Study program/programs: Information Technologies
Study level and type: bachelor’s applied degree
Course name: Robotics Basics
Course status: elective
ECTS: 6

Course objectives

The main objective of the course is to acquire the basic knowledge of robotics as a multidisciplinary scientific discipline, as well as of the purpose and structure of robotic systems. Students will be introduced to the functional structure of robots and interrelation of the structural elements into a whole. By studying the theory of system robotics, and its applications in real environments, students will understand the particularities, feasibility and needs of the applications of robots as universal machines. The purpose is to analyze the place of robotics in the development of modern computing. In addition, we need to develop student awareness of the importance and possibilities of integrating robotic systems into business and production information systems, thus enabling them to be part of the teams that carry out the integration. One of the objectives is to help students to master the fundamentals of the Python programming language and acquire skills needed for further development through practical exercises. Exercises are designed so as to help students master programming in Python through different tasks: files operations, object-oriented programming, graphical applications focused on user interface, simulations of industrial robot movement, monitoring robot sensors in motion, etc.    

Course Outcomes

By completing this course, students will familiarize themselves with the types of robots, robotic structure, work space, robotic propulsion systems, robot end effectors, robotic steering systems, sensors in robotics, etc. They will be able to implement the knowledge acquired in the course to solve specific problems. They will also be able to analyze the basic premises of the theory of mechanisms (kinematic pair, kinematic chain, degrees of freedom), describe various schemas of minimal robotic configurations, understand the basic subsystems and components common for industrial robots, etc. They will also learn to distinguish between robotic systems for particular applications and identify the limitations of such systems. 

Students will also be introduced to the advantages and disadvantages of Python and its environment. They will master the fundamentals of the Python programming language, as well as graphical user interface – GUI. After completing the course, they will be able to apply their knowledge for simulations of automated systems and robot movement. 

Course Content

Theory:

  • Introduction to robotics
  • Robot – Concept and name 
  • Development of robots
  • Geometry of the robotic mechanism
  • Industrial implementations of robotics
  • Basic subsystems and components of industrial robots: propulsion subsystems, end effectors, sensors in robotics
  • Robotic steering systems, concept, level and types of steering 

  Practicals:

  • Working in the Python programming language

Laboratory exercises:

  • Introduction to Python
  • Fundamentals of Python
  • Flow control
  • Functions
  • Lists
  • File operations
  • File organization
  • Errors and exceptions
  • Object-oriented Python
  • Graphical user interface – GUI