16-281 General Robotics

12 units, Carnegie Mellon University

This course presents an overview of robotics in practice and research with topics including vision, motion planning, mobile mechanisms, kinematics, inverse kinematics, and sensors. Self-paced collaborative lab projects will complement the weekly lectures. Whereas the lectures emphasize the underlying math and algorithms of each sub-discipline of robotics, the projects will emphasize the pragmatic facets of implementing robotic and mechatronic devices. The labs give students an education that go well beyond robotics into fields like control, embedded systems, programming, signal processing, interfacing, and electronics. Students usually work in teams of three: an electrical engineer, a mechanical engineer, and a computer scientist. Groups are typically self-formed except for the first lab. This course will also expose students to some of the contemporary happenings in robotics, including current robotics research, applications, and robot contests. Labs will primarily be implemented with MotorGo Plink and LEGO Mindstorm kit.

Prerequisites: 15-112 (min C)

Offered: Spring 2027, Spring 2026

Courseweave needs JavaScript to show sections, workloads and planning tools.