CS 790 (X) Seminar: Robotics
Spring 2015
Instructor: Monica Nicolescu
E-mail: monica@cs.unr.edu
Office: SEM 239
Phone: (775) 784-1687
Office hours: Wednesday 10am-noon, 1-2pm
Class webpage: http://www.cse.unr.edu/~monica/Courses/CS790X/index.html
Meeting time and place
Tuesday & Thursday: 1:00pm-2:30pm; SEM 201
Recommended Textbooks
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The Robotics Primer, 2001. Author: Maja Matarić.
Springer Handbook of Robotics, 2008. Editors: Bruno Siciliano, Oussama
Khatib.
Behavior-Based Robotics, 2001. Author: Ron Arkin
Course description
This is an advanced level, seminar-style course, which will examine representative
approaches to robot control, learning, coordination and cooperation between multiple
robots and human-robot interaction. Students will learn about the development of
the robotics field and the main directions of research in this area. Each week all the
students will read all of the assigned readings. Each of the assigned readings will be
presented by a student, and discussed and critiqued by all others.
Prerequisites
CS 491/691 (X) - Robotics or CS 476/676 (Artificial Intelligence). Good programming
skills are essential. If you have not taken any of these classes you should purchase
"The Robotics Primer" book for background reading.
Syllabus
Following are the topics that will be discussed, listed in the approximate order in
which they will be covered.
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Introduction, development of the robotics field
Reactive systems
Hybrid systems
Behavior-based systems
Navigation and mapping
Learning: supervised learning, reinforcement learning, genetic/evolutionary
approaches, imitation and learning from demonstration
Multi-agent control
Multi-robot control
Multi-robot learning
Emergent behavior
Biologically inspired robotics
Human-robot interaction
Project
Each student will complete an individual research project, on a topic covered in class.
Teams up to two students are possible, however the complexity of the selected topic
must justify it.
Project topics: The projects should be an implementation of either: a single robot
system (involving complex behavior and demonstrated on a physical robot) or a
multi-robot system (involving cooperation/communication/coordination between
robots and demonstrated in simulation).
Test-beds: The following simulation environments and physical robots will be
available for the project:
 The Player-Stage-Gazebo simulator (playerstage.sourceforge.net). Player is a
general purpose language-indepedent network server for robot control. Stage
is a Player-compatible high-fidelity indoor multi-robot simulation testbed.
Gazebo is a Player-compatible high-fidelity 3D outdoor simulation testbed
with dynamics. Using Player/Stage/Gazebo allows for direct porting to Playercompatible physical robots.
 One Player-compatible ActivMedia Pioneer 1 AT (all terrain) robot. The robot
is equipped with 7 sonar sensors and requires the use of a laptop (not
provided).
 10 Player-compatible ActivMedia Pioneer 3 DX robot. The robot is equipped
with laser and sonar sensors, and a PTZ camera.
 1 Player-compatible ActivMedia Pioneer 1 AT robot. The robot has 7 sonar
sensors and requires the use of a laptop (not provided)
 10 Robosapien robots (on-board CPU)
 10 Create robots (separate computer boxes - provided)
Project report: For each project students should prepare a final project report,
which should include the following:
 Title, author
 Abstract
 Introduction and motivation
 Problem definition, including project goals, assumptions, constraints, and
evaluation criteria
 Details of proposed approach
 Results and objective experimental evaluation and/or sound theoretical proof
of the proposed approach
 Strengths and weaknesses
 Review of relevant literature and previous research and how it relates to the
project
 Discussion and conclusion
 References
 Appendix (relevant code or algorithms)
Timeline: The project development should adhere to the following timeline:
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Project proposal - outlines the specific goals, implementation platform and the
proposed approach - due on February 17 (see the syllabus).
Project status report - describes the current status of the project and
constitutes a partial report of the final version. The partial report needs to
contain Abstract, introduction and motivation, review of relevant literature,
problem definition (goals, constraints, etc.), what has been done, what is still
to be done - due on April 14 (see the syllabus).
Project presentation (live demos are highly encouraged) - during the final
exam.
Project report - due on May 12.
Class schedule
Paper reports: During each lecture we will discuss
specific research topic. Students must read the papers
each of the papers presented that day, a brief report
should be submitted at the beginning of the class when
contain:
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a numbers of papers on a
before class and submit, for
for each paper. The reports
they are discussed and must
Student's name
Title and authors of the paper
A short paragraph summarizing the contributions of the paper
A critique of the paper that addresses the strengths and weaknesses of the
paper
All reports should be typed - no hand-written reports will be accepted.
Paper presentations: During the semester, each student is required to present
several papers to the rest of the class. Each presentation should take about 25-30
minutes and must be prepared as if presented in a formal conference (i.e., slides,
projector). This presentation should assume that the audience has read the paper,
and not spend more than about 15 minutes summarizing it. The rest of the
presentation should be spent on discussing the paper, its strengths, weaknesses, any
points needing clarification. The presentation will be followed by class discussions in
which all students will express their point of view and general comments on the
paper.
Assignments and grading
Evaluation for this class will be based on your paper presentations, participation in
class discussions, summary reports for each of the papers and a final project.
Regular class participation is required.
Grading policy (tentative, subject to change):
Paper reports:
Participation in class discussions:
Paper presentations:
Lab assignments
Final project
15%
15%
20%
15%
35%
Grading scheme (tentative, subject to change):
A: 90 and above
B: 80-89
C: 65-79
D: 55-64
F: <55
Late policy: No late submissions will be accepted.
Academic integrity: Students are encouraged to study together, however each
student must individually prepare his/her solutions. Cheating or plagiarism are not
permitted and will be sanctioned according with the UNR policy on Academic
Standards. You should carefully read the section on Academic Dishonesty found in
the UNR Student Handbook (copies of this section are on-line). Your continued
enrollment in this course implies that you have read it, and that you subscribe to the
principles stated therein.
Student Outcomes
(a) An ability to apply engineering or computer science research and theory to
advance the art, science and practice of the discipline
(b) An ability to design and conduct experiments as well as to analyze, interpret,
apply and disseminate the data
(c) An understanding of research methodology