Prerequisites: To keep the advanced (MS and PhD level) robotics students focused on the development of cutting-edge dynamics and controls concepts, Prof. Bewley has implemented a rather strict policy regarding prerequisites for the involvement of younger students in the activities of the Coordinated Robotics Lab: our lab generally does not take on new undergraduate students until they have completed dynamics (MAE130b), controls (MAE143b), and computer-aided design (MAE150), and shown an aptitude for all three of these subjects; you should specifically be quite comfortable with either Matlab/Simulink or LabVIEW, and either Solidworks or Pro/E. If you are enthusiastic about getting involved in the robotics activities of our lab, we recommend that you take all three of these classes as early as you can in your undergraduate curriculum. Do your best in all of them, as you will ultimately be putting these skills to extensive practical use in the lab. It is also important to get checked out in the MAE machine shop (that is, on the MAE laser cutter, mill, lathe, stamp, and 3D printer, or as many of these as possible) before getting started in the lab in order to be able to build your own advanced robotic designs; familiarity with fiberglass and carbon-fiber construction techniques is also valuable in some projects.
Administrative details: If you are a junior or senior at UCSD with an active interest in robotics and meet the above prerequisites, please visit Prof. Bewley during his office hours (posted on the Schedule page) in order to discuss the possibilities.
Please do not disturb the PhD students in the lab with such questions, as they are busy with research; Prof. Bewley is the point of contact to get started. When contacting Prof. Bewley, please let him know your grades in MAE130b, MAE143b, and MAE150, as well as your experience as it relates to the relevant prerequisites described above.
Course organization: Most undergraduates who get involved in the activities of the UCSD Coordinated Robotics Lab do so through MAE171a/b.
This course sequence is formally organized by a different group of professors every year. Regardless of who is formally teaching it, however,
the UCSD Coordinated Robotics Lab typically sponsors three or four projects in this course sequence. Course credit for individual projects is also available via MAE199 (undergraduate research) and MAE296 (graduate research). All undergraduate and MS-level projects are coadvised by Prof. Bewley the PhD students in the Coordinated Robotics Lab. Note that all students conducting such projects must, in addition to their projects, attend / participate in weekly lab meetings (see Schedule) and submit a comprehensive report at the end of the project.
Further opportunities: We highly recommend that students who show proficiency in advanced robotics during their senior year stay on at UCSD for their MS degree, both to take their projects to the next level, and to better prepare themselves for what comes next; please discuss your project and ideas with Prof. Bewley to explore the possibilities.
