The purpose of this course is to provide basics of modelling, design, planning, and control of industrial robotic systems, as well as an introduction to the fundamental characteristics and concepts of mobile service robots. The most common architectures for robot control are presented. Mobile robots are treated by considering locomotion structures, planning and autonomy issues. Basic concepts about sensors and computer vision for robotics are also provided, as well as about the ROS (Robot Operating System) framework. The knowledge and skills acquired in the course constitute a fundamental professional and cultural background for employment opportunities in the field of intelligent industrial control and automation systems.

The student must acquire and develop the following knowledge and skills: • Knowledge of the various types of industrial robots and of the characteristics of their kinematic chain (arm and wrist). • Knowledge of three-dimensional geometry, with reference to rigid roto-translation transformations; knowledge of the various methods for representing the configuration of a rigid body; ability to solve simple roto-translation exercises. • Ability to analyze a kinematic chain, to set proper reference frames and solve the forward and inverse position kinematics problems. • Knowledge of the forward and inverse differential kinematics and of the Jacobian of a manipulator; ability to apply these concepts to kinematic chains having different complexities. • Knowledge of the kineto-static relations for a manipulator; ability to apply these concepts to kinematic chains having different complexities. • Knowledge of the dynamic equations of a manipulator, of the physical meaning of their terms, and of their structural characteristics for control purposes. Ability to develop the dynamic model of simple kinematic chains. • Knowledge of the main trajectory planning approaches for manipulators, both in the joint and in the operational space. • Knowledge of the main control schemes for manipulators: joint independent and inverse dynamics approaches. Ability to analyze such schemes and evaluate their properties, pros and cons. Basic knowledge of advanced control schemes. • Basic knowledge of mobile and service robotics topics, with a particular focus on their autonomous navigation capability. • Knowledge of the main locomotion structures for wheeled robots. • Knowledge of the main motion planning approaches for mobile robots, also in presence of obstacles; basic knowledge of localization and mapping approaches. • Knowledge of computer vision elements for robotics. • Basic knowledge of the ROS (Robot Operating System) framework.

Knowledge of physics basic principles, in particular mechanics and electromagnetism, fundamentals of linear algebra (vector sum, scalar and product, fundamental properties and operations of matrices, determinant, trace, eigenvalues), elements of systems theory (state variables, inputs, outputs, transfer functions), elements of automatic control (proportional, integral, derivative control schemes).

Course topics and their weights in hours: • Introduction to robotics; kinematic chains, degrees of freedom and redundancy, types of robotic manipulators (arms and wrists); 3D geometric transformations, rotations and translations, orientation of a rigid body and its representations (12 hrs) • Denavit-Hartenberg convention, position and differential kinematic of a manipulator, Jacobian, statics, kineto-static relations (10 hrs) • Dynamic model of a manipulator and its properties; modeling of the motor-gear-link chain (6 hrs) • Trajectory planning for a manipulator (6 hrs) • Control schemes for rigid manipulators in the joint space and in the operational one, interaction control; sensor for robotics (16 hrs) • Mobile robotics, locomotion structures of wheeled robots, motion planning and autonomous navigation (10 hrs) • Planning in presence of obstacles, introduction to computer vision for robotics and cameras (11 hts) • Introduction to the ROS (Robot Operating System) framework (9 hrs)

Classroom exercises include solved examples and exercises, as applications of the theory and concepts developed during lessons. Laboratory practicals (approximately 15 hours) involve the simulation of robotic systems and experimental testing using the industrial manipulator available at the LADISPE Laboratory and/or small manipulators for educational purposes. Lab activities dealing with the ROS framework are developed in the last part of the course.

Textbooks: B. Siciliano, L. Villani, G. Oriolo, A. De Luca, “Foundations of Robotics”, Springer, 2025 L. Joseph, “Robot Operating System (ROS) for Absolute Beginners”, Apress, New York, 2018 All the teaching material (lectures slides, exercises with solution) used by the teacher in class is made available on the teaching portal.

Slides; Libro di testo; Esercizi risolti; Esercitazioni di laboratorio;

Modalita di esame: Prova scritta (in aula);

Exam: Written test;

... The final assessment consists of an individual written test, two hours long; there is no oral exam. The final exam is aimed at assessing the student's preparation in all the topics included in the course program, in order to verify the achievement of the knowledge and skills listed in the "Expected learning outcomes" section, both in the fields of industrial robotics (manipulator structure, kinematics, dynamics, trajectory planning, control) and mobile robotics (kinematic constraints and models, motion planning, autonomous navigation, computer vision for robotics and ROS framework). In particular, the exam includes four multiple-choice questions (theory and exercises), one extended exercise, and three open-ended questions on more strictly theoretical topics. Examples of exam tests are available just from the beginning of the course; additional ones can be provided and solved during the course. During the exam, the student is not allowed to use textbooks or notes, except the official formulary of this course, prepared by the teacher, whose pdf file is available on the teaching portal. Each student must print and bring his/her own personal copy of the formulary. Only purely mathematical personal formularies are possibly allowed in addition. No other material is allowed, i.e., no personal notes, exercises or solutions of specific exercises, in complete or partial form, coded in any way, books, tablets, phones, etc. Students found with forbidden items or caught communicating or attempting to communicate with each other are automatically considered as flunked. The exam grade, expressed out of thirtieths, is calculated from the weighted average of the scores assigned to the questions. For multiple-choice questions, each incorrect answer carries a penalty equal to 25% of the question's weight. The total score for the assignment is 33, of which one-third is assigned to the multiple-choice questions. The weightings for the extended exercise and the three open-ended questions are specified during the exam. Honors are awarded for scores of 32 or higher, without rounding.

Gli studenti e le studentesse con disabilita o con Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento (DSA), oltre alla segnalazione tramite procedura informatizzata, sono invitati a comunicare anche direttamente al/la docente titolare dell'insegnamento, con un preavviso non inferiore ad una settimana dall'avvio della sessione d'esame, gli strumenti compensativi concordati con l'Unita Special Needs, al fine di permettere al/la docente la declinazione piu idonea in riferimento alla specifica tipologia di esame.