Description: Robots have fascinated people for generations. Today, robots are built for applications as diverse as exploring remote planets, de-mining war zones, cleaning toxic waste, assembling cars, inspecting pipes in industrial plants and mowing lawns. Robots are also interacting with humans in a variety of ways: robots are museum guides, robots assist surgeon sin life threatening operations, and robotic cars can drive us around. The field of robotics studies not only the design of new mechanisms but also the development of artificial intelligence frameworks to make these mechanism useful in the physical world, integrating computer science, engineering, mathematics and more recently biology and sociology, in a unique way. This class will present fundamental algorithmic advances that enable today’s robots to move in real environments and plan their actions. It will also explore fundamentals of the field of Artificial Intelligence through the prism of robotics. The class involves a significant programming project. Cross-list: COMP 450, ELEC 450, MECH 450, ELEC 550, MECH 550. Mutually Exclusive: Cannot register for COMP 550 if student has credit for COMP 450.