Use of 360 LIDAR and the ROS Operating System in a Robotics Laboratory Setting

Providing students with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills is desired but often limited within a single Robotics course. In addition, some advanced algorithms (such as SLAM - simultaneous location and mapping) might not fit within the contents of an entry level course however the topics can still provide great teaching value in terms of engagement and interest. The question becomes how to incorporate difficult topics without overwhelming students. The goal of this project is to design and develop a modular framework for using the Robotic Operating System (ROS) and a 360 LIDAR for teaching robotic localization within the computer science curriculum.