KV6022 - Robotics & Automation

You will learn the core material from a series of lectures and lab sessions that cover the fundamentals of robotic systems and how they are programmed using current industrial practices. The labs will provide you with progressive hands-on experience of developing and programming robotic systems. The taught material provides you with the foundation, so that you can supplement this with your own research and development of a robot that solves a specific problem.

You will be supported by formal lectures and interactive lab sessions as well as supplementary material and reading lists from the University’s e-learning platform.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
ML01. Demonstrate a deep and critical knowledge and understanding of robotics systems and robotics software engineering principles and frameworks.
ML02. Demonstrate critical understanding of ethical, social, and economic issues and risks surrounding the design, development, implementation and operation of Robotic systems.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
ML03. Compare contrast and justify the design and development of real-world, cutting-edge robotics systems and applications.
ML04. Analyse the effectiveness of appropriate robotic sensors and algorithms for the solution of specific problems.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
ML05 – Practise and develop independent enquiry and research skills as well as articulating critical thinking evidenced by demonstrating and reporting on an advanced robotic system implementation.

Summative assessment will be a research report (65%) that brings together all the new skills you have learned from a combination of taught material and your own research. The word limit of the report will be 3500 words.
This will be supplemented by a demonstration of your working Robot (35%) You will receive both informative and confirmatory feedback on your assessments.
This assessment addresses Module Learning Outcomes – ML01, ML02, ML03, ML04 and ML05
On an on-going basis you will also receive formative feedback on exercises you are required to complete in lab sessions.

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This module will teach you the theory, principles and practice behind the development of robotic systems. Indicative topics include: Principles of robotic systems and applications, sensors and actuators, perception, sensor fusion, robot programming frameworks as well as the ethical issues concerning robotics and automation. The taught theory will be complimented by research rich learning as well as physical system development but, the primary focus of the module is on robotics programming where you will use the state of the art in robotics software development frameworks. You will apply what you have learned in the lectures, labs and your own research to an assessed piece of work where you will build a robot application that is able to navigate autonomously using intelligent obstacle detection and avoidance as well as path finding technologies. The module aims to provide you with some experience of Robotics system development as used in industry and so enhance your employability in that field. The module will also cover emergent ethical and safety issues related to robotics and automation.