Course Syllabus

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ROBOT 6200 / CS 6370 / ME EN 6225 Motion Planning

Welcome!

Motion planning stands as a central pillar in robotics. Planning enables robots and autonomous agents to move themselves and other parts of the world to a desired goal by choosing a sequence of appropriate actions. This course will cover the theoretical and algorithmic underpinnings of motion planning in robotics. Applications will be examined across robotics ranging from obstacle avoidance in autonomous cars, to planning safe motions in robotic surgery, to rearrangement of furniture by humanoid robots.

Like robotics in general, motion planning draws on a number of different fields in developing its tools. Approaches to motion planning have grown out of artificial intelligence, optimal control, and operations research. As such, elementary knowledge of linear algebra, probability, and graph algorithms are expected of the students. Additionally, programming skills are paramount to success in the course as all assignments and projects require implementation and extensions of algorithms covered in class. Finally, all assignments will require thoughtful and thorough writing and analysis by the students.

What does this course offer you?

In this course you will learn to develop and analyze algorithms for motion planning. You will learn to implement motion planning algorithms efficiently for use in research or industry. Even if you work primarily in mechanism design or electrical design of robotic systems, understanding and considering the implications of different approaches to motion planning can aid and improve your design.

How are you, exactly, going to achieve this?

The course will be held in person Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:00PM - 4:20PM in  WEB 1230Links to an external site.

We will have readings associated with many lectures. You should read this material and come prepared to class. We will have selected readings from Steven LeValle's Planning Algorithms book available for free as a pdf online here: http://lavalle.pl/planning/ Other readings will come from research papers or notes provided by the instructor.

Programming projects will provide you with an opportunity to implement algorithms studied in the course. You will work independently on these assignments to help improve your own skills in programming planning algorithms.

A final group project will serve to combine your programming skills with designing and using motion planning to solve a problem you care about. We encourage you to combine this with your own ongoing research if possible.

We will also have frequent short answer/multiple choice style canvas quizzes to help enhance and assess retention and understanding of the material.

How will you (and the teaching staff) know if you are making progress in your learning?

The best way to understand your progress is to actively engage in class and work to answer questions yourself. Each class you will be provided time to engage with the professor and your classmates to solve problems. If something isn't clear then ask about it! If you are confused then many others in the class likely are as well.

We will provide feedback on programming assignments quickly to aid in understanding. Office hours held by the professor and TA also serve as a great time to go and get individual feedback on your progress if you are uncertain.

Other Important Course Information

Cooperation vs Cheating: Any assignment submitted or quiz taken must be your own work (unless specified in the assignment). However, talking with one another to understand the material better is encouraged. Recognizing the distinction between cheating and cooperation is very important. If you copy someone else's solution, you are cheating. If you let someone else copy your solution, you are cheating. If someone dictates a solution to you, you are cheating. Everything you hand in must be in your own words, and based on your own understanding of the solution. If someone helps you understand the problem during a high-level discussion, you are not cheating.

Policy on Generative AI:

Unless otherwise specified, the use of generative AI (for example, ChatGPT and Github Copilot) to produce text or code for any assignments will be considered academic misconduct. An exception to this is the use of grammar/spell-checkers. The nuance of other uses of modern generative AI tools will be discussed in class.

This syllabus is meant to serve as an outline and guide for the course. Please note that your instructor may modify it to accommodate the needs of your class.

You will be notified of any changes to the Syllabus.

Additional Resources and Policies:

Student Mental Health Resources

  • Rates of burnout, anxiety, depression, isolation, and loneliness have noticeably increased during the pandemic. If you need help, reach out for campus mental health resources, including counseling, trainings and other support.
  • Consider participating in a Mental Health First Aid or other training provided by our Center for Student Wellness and sharing these opportunities with your peers, teaching assistants and department colleagues.

College of Engineering Guidelines: https://www.coe.utah.edu/semester-guidelines

 

University Policies

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services, and activities for people with disabilities.

All written information in this course can be made available in an alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability & Access (CDA). CDA will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations. Prior notice is appreciated. To read the full accommodations policy for the University of Utah, please see Section Q of the Instruction & Evaluation regulations.

In compliance with ADA requirements, some students may need to record course content. Any recordings of course content are for personal use only, should not be shared, and should never be made publicly available. In addition, recordings must be destroyed at the conclusion of the course.

If you will need accommodations in this class, or for more information about what support they provide, contact:

Center for Disability & Access

  801-581-5020
  disability.utah.eduLinks to an external site.
  162 Union Building
  200 S. Central Campus Dr.
  Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Safety at the U

The University of Utah values the safety of all campus community members. You will receive important emergency alerts and safety messages regarding campus safety via text message. For more safety information and to view available training resources, including helpful videos, visit safeu.utah.edu.

To report suspicious activity or to request a courtesy escort, contact:

Campus Police & Department of Public Safety

  801-585-COPS (801-585-2677)
  dps.utah.edu
  1735 E. S. Campus Dr.
  Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Addressing Sexual Misconduct

Title IX makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender (which includes sexual orientation and gender identity/expression) is a civil rights offense subject to the same kinds of accountability and the same kinds of support applied to offenses against other protected categories such as race, national origin, color, religion, age, status as a person with a disability, veteran’s status, or genetic information.

If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, you are encouraged to report it to university officials: 

Title IX Coordinator & Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action

  801-581-8365
  oeo.utah.edu
  135 Park Building
  201 Presidents' Cir.
  Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Office of the Dean of Students

  801-581-7066
  deanofstudents.utah.edu
  270 Union Building
  200 S. Central Campus Dr.
  Salt Lake City, UT 84112

To file a police report, contact:

Campus Police & Department of Public Safety

  801-585-COPS (801-585-2677)
  dps.utah.edu
  1735 E. S. Campus Dr.
  Salt Lake City, UT 84112

If you do not feel comfortable reporting to authorities, the U's Victim-Survivor Advocates provide free, confidential, and trauma-informed support services to students, faculty, and staff who have experienced interpersonal violence.

To privately explore options and resources available to you with an advocate, contact:

Center for Student Wellness

  801-581-7776
  wellness.utah.edu
  328 Student Services Building
  201 S. 1460 E.
  Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Academic Misconduct

It is expected that students comply with University of Utah policies regarding academic honesty, including but not limited to refraining from cheating, plagiarizing, misrepresenting one’s work, and/or inappropriately collaborating. This includes the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools without citation, documentation, or authorization. Students are expected to adhere to the prescribed professional and ethical standards of the profession/discipline for which they are preparing. Any student who engages in academic dishonesty or who violates the professional and ethical standards for their profession/discipline may be subject to academic sanctions as per the University of Utah’s Student Code: Policy 6-410: Student Academic Performance, Academic Conduct, and Professional and Ethical Conduct.

Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses and may be punished by failure on an individual assignment, and/or failure in the course. Academic misconduct, according to the University of Utah Student Code:

“...Includes, but is not limited to, cheating, misrepresenting one’s work, inappropriately collaborating, plagiarism, and fabrication or falsification of information…It also includes facilitating academic misconduct by intentionally helping or attempting to help another to commit an act of academic misconduct.”

For details on plagiarism and other important course conduct issues, see the U's Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due