Course Description

This course will give students hands on experience designing, building, and analyzing robotic systems. Through a semester-long project, students will need to propose and test a research hypothesis with an experimental robotic system. Projects will focus on topics in bioinspired robotics and the robot must either test a biological hypothesis using a robot or test a hypothesis about the robot that is based on bioinspired robotic principles. In addition to the project, lectures and homework will cover topics in bioinspired robotics, robotic component design, systems integration, experimental instrumentation, biohybrid robotics, and biomimetic modeling. This class provides allows students to apply techniques in design, control, and analysis they have acquired during their graduate studies. Students are expected to be comfortable programming in Matlab and have some prior graduate-level experience in mechanical design, controls, optimization, or robotics.

Recommended Pre-reqs

Comfortable programming in Matlab

Prior graduate-level experience in mechanical design, controls, optimization, or robotics, such as:
24-673 Soft Robotics
24-760 Robot Dynamics and Analysis
24-771 Linear Systems
24-785 Engineering Optimization
24-787 AI and ML for Engineering Design
16-711 Kinematics, Dynamic Systems, and Control
16-741 Mechanics of Manipulation
16-868 Biomechatronics
or similar courses with instructor permission

Recommended: This class will involve making physical prototypes, therefore access and experience on the makerspace equipment will be helpful. If you do not have any fabrication experience, it is recommended that you sign up for 24-104 Maker Series I, a 3 unit mini. To use the makerspace equipment, you must have completed or be enrolled in one of the following classes:

24-104 Maker Series I (Mini)
24-105 Intro to Laser Cutting (Micro)
24-370 Engineering Design I: Methods and Skills
24-672 DIY Design and Fabrication
99-353 IDeATe: SolidWorks and Laser Cutting

Class Learning Objectives

• Design, build and analyze a robotic system
• Identify and explain applications of biomimicry and bio-inspiration
• Propose and test a research question or hypothesis with a robot
• Explain and apply techniques in design, controls, and mathematical analysis
• Identify and explain hypotheses and experimental design in existing journal papers
• Disseminate work in presentations and videos
• Disseminate work in technical reports

Bioinspired Robot Design and Experimentation

Course Description

Recommended Pre-reqs

Class Learning Objectives