introduction to Robotics, Actuators & Drives	Lecture 1
2	Control Components & Embedded Control Software	Lecture 2
3	Sensors for Robotics	Lecture 3
4	Forward Kinematics & the Denavit–Hartenberg Convention	Lecture 4
5	Inverse Kinematics	Lecture 5
6	Differential Kinematics & the Jacobian	Lecture 6
7	Kinematic Singularities & Redundant Manipulators	Lecture 7
8	Midterm Review & Exam	—
9	Statics & the Energy Method	Lecture 9
10	Trajectory Generation & Motion Planning	Lecture 10
11	Manipulator Dynamics (Newton–Euler & Lagrangian)	Lecture 11
12	Joint-space & Task-space Control, Computed Torque	Lecture 12
13	Force & Impedance Control, Compliance	Lecture 13
14	Non-holonomic Mobile Robots, Vision & Navigation	Lecture 14
15	Project Presentations & Final Review	—

Asada & Slotine, Robot Analysis and Control
Craig, Introduction to Robotics: Mechanics and Control
Spong, Hutchinson & Vidyasagar, Robot Modeling and Control
Siciliano, Sciavicco, Villani & Oriolo, Robotics: Modelling, Planning and Control
Selected notes and simulation resources (e.g. MATLAB Robotics Toolbox, Python roboticstoolbox)

Week 8 — in class, closed book. One A4 cheat sheet allowed.
Coverage: Topics from Weeks 1–7 (kinematics, DH parameters, forward/inverse kinematics, Jacobian, singularities)

Lab sessions: hands-on exercises on a physical or simulated manipulator/mobile robot, run alongside the lecture schedule (kinematics implementation, Jacobian-based control, trajectory tracking).
Course Project: Students select a robotic platform (manipulator or mobile robot), implement a kinematics/dynamics model and controller, and write a 6–8 page report including methodology, experiments, and analysis.
Project Proposal: Week 10
Checkpoint: Week 13
Final Presentation: Week 15
Topics may include redundant-manipulator control, impedance/force control, mobile robot navigation, or vision-guided manipulation.