Course offerings

Semester: Winter Term 2024/25

Credits: 6 ECTS

Lecturer: Univ. Prof. C. David Remy

Assistant: Iskandar Khemakhem

Language: English

Time and place: 

• • Tuesday: 11:30–13:00, V9.31
  • Thursday: 14:00–15:30, V7.32

Exam: 30 minutes oral exam, 6 pages (3 sheets, A4) notes.

Content: This course covers the description of kinematics and dynamics of multibody systems as they are typical for applications in robotics, mechatronics, and biomechanics.
The course provides the theoretical background to describe such systems in a precise mathematical way, while it also pays attention to an intuitive physical understanding of the underlying dynamics. It discusses the tools and methods necessary to create the governing differential equations analytically and it covers a range of computational algorithms that do so in a numerically efficient way. Special attention is paid to the handling of closed loops, collisions, and varying structure.
As part of the exercises accompanying this course, the students will implement their own multibody dynamics engine in MATLAB, using advanced programming techniques that include recursive formulations and object oriented programming. The gained knowledge will enable a creative approach to the design and control of robotic systems. It will enable the students to debug their own solutions more intuitively and understand what is going on when using off-the-shelf software for design or analysis.

Semester: Summer Term 2025

Credits: 6 ECTS 

Lecturer: Univ. Prof. C. David Remy

Assistant: Iskandar Khemakhem

Language: English

Time and place: 

• • Tuesday: 11:30–13:00, V9.31
  • Thursday: 11:30–13:00, V47.06

Exam: 30 minutes oral exam, closed book.

Content: The overarching goal of this class is to provide students with an overview of the current state of the art in the field of dynamics and control of legged (robotic) systems.  Subtopics range from basic biomechanics and locomotion in nature to optimal control of robotic systems.  To this end, the course will apply the principles of mechanical dynamics to a specific class of systems and will hence cover a broad range of dynamics topics, including multibody-dynamics, non-smooth dynamics, nonlinear-dynamics, limit cycles, continuation, and bifurcation, as well as a range of different control strategies. For students, this will provide a unique opportunity to experience how their theoretical dynamics knowledge can be put into practice.  A series of hands-on programming exercises and a robotic locomotion competition will round off the class content.

Semester: Summer Term 2025

Credits: 6 ECTS 

Lecturer: Jun.-Prof. Philipp Rothemund

Language: English

Time and place: 

• • Tuesday 9:45-11:15, V9.12
  • Friday 9:45-11:15, V9.22

Exam: 45 minutes oral exam, closed book

Content:  This course introduces participants to the fundamental working principles of soft robotic devices, including soft actuators, sensors, and generators. 
Students will learn the underlying physics of the most important types of soft transducers and basic techniques for modeling their behavior. The class also discusses the advantages and disadvantages of different soft transducer technologies, so participants learn the opportunities and limitations of soft robotics in practical applications.