This course aims at studying robotics and automation from the perspective of cloud computing and computer science. The topics are grouped into three main areas: the basics of programmable robots for automated tasks, principles of cloud computing technologies and robotics-related software paradigm such as the Robotics Operating System (ROS). The traditional communication and networking technologies that enable the cloud computing technologies and their adoption in industry will be introduced by studying several case studies such as Google's autonomous car driving, consumer appliances robotics such as iRobot's Roomba cleaners, Amazon's automating of mobile platforms to move goods in a warehouse using indoor positioning and navigation. We will focus on how cloud computing techniques can automate manufacturing tasks using algorithms designed based on machine learning and big data analytics.

For a student to pass the course, at least 30% of the maximum mark for the examination must be obtained.