TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Course description and aims

This is an experiment-based course to understand elements of mechatronics devices and practice control theories learned in the classroom lecture, by using a basic 3-degree-of-freedom robotic arm. This course provides an overview of mechanical and electrical elements (such as decelerators, actuators, sensors, and so on) needed to construct robotic manipulator. Topics covered in this course include: (a) computer interface to obtain data of the manipulator; (b) driving methods of the actuator; (c) introduction of control manners (such as inverse kinematics, compliance control and so on) applied to practical industrial robots; and (d) operation and control of 3-degree-of-freedom robotic arm.
Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field of mechanical engineering and electrical engineering. The complex functions that cannot be achieved by only mechanical elements become possible in mechatronics by combining with electric circuits, sensors, actuators, computers, and so on. By using a simple 3-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, students can understand elements of mechatronics devices. The operation and control of the robotic arm enable students to understand the function of mechatronics devices. By changing parameters of PID controller, students will learn how each parameter affects motion and behavior of the robotic arm.

Based on the knowledge that students have learned through ‘MEC.I331： Mechatronics’ and ‘MEC.I312：Modeling and Control Theory,’ students conduct the exercises or experiments focusing on the following points and make a report every subject.
1. Robot components
2. Fundamentals of control theory
3. Design of control system
4. Inverse kinematics
5. Obstacle avoidance control
6. Compliance control
7. Friction compensation and gravity compensation

Student learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students will obtain skills to:
1) To understand the robot components such as encoders, motors, motor drivers, analog-to-digital conversion circuits, control programming languages, etc.
2) To learn the proportional control, integral control, and differential control of PID control, and understand the roles and differences of each control method.
3) To obtain the transfer function from the step response experiment of the robot, and design the parameters of the PID control system.
4) To understand the robot's inverse kinematics problem and control the robot's positioning.
5) To obtain a numerical solution of the robot’s inverse kinematics and perform the obstacle avoidance control of the robot.
6) To perform the compliance control by restricting the force of the robot arm.
7) To perform the friction compensation and gravity compensation of robots and understand the effect of compensation.

This subject corresponds to the following learning objectives.
1. [Specialty] Basic expertise,
3. [Communication ability] Ability to express logically and respect each other,
5. [Development ability] (Practical ability or Solving ability) Acquisition of ability to solve basic problems

Keywords

PID control，Kinematics，Inverse kinematics，Jacobian，Compliance control

Competencies that will be developed

Class flow

At the beginning of each class, overview and principle are explained as the lecture. Towards the end of class, students are given exercise problems related to the lecture and solve the tasks. Based on the exercise problems and experimental materials, students do experiments. To prepare for class, students should read the course schedule section and check what topics will be covered.

Course schedule/Required learning

Out-of-Class Study Time (Preparation and Review)

To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend a certain length of time outside of class on preparation and review (including for assignments), as specified by the Tokyo Institute of Technology Rules on Undergraduate Learning (東京工業大学学修規程) and the Tokyo Institute of Technology Rules on Graduate Learning (東京工業大学大学院学修規程), for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.

Textbook(s)

Instruction manuals and course materials are provided.

Reference books, course materials, etc.

Instruction manuals and course materials are uploaded to OCW.

Assessment criteria and methods

To evaluate performance by checking the participation and its report every week.
Performance in experiment and excercise 40%, Report 60%.

Related courses

• MEC.I331 ： Mechatronics (Mechanical Engineering)
• MEC.I312 ： Modeling and Control Theory

Prerequisites (i.e., required knowledge, skills, courses, etc.)

Students must take MEC.I331: Mechatronics and MEC.I312: Modeling and Control Theory before attending this course. Or, it is conditional on having the corresponding knowledge. Students have experience to create computer programs. Students do not need to be familiar with the specific language because formula manipulation is the main.