16 412J Cognitive Robotics Spring 2016

Traditional robotics focuses on execution, but modern autonomous systems require the ability to think, plan, and adapt to unpredictable real-world environments. This course introduces you to the core principles of cognitive robotics, bridging the gap between basic programming and intelligent decision-making. You will transition from writing rigid, step-by-step code to designing autonomous agents capable of high-level reasoning. Through clear, text-based explanations and conceptual walkthroughs, you will understand how robots monitor their own health, schedule complex tasks, and collaborate safely with other machines. What you'll learn: Understand the foundational concepts of cognitive architectures and autonomous decision-making; Apply state estimation and self-monitoring techniques to help robots detect and diagnose hidden system failures; Plan complex sequences of actions using automated task planning and temporal scheduling algorithms; Manage risk and uncertainty in continuous, unpredictable physical environments; Coordinate multi-agent systems for seamless collaboration between autonomous robots; Explore modern paradigm shifts in robotic middleware and probabilistic reasoning for robust autonomy. The course begins with foundational definitions of cognitive control loops before incrementally introducing advanced reasoning models. You will explore how these concepts integrate into modern robotic architectures through structured text explanations and theoretical exercises. This text-only course is designed for aspiring roboticists, software developers, and engineering students who want a conceptual foundation in autonomous decision-making. No prior background in robotics is required, though a basic understanding of programming logic is helpful. Start your journey into the world of intelligent, self-directed machines today.