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Explore the fundamental principles of sensor design and operation for autonomous robotics systems through this comprehensive Stanford University course. Begin with basic physics principles including Newton's laws of motion and Maxwell's equations to understand how different sensors function at their core. Analyze the mechanical and electrical architecture of various sensing technologies, then develop algorithms for processing raw sensor signals into outputs essential for robot perception and planning such as ego trajectories and 3D local maps. Study how acoustic waves, photons, and mechanical forces are converted into position data, odometry, trajectories, point clouds, and images through GPS, inertial sensors, ultrasonic sensors, radars, lidars, and cameras. Examine sensor performance under different operating conditions and learn practical system design tradeoffs. Cover GPS satellite orbits and receiver architecture, inertial navigation and dead reckoning, sonar ranging and bearing estimation, radar architectures including pulsed and FMCW systems, MIMO imaging radar, lidar laser physics and beam scanning, photodetection principles, camera operation and image formation, and image signal processing. Gain knowledge applicable to autonomous vehicle development and other robotic applications requiring sophisticated sensing capabilities.
