UNLV ME 729 - Robotics II (Analysis and Synthesis) Home Page

UNLV ME 729 - Robotics II Spring 2025 Home Page

A B+ (75%) or higher in ME 425/625 (Robotics 1) is a prerequisite. This is because ME 729 demands knowledge of NXC (ANSI C-like) programming, mechanisms and electronics. ME 729 is a MS/PHD level course that analyzes robot manipulators thru concepts like motion frames, transformation matrices, forward and inverse kinematics, Jacobians and computer vision. Hands-on labs serve to apply these concepts to synthesize robot manipulators. The overall objective is to instill fundamentals that paint a "big picture" of robotics and motivate its research.

paul.oh@unlv.edu

Week 01 - 01/27/25

Topic: Introduction, RS-485 Communications

Handouts

Course Outline me729RoboticsCourseOutline011125a.pdf
Weekly Schedule Last Updated 01/11/25 me729AdvancedRoboticsSchedule011125a.pdf
Lecture: Introduction and Course Philosophy me729Robotics-LectureIntro-011125a.pdf

Lab Slides on RS-485 Communications PDF

Software/Freeware

hercules_3-2-8.exe | Source Site

Tutorial: Installing BricxCC and NxC Primer

BricxCC Compiler Version 3.3.8.9 bricxcc_setup_3389.exe | SourceForge Site
(If needed): NXC Firmware Version 1.31 lms_arm_nbcnxc_131.rfw | LEGO Site
(May need): USB Driver for NXT Brick NXT_USB_Driver_120.zip
Fixes for Brick clicking: Clicking suggests your NXT Brick is in a coma. Some obvious steps could be removing and reinstalling your batteries, using a paperclip to reset the button underneath the batteries, or the button inside the stud hole. Here are some useful sites towards fixing:
- Lego Engineering Clicking Brick Syndrome
- Fix Clicking Brick Syndrome Lego Mindstorms NXT YouTube
Primer Notes: labBricxxIntroToProgramming.pdf
Sample Code: nxcPrimerExampleCode.zip (Password protected. For Instructor Only)

Homework: RS-485 Communications (due next week - email as PDF) homeworkRs485Communications-012720a.pdf firstLastName-Homework-MMDDYY.pdf where MMDDYY is date due. EG: paulOh-Homework020325.pdf

Things to do

Meet each Monday 15:00-17:30 at 1325 E. Flamingo Rd
Bring Windows-based laptop and tackle box to class every week

Week 02 - 02/03/25

Topic: Smart Servos (XL-320) Dynamixel Wizard

Handouts

Ethics
- Roboethics: Introduction (Fiorella Operto, Scuola di Robotica) Video
Lecture
- Handbook of Robotics 2nd Edition Mechanisms and Actuators PDF
- SCARA robots (Adept) Video
- Three-fingered Robot Hand (Masatoshi Ishikawa, Univ of Tokyo) Video
- Harmonic Drive (Harmonic Drive AG) Video
Lab Slides on Dynamixel Wizard and XL-320
- Lego Mount for XL-320 Build Instructions PDF
- Intro to Dynamixel Wizard PDF
Software/Freeware
- RoboPlusWeb(v1.1.3.0).exe | Source Site
Homework: Dynamixel Wizard and XL-320 properties (due next week - email as PDF) homeworkDynamixelWizardSmartServo-012720a.pdf

Week 03 - 02/10/25

Topic: Smart Servo (XL-320) - Firmware Programming (LED)

Handouts

Ethics
- Roboethics: Prosthesis (Fiorella Operto, Scuola di Robotica) Video
Lecture
- Handbook of Robotics 2nd Edition Sensing and Estimation PDF
- Capacitive Tactile Sensing (Mark Cutkosky, Stanford) Video
- Salisbury Hand (Ken Salisbury, Stanford) Video
- Utah/MIT Hand (Peter Allen, Columbia) Video
- Shadow Hand (Shadow Company) Video
Lab Slides on NXC Programming XL-320 LED PDF
- Video: LED Demo YouTube xl320-led-121419.mp4
- Code xl320-defines1_0a.h
- Code xl320-functions1_0c.h
- Code xl320-helloLed1_0a.nxc
Homework: NXC Programming XL-320 LED (due next week - email as PDF) homeworkNxcProgrammingXl320Led-012720a.pdf

Week 04 - 02/17/25

Topic: President's Day - UNLV Holiday - No Classes

Week 05 - 02/24/25

Topic: Denavit-Hartenberg Notation

Handouts

Lecture
- Handbook of Robotics 2nd Edition Kinematics PDF
- Intuitive control of a planar bipedal walking robot (Jerry Pratt, Gill Pratt, MIT) Video
- Field experiments with the OctArm continuum manipulator (Ian Walker, Clemson) Video
- Snake Robot Climbs a Tree (Howie Choset, CMU) Video
- RHex the Parkour Robot (Martin Buehler, Daniel E. Koditschek) Video
- Lecture Slides on Denavit-Hartenberg Notation (PDF)
Lab Slides
- LEGO-based XL-320 1-DOF Manipulator PDF Build Plan
- NXC Programming XL-320 Joint and Wheel Modes (PDF)
- Code: Header Files xl320-functions1_0a.h | xl320-functions1_0d.h | xl320-defines1_0a.h
- Code: Joint Mode demo xl320-helloServo1_0a.nxc PDF
- Code: Wheel Mode demo xl320-helloWheelMode1_0a.nxc PDF
- Sample Code: code.zip xl320-defines1_0a.h; xl320-functions1_0a.h; xl320-functions1_0d.h; xl320-helloServo1_0a.nxc; xl320-helloWheelMode1_0a.nxc (Password protected. For Instructor Only).
Homework: Denavit-Hartenberg (due next week - email as PDF) homeworkDenavitHartenberg-020620a.pdf

Week 06 - 03/03/25

Topic: Forward Kinematics

Handouts

Lecture
- Handbook of Robotics 2nd Edition Robot Hands PDF
- A day in the life of Romeo and Juliet (mobile manipulators) (Oussama Khatib, Stanford) Video
- Mobile robot helper (Kazuhiro Kosuge, Manabu Sato, Norihide Kazamura, Tohoku University) Video
- Overview of Kismet's expressive behavior (Cynthia Brezeal, MIT) Video
- CKBOTS reconfigurable robots (Mark Yim, GRASP) Video
- Lecture Slides on Forward Kinematics (PDF)
Lab Slides
- LEGO-based XL-320 2-DOF Planar Manipulator PDF Build Plan
- NXC Programming Forward Kinematics: (PDF)
- Code: Forward Kinematics demo xl320-2dof-fk-1_0.nxc: PDF
- Sample Code: code.zip xl320-defines1_0a.h; xl320-functions1_0d.h; xl320-2dof-fk-1_0.nxc (Password protected. For Instructor Only).
Homework: Forward Kinematics (due next week - email as PDF) homeworkForwardKinematics-022720a.pdf

Week 07 - 03/10/25

Topic: Inverse Kinematics

Handouts

Lecture Slides on Inverse Kinematics (PDF)
Lab Slides
- NXC Programming Inverse Kinematics: (PDF)
- Video IK Demonstration: YouTube labXl320-nxcProgramming-2dofPlanarManipulator-InverseKinematics.mp4
- Code: Inverse Kinematics demo xl320-ik-1_0.nxc: PDF
- Sample Code: code.zip xl320-defines1_0a.h; xl320-functions1_0d.h; xl320-ik-1_0.nxc (Password protected. For Instructor Only).
Homework: Inverse Kinematics (due next week 03/17/25) - email as PDF) homeworkInverseKinematics-022720a.pdf
Note: Spring Break next week (No Class)

Week 08 - 03/17/25

Topic: Spring Break - No Class - Mid-Term Next Week

Week 09 - 03/24/25

Topic: Mid-term

Week 10 - 03/31/25

Topic: Trajectory Planning

Handouts

Lecture Slides on Trajectory Planning (PDF)
Lab Slides
- NXC Programming Trajectory Planning: (PDF)
  - 1-Waypoint YouTube trajectory-Wait50-Waypoints1-Velocity400CaptionedWmv.wmv
  - 7-waypoints YouTube trajectory-Wait100-Waypoints7-Velocity200CaptionedWmv.wmv
  - 7-waypoints Faster YouTube trajectory-Wait50-Waypoints7-Velocity400CaptionedWmv.wmv
- Code: Trajectory Planning demo xl320-line1_0.nxc: PDF
- Sample Code: code.zip xl320-twoLinkFunctions1_0a.h; xl320-functions1_0d.h; xl320-line1_0.nxc (Password protected. For Instructor Only).
Project 1 SCARA Robot (due next class 04/07/25)
- Project Description and Deliverables me729-scaraProject-031820a.pdf
- Project template projectTemplate.docx
- Sample Lego SCARA arm build plan lego-xl320-scaraarm-032822.pdf | Studio file lego-XL320-ScaraArm-032822.io
- Supplemental Notes: SCARA Arm Vertical Resolution calculations and demo labXl320-scaraVerticalArm-033022a.pdf | Video Demo YouTube | Code xl320-scaraTest0_1b.nxc.pdf
Homework: Trajectory Planning (due next week) - email as PDF) homeworkTrajectoryPlanning-032520a.pdf

Week 11 - 04/07/25

Topic: Jacobians

Handouts

Lecture Slides on Jacobians (PDF)
Lab Slides
- NXC Programming Bluetooth: (PDF)
  - Damian Kee's NXT-to-NXT Bluetooth setup YouTube
  - NXT-to-NXT Bluetooth Message passing demo YouTube
  - Code: protocol0_2a.h | btMaster0_2a.nxc | btSlave0_2a.nxc
  - Serial and Bluetooth Demo YouTube
  - Code: btAndSerialMaster0_1b.nxc | btAndSerialSlave0_1b.nxc
- Optional NXC Programming Read XL-320 Position: (PDF)
  - Code: XL-320 Position Reading demo xl320-helloServoRead0_1b.nxc: PDF
  - Code: xl320-Read0_1a.nxc demo (rotate between 200 and 700 counts YouTube | NXC code xl320-Read0_1a.nxc.pdf
  - Code: xl320-Read0_1b.nxc demo (rotate CW and CCW continously) YouTube | NXC code xl320-Read0_1b.nxc.pdf
- Sample Code: code.zip xl320-defines1_0a.h; xl320-functions1_0c.h; xl320-helloServoRead0_1b.nxc; btAndSerialMaster0_1b.nxc; btAndSerialSlave0_1b.nxc; btMaster0_2a.nxc; btSlave0_2a.nxc; and protocol0_2a.h (Password protected. For Instructor Only).
Homework: Jacobians (due next week) - email as PDF) homeworkJacobiansAndBluetooth-040220a.pdf

Week 12 - 04/14/25

Topic: Computer Vision 1 (and Project 1 due)

Handouts

Lecture slides on Image Processing
- Row-Column Vector Format (PDF)
- Area and Centroid of Image (PDF)
- White Box on Image (PDF)
Pre-Lab Installs
- Code Blocks Install (PDF) | DASL server codeblocks-17.12mingw-setup.exe (64-bit Windows) | Code Blocks Site
- Irfan Image View Install (PDF) | DASL server iview454_x64_setup.exe (64-bit Windows) | DASL server iview454_plugins_x64_setup.exe (64-bit Windows Plug-in) | Irfan Site
- Pixelformer Install (PDF) | DASL server Pixelformer.Setup.exe | Pixelformer site
Lab
- Image Processing (PDF)
- Sample code and RAW Image files:
  - Thresholding threshold1_0a.c | cameraMan.raw | thresholdOutput.raw
  - Area and Centroid areaCentroid1_0.c (PDF) | 10x10-ballRaw.raw | 16x16-ballRaw.raw | 16x16-squareRaw.raw | 16x16-x-Raw.raw
  - White Box on Image whiteBox1_0.c (PDF) | cameraMan.raw | cameraManWithWhiteBox.raw
  - Sample Code: code.zip threshold1_0a.c; areaCentroid1_0.c; whiteBox1_0.c (Password protected. For Instructor Only).
Homework: Computer Vision 1 (due next week) homeworkImageProcessing-041020a.pdf

Week 13 - 04/21/25

Topic: Computer Vision 2

Handouts

Lecture Slides on Object Tracking lecture-TemplateMatching-041020a.pdf
Peter Corke's QUT Robot Academy Video on Template Matching (finding Bender)
Pre-lab
- Scilab Installation, Vision and Serial port modules lab-scilabInstallation-032120a.pdf
- AMCap USB Camera utility AMCap (site) | DASL server
- e-CAMView USB Camera utility e-CAMView (site) | DASL server
- Scilab Version 6.1.0 Scilab Site | DASL Server
Lab Slides
- Video Processing and Static Object Tracking lab-VideoProcessing-041020a.pdf
- scilabHelloVision1_0a.sce scilabHelloVision1_0a.sce.pdf | sciLabTracking1_0a.sce sciLabTracking1_0a.sce.pdf
- Image files image1BlackPixel.png | template1BlackPixel.png
- Sample code code.zip scilabHelloVision1_0a.sce; sciLabTracking1_0a.sce; TXT versions; image files (pixel maps and PNG); extra image files (Password protected. For Instructor Only).
Project 2: Visual-Servoing (due in 3-weeks 05/12/25 before Final Exam)
- Lego Camera Tower Build plan (Photos) legoCameraTowerBuildInstructions-041220a.pdf
- Lego Camera Tower Build plan (Studio) PDF | Studio IO file
- Project Description and Deliverables me729-visual-servoingProject-041720b.pdf
- Project template projectTemplate.docx

Homework: Object Tracking (due next week) homeworkObjectTracking-041720a.pdf PNG Files: greyFrame.png | thresholdedFrame.png | crossTemplate.png

Week 14 - 04/28/25

Topic: Visual-Servoing and Distributed Computing

Handouts

Lecture Slides on Visual-Servoing lecture-visualServoing-041620b.pdf
Lab Slides
- Distributed Computing (PC to Master NXT to Slave NXT to XL-320 Robot) lab-PcToMasterToSlaveToRobot-041920a.pdf ~~lab-PcToMasterToSlaveToRobot-041720a.pdf~~
- Video of PC controlling XL-320 Robot via Master/Slave NXTs YouTube
- serialPc-M-1_0b.sce ~~serialPc-M-1_0a.sce~~ PDF | PC-M-S-1_0a.nxc PDF | btS-R-1_0a.nxc PDF
- Header files: protocol0_2a.h | xl320-defines1_0a.h | xl320-functions1_0d.h
- Serial Communications Toolbox for Scilab 6.0.1 serial_0.5_60-bin.zip Zip file contains loader.sce file. Must run before executing any Scilab SCE program using the serial port.
- Sample Code: code.zip (PC) serialPc-M-1_0a.sce; (Master) PC-M-S-1_0a.nxc; (Slave) btS-R-1_0a.nxc (Password protected. For Instructor Only).
Homework: Distributed Computing (RS485-to-Bluetooth-to-XL320) (due next week) homework-rs485-toBTtoXL-320-041720a.pdf | YouTube demo of IK
Things to do:
- Final Exam: in 2-Weeks 05/12/25 (Part 1 Closed-Book Theory and Part 2 Open-Book Practical)
- Project 2 due (email as PDF) no later than 18:00 PST 05/12/25
- Return kit (XL-320 Lego 2-link Planar Manipulator and grey baseplate), baggie (Lego Camera tower with USB camera and white baseplate) no later than 05/15/20 for returned deposit check

Week 15 - 05/05/25

Topic: Study Week: Work on Project 2

Handouts

Lecture
- Focal length and image space to robot task space mapping lecture-focalLengthAndImageToTaskSpaceCalculations-042420.pdf
- Closing Remarks lecture-Me729Wrapup042520a.pdf
Lab Slides
- Visual Servoing lab-visualServoingXl320-2-linkPlanarManipulator-042420b.pdf
- Demo video of Visual Servoing (and efficacy of Project 2) YouTube
- vs1_0a.sce PDF
- Sample Code: code.zip (PC) vs1_0a.sce; (Master) PC-M-S-IK-1_0a.nxc; (Slave) btS-R-IK-1_0a.nxc (Password protected. For Instructor Only).

Things to do

Final Exam next week (05/12/25)
Project 2 due next week (05/12/25)
Student Course Evaluation (see your RebelMail)
Return ME 729 kit (please note name/quantity of missing parts)
Return Lego Camera Mount baggie and white 32x32 baseplate

Week 16 - 05/12/25

Topic: Finals

Things to do

No later than FRI Noon PST 05/16/25 return kit (XL-320 Lego 2-link Planar Manipulator and grey baseplate), baggie (Lego Camera tower with USB camera and white baseplate) for returned deposit check
Return Electronics tackle kit and contents