ASEE Computers in Education Journal Special Issue

Our paper titled "Role of Automated Symbolic Generation of Equations of Motion to Enhance Robotics Education" was accepted to ASEE Computers in Education Journal Special Issue: Novel Approaches in Robotics Education!

Abstract of the paper: "In recent years there has been a significant increase in the variety and complexity of Articulated-Multi-Body-Systems (AMBS) used for various applications. There is also increased interest in the model-based design-refinement and controller-development, which is critically dependent upon availability of underlying plant-models.
Kinematic and dynamic plant-models for AMBSs can be formulated by systematic application of physics postulates. This process, in its various variants, forms the basis of various mechanisms/robotics courses. However, the type and complexity of the example systems is often limited by the tractability of first generating and subsequently analyzing system equations of motion. Nonetheless, it should be noted that using simpler examples alone may sometimes fail to capture important physical phenomena (e.g. gyroscopic, coriolis). Hence, we examine the use of some contemporary symbolic- and numeric-computation tools to assist with the automated symbolic equation generation, sensitivity analysis and development of model based controllers to enhance various robotics courses..."



Download the paper from:
Hrishi Shah, Sumit Tripathi, Leng-Feng Lee, and Venkat Krovi, "Role of Automated Symbolic Generation of Equations of Motion to Enhance Engineering Education", ASEE Computers in Education Journal Special Issue: Novel Approaches in Robotics Education, Vol 1, No.3, pp. 2-20, July-September 2010. [PDF]

First Workshop on Undergraduate Engineering Education with MapleSim

On August 10, 2010, our lab attended "First Workshop on Undergraduate Engineering Education with MapleSim" at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

This workshop host by Tom Lee and Heather Zunic (from MapleSoft) aims to develop concrete ideas and directions for the revitalization of undergraduate dynamics, mechanical design, and related courses. The target result of this workshop will be to compose a community providing practical guidance to faculty at large as to the pedagogical opportunities and deployment guidelines for new technology-based initiatives in the relevant engineering education streams.

Dr. Krovi presented some of the efforts in our lab with the use of MapleSim:


Workshop Schedule and topics:
8:30 Coffee and networking
9:00 Welcome and introductions and comments from co-chairs
9:30 Session 1: Overview of current activities
9:45 Overview presentations from active institutes
10:00 Binghamton, Buffalo, McMaster, Lawrence Tech, Waterloo
10:30 Session 2: MapleSim.
10:45 Product strategy, key demonstrations, Q&A
11:15 Coffee break
11:30 Session 3: Problem statement
11:45 Brainstorming: What are the principal educational challenges?
12:00 Session 4: Working lunch
12:15 Brainstorming: Freshman courses, dynamics
13:15 Session 5:
13:30 Brainstorming: Senior undergrad control, mechatronics, capstone design
14:30 Coffee Break
14:45 Session 4: Synthesis
15:00 Pulling it all together
15:15 Summarize recommended steps for faculty and Maplesoft
16:30 Closing

ICRA Conference

The 2010 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA2010) was held in Anchorage, Alaska, May 3 - 8, 2010. The theme of the conference was ”50 Years of Robotics,” reflecting on the amazing achievements of the field and the broad impact of robotics and automation research, development and education. The conference was attended by over 1575 attendees and featured 857 papers, 8 keynotes celebrating 50 Years of Robotics, 3 plenary lectures and 42 workshops.


Dr. Krovi presented paper title "Enhanced Trajectory Tracking Control with Active Lower Bounded Stiffness Control for Cable Robot" at the conference.

You can download the paper here:
Kun Yu, L-F Lee, C.P. Tang and V. N. Krovi, "Enhanced Trajectory Tracking Control with Active Lower Bounded Stiffness Control for Cable Robot," Proceeding of 2010 International Conference Robotics and Automation, Anchorage, Alaska, May 3-8, 2010. [PDF]

Tech Savvy 2010 Robotics Workshop

On March 13, 2010, working together with AAUW Buffalo Branch, The Automation, Robotics, & Mechatronics Laboratory hosted a Robotics Workshop for "Tech Savvy 5: Tapping into our Technological Future" for girls in grades 9 - 12 in the Western New York region on March 13, 2010. Approximate 36 students (in 3 sessions) attended our workshop entitled "Haptics: The Touchy-Feely Side of Robotics" this year (download PPT slides: here).

The workshop, consisting of presentations followed by 3 hands-on demos, allowing the students to explore use of different haptics devices, expose them to the multiple applications and even program sample motions of a mobile robot (a first programming experience for many of them).

Pictures


Video highlights:




FOR MORE INFORMATION
ARMLAB Website: The Automation Mechatronics and Robotics Laboratory: ARMLAB

In the news: http://www.eng.buffalo.edu/techsavvy/2010/

Gifted Math Program March Symposium Highlights

As part of our ongoing outreach activities, Dr. Krovi presented "Mechanisms & Robots: Geometry in Motion" (in 2 sessions) to approximately 50 students of outstanding mathematics ability from 7-12 grades in the Western New York region, on March 10, 2010.

In this presentation (download the presentation: here), Dr. Krovi shows how mathematics knowledge can be useful to solve problems in mechanisms and robotics, and most importantly, how can one get started. The following video contains highlights of the program and presentation.


For more info about Gifted Math Program: Here