Content of the Course

The scope of the course has become slightly larger in the last few years. It deals not only with mobile robots anymore, but it covers now the more general subject of distributed embedded systems. To get an idea what this enhanced notion of autonomous system is all about, you can visit the Autonomous Systems site.

The contents of the theoretical lecture is structured as follows:

• Introduction: The lecture starts with a comprehensive introduction to the field of autonomous systems. The introduction presents the motivations, the basic ideas, and the potential of autonomous systems from different perspectives. This includes philosophical theories as well as the presentation of concrete products.
• Embedded Systems: The second part deals with the computer hardware of autonomous systems. Important parts of the theory of computer architecture are revisited and discrepancies to the reality of modern computer technology are discussed. Important processor classes, namely micro-controllers, embedded processors, and digital signal processors, are presented on a theoretical level and by examples. Last but not least, complete systems and their integration are presented.
• Networking: The third part of the lecture deals with network theorie and technology.  Wireless and especially radio-based networks are presented in some detail.
• Sensors, Sensing, Perception: Different classes of sensors and their properties are treated in the fourth part. It is shown how their signals can be processed and enhanced, and how they can used for perception. Vision is treated in a special subpart of its own.
• Motors, Mechanics, Effectors: The fifth part deals with motors and mechanics, and it is explained how they can be combined into effectors. In addition to other motors, the DC-motor is presented in some detail. Gears and mechatronics are the main subjects within the mechanics subpart. In respect to effectors, arms and especially mobile platforms are presented.
• Energy-supply and Management: In the sixth part, different technologies and methods to power systems are described. Especially battery technology is presented in detail.
• Control and Coordination: The seventh part deals with the control of the activities of single systems and with the coordination of the activities of multiple systems. Within the control subpart, basics of control-theory and behavior-oriented robotics are introduced. Furthermore, different types of system- and world-models, their construction and their usage are presented. Within the coordination subpart, Multi-Agent-Systems and game-theoretic approaches are introduced.

Place and Time

• The lecture is held on Tuesdays from 13h00 to 16h00 in room 5F212.
• The exam is on Tuesday, January 23, 2001 from 13h00 to 16h00 in room 5F212.
• The practical exercises start on Tuesday, February 6, 2001 from 13h00 to 18h00 in the AI-lab (10F725).

Previous Years

• http://arti.vub.ac.be/~cyrano/COURSES/autosys99.html
• http://arti.vub.ac.be/~cyrano/COURSES/autosys98.html
• http://arti.vub.ac.be/~cyrano/COURSES/autosys97.html