The field of robotics integrates sensing, information processing, and movement to accomplish specific tasks in the physical world. As such, it encompasses several topics, including mechanics and dynamics, kinematics, sensing, signal processing, control systems, planning, and artificial intelligence. Applications of these concepts appear in many areas including medicine, manufacturing, space exploration, disaster recovery, ordinance disposal, deep-sea navigation, home care, and home automation.
The faculty of the Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics (LCSR), in collaboration with the academic departments and centers of the Whiting School of Engineering, offers a robotics minor in order to provide a structure in which undergraduate students at Johns Hopkins University can advance their knowledge in robotics while receiving recognition on their transcript for this pursuit. The minor is not "owned" by any one department, but rather it is managed by the LCSR itself. Any student from any department within the university can work toward the minor.
Robotics is fundamentally integrative and multidisciplinary. Therefore, any candidate for the robotics minor must develop a set of core skills that cut across these disciplines, as well as obtain advanced supplementary skills.
Please visit https://lcsr.jhu.edu/robotics-minor/ for current course listings and full minor policies.
Core Skills Include the Following
- Robot kinematics and dynamics (R)
- Systems theory, signal processing and control (S)
- Computation and sensing (C)
Supplementary advanced skills may be obtained in specialized applications, such as space, medicine, or marine systems; or in one of the three core areas listed above.
The full minor course listing, provided below and available at https://lcsr.jhu.edu/robotics-minor/, specifies which courses fulfill these requirements. Please always check the website for the most up-to-date listing of courses. Note that all core areas must be covered, but that any advanced/supplementary courses can be chosen from the list. This allows students to strike a balance between breadth and depth.
Advising
- Students who decide to pursue the minor should first fill out a course plan for the Robotics minor, using the checkout form found here: https://lcsr.jhu.edu/robotics-minor/. This form should be sent to Alison Morrow ([email protected]) for review.
- Then, students who decide to pursue the minor should complete the "Request a New major/Minor" form, which can be initiated in SIS Self-Service under the Online Forms screen. Students will be assigned a minor advisor during this process.
- Complete the Requirements Checkout tables in the Check Out sheet, downloadable from https://lcsr.jhu.edu/robotics-minor/. Students should meet with their minor advisor periodically (at least once per year), bringing a copy of this form for review.
- During senior year, students must also note the Robotics Minor on their Application for Graduation.
- When all requirements have been completed, take the completed form to Alison Morrow for review and signature.
- If you have any questions about the minor, please contact Alison Morrow ([email protected]).
The minor is managed by the faculty of the LCSR in collaboration with academic departments and centers of the Whiting School of Engineering. If you have suggestions/questions regarding the minor, please direct them to Professor Louis Whitcomb at [email protected].