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Delft University of Technology

Building Robots: Sensors and Data Acquisition

Delft University of Technology via edX

Overview

Mechatronic systems are transforming our world, with robots as some of the most impactful examples. These versatile machines enhance efficiency across diverse fields, from manufacturing and agriculture to household tasks and space exploration.

Sensors and data acquisition are essential for enabling robots to respond and interact with the world around them.

This course provides fundamental knowledge and practical skills in sensor systems and data acquisition for mechatronics, with a focus on robotics.

Participants will learn to implement interactive applications in robotic systems, using a range of sensors and data acquisition methods.

Who is this course for?
Designed for engineering students and young engineers with little or no experience in sensing electronics, this course is also ideal for experienced professionals looking to expand or refresh their expertise.

A hands-on approach: build your own robot
One of the course's unique features is its use of modular mechatronic educational hardware.

This hardware facilitates a systematic approach to designing robotic applications, guiding you through the entire process of mechatronic system integration – from conceptualization and analysis to construction and control.

The open-source hardware and firmware enables customization, making it adaptable for various applications, including student thesis projects. Additionally, the course integrates knowledge of other robotics components, such as motor control, communication, and system integration, highlighting their role in sensors.

Full Program
This course is an initiative of the Erasmus + project GEMS (Graceful Equalizing of Mechatronics Students). It is part of the online program Building Robots: From Mechatronic Components to Robotics , developed by GEMS partners, with University of Alcala leading the part about sensing and data acquisition in robots.

Syllabus

Week 1: Introduction to sensing technology

  • What does sensing mean?
  • Sensing goals: monitoring and control
  • The data involved

Week 2: Electronic support for sensing

  • Basic architecture
  • Different types of sensors
  • Calibration and errors

Week 3: Acquisition and processing

  • Characteristics of an acquisition system
  • Analysis of discretization signal effects (Sampling, Noise)
  • Example of acquisition and processing process

Week 4: Practice hardware and software issues for sensing

  • Charlieplexing in Ruby
  • Ultrasound distance sensing in Ruby

Week 5: Sensorial system within Ruby module

  • Direction of Arrival (DoA) detection
  • Design ad-hoc applications based on given examples

Taught by

Marta Marrón-Romera, Felipe Espinosa-Zapata, Cristina Losada-Gutiérrez, David Fuentes-Jiménez and Daniel Pizarro-Pérez

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