EGH446 Autonomous Systems

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Gardens Point, Internal

Overview

Automation engineers play a key role in building practical control systems and designing navigation approaches for autonomous vehicles. This advanced unit will present the principles of operation of modern sensors necessary for robust navigation. This unit provides the required knowledge to develop state of the art navigation approaches in complex environments. Navigation is a fundamental building block for all aspects of autonomous systems. You will draw upon previous studies in mathematics and control systems, knowledge that underpins navigation systems.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Describe the algorithms that are required for localisation and multisensory navigation of autonomous vehicles at a mastered level.
2. Critically evaluate various guidance, path planning and route planning approaches for motion control of an autonomous vehicle at a mastered level.
3. Collaborate in a group to solve challenging problems by designing practical control systems for autonomous vehicles, at a mastered level.
4. Explain the principles of optimisation approaches and reinforcement learning for application to autonomous vehicles at a developed level.

Content

Learning Approaches

In this unit you can expect to experience the following timetabled activities:

• Formal lectures from researchers with ample experience in designing practical control, navigation, guidance and perception approaches for autonomous air, land and water vehicles.
• Tutorials will involve individual questioning as well as group work and student-centred learning, with feedback coming from the whole group as well as individuals.

These activities will be detailed by week of semester on the unit schedule. You can also expect to be provided with learning resources including video presentations and readings on the unit LMS site, which you can access flexibly to complete your learning in this unit.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Formative feedback will occur through verbal tutor and peer group interactions throughout the semester. Written and verbal feedback will be provided for assignments and tutorial work.

Assessment

Overview

Assessment includes two assignments and a final exam. The assignments will be based on small technical tasks that are supported by the tutorial sessions. In addition, a final exam will also be conducted.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Project Part A

This assessment involves the design, evaluation and submission of a subsystem part of the overall project. This is subsystem A part of your autonomous system. The group component consists of the software implementation (20%) and the individual component consists of each team member's report (10%).

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Project Part B

This assessment involves design, evaluation and submission of a subsystem part of your project. This is subsystem B part of your autonomous system.

Assessment: Examination (written)

Examination is a mixture of re-call of facts, problem solving using some of the techniques learnt in the class and analysis of these techniques under given circumstances.

“On Campus invigilated Exam. If campus access is restricted at the time of the central examination period/due date, an alternative, which may be a timed online assessment, will be offered. Individual students whose circumstances prevent their attendance on campus will be provided with an alternative assessment approach.”

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Reference book(s)

George A. Bekey. Autonomous Robots From Biological Inspiration to Implementation and
Control. 2005, The MIT Press.

Peter Corke. Robotics, Vision and Control. Fundamental Algorithms in MATLAB®. 2011,
Springer.

Richard Sutton, Andrew Barto. Reinforcement learning: an introduction. 1998, Cambridge,
Mass. : MIT Press.

Robert Brown, Patrick Hwang. Introduction to Random Signals and Applied Kalman Filtering
with Matlab Exercises. 1996, O’Reilly Media.

Roland Siegwart, Illah R. Nourbakhsh, Davide Scaramuzza. Introduction to Autonomous
Mobile Robots. 2nd Ed. 2011, MIT Press.

Steven M. LaValle. Title: Path Planning Algorithms. 2006, Cambridge University Press.

Software

MATLAB and associated toolboxes

Other

Various references will be advised during lectures. Additional material will be made available
through the unit's LMS site.

Risk Assessment Statement

In this unit you will undertake lectures in the classrooms and lecture theatres. As such, there are no extraordinary workplace health and safety issues associated with these components of the unit. The unit will require you to work in the software laboratories at QUT and you will be required to perform the safety inductions for these laboratories. You are also to be aware of the Health and Safety protocols associated with software laboratory work.

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineer

1: Knowledge and Skill Base

1. 
   Relates to: Project Part B, Examination (written)
2. 
   Relates to: Project Part A, Examination (written)
3. 
   Relates to: Project Part B, Examination (written)
4. 
   Relates to: Project Part A, Examination (written)
5. 
   Relates to: Project Part A

2: Engineering Application Ability

1. 
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B, Examination (written)
2. 
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B, Examination (written)
3. 
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B

3: Professional and Personal Attributes

1. 
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B
2. 
   Relates to: Examination (written)
3. 
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B
4. 
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B

Course Learning Outcomes

EN01 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

1. Display leadership, creativity, and initiative in both self-directed and collaborative contexts of professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B, Examination (written)
2. Manage projects to solve complex engineering problems, using appropriate information, engineering methods, and technologies.
   Relates to: Project Part B, Examination (written)
3. Deploy appropriate approaches to engineering design and quality.
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B, Examination (written)
4. Demonstrate coherent knowledge and skills of physical, mathematical, statistical, computer, and information sciences that are fundamental to professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B, Examination (written)
5. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of one engineering discipline, its research directions, and its application in contemporary professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B, Examination (written)

EN55 Master of Professional Engineering

1. Apply advanced and specialist knowledge, concepts and practices in engineering design, analysis management and sustainability.
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B, Examination (written)
2. Critically analyse and evaluate complex engineering problems to achieve research informed solutions.
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B, Examination (written)
3. Communicate complex information effectively and succinctly, presenting high level reports, arguments and justifications in oral, written and visual forms to professional and non specialist audiences.
   Relates to: Project Part B
4. Organise and manage time, tasks and projects independently, and collaboratively demonstrating the values and principles that shape engineering decision making and professional accountability.
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B

EN60 Graduate Certificate in Communication for Engineering

1. Demonstrate and apply specialised knowledge and technical skills in at least one Engineering discipline.
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B, Examination (written)
2. Critically investigate real world engineering issues and solve complex problems drawing on specialised creative skills, analysis, evaluation and synthesis of discipline knowledge, theory and practice.
   Relates to: Project Part B, Examination (written)
3. Employ effective written and oral professional communication skills across social, cultural and discipline domains.
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B
4. Exercise responsibility and accountability in applying knowledge and skills for own learning and effective practice including working independently, ethically and collaboratively.
   Relates to: Project Part B

EV01 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

1. Display leadership, creativity, and initiative in both self-directed and collaborative contexts of professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B, Examination (written)
2. Manage projects to solve complex engineering problems, using appropriate information, engineering methods, and technologies.
   Relates to: Project Part B, Examination (written)
3. Deploy appropriate approaches to engineering design and quality.
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B, Examination (written)
4. Demonstrate coherent knowledge and skills of physical, mathematical, statistical, computer, and information sciences that are fundamental to professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B, Examination (written)
5. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of one engineering discipline, its research directions, and its application in contemporary professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Project Part A, Project Part B, Examination (written)