Tentative Schedule

(subject to change).

DateAssignmentTopicSuggested Reading
Module 1: Foundations
Tue 1/20/2026HW0, intro survey outWhat is an optimization problem? Costs, constraints, dynamics [slides]
Thu 1/22/2026Dynamics: Manipulator equations, integration [board] [code]PoRA Ch. 1
Tue 1/27/2026Jacobians, linearization, and automatic differentiation [board] [code]NO Ch. 8, Autodiff with Jax
Thu 1/29/2026HW1 out, intro survey dueSE(3): Representing and perturbing orientations [board] [code]Micro Lie Theory, MR Ch. 3, SER Ch. 7
Tue 2/3/2026Gradients and linearization on SO(3) [board]Micro Lie Theory, MR Ch. 3, SER Ch. 7
Module 2: Numerical Methods
Thu 2/5/2026Unconstrained optimization: first- and second-order methods [board] [code]NO Chs. 2, 4, AfO Chs. 5-6
Tue 2/10/2026Nonlinear least-squares, Gauss-Newton, IK case study [board] [code]NO Ch. 10
Thu 2/12/2026HW1 due, HW2 outIntroduction to constrained optimization, reparameterization [board] [code]AfO Ch. 10, NO Ch. 12
Tue 2/17/2026February break, no classes
Thu 2/19/2026Project proposal dueKKT Conditions and Lagrangians [board]AfO Ch. 10, NO Ch. 12
Tue 2/24/2026Penalty methods and Augmented Lagrangian [board]AfO Ch. 10, NO Ch. 17
Thu 2/26/2026Convexity, Quadratic Programs (QPs), Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) [board]AfO Chs. 13-14, NO Chs. 16, 18
Tue 3/3/2026Zero-order methods: sampling-based methods, evolutionary algorithms [board] [code]AfO Chs. 8-9
Module 3: Trajectory Optimization
Thu 3/5/2026HW2 dueOptimal control overview, Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) [board]PoRA Ch. 3 UR Ch. 10
Tue 3/10/2026HW3, midterm survey outDynamic programming (LQR revisited) [board]PoRA Ch. 3 UR Ch. 10
Thu 3/12/2026Nonlinear trajectory optimization: iLQR/SCP [board]ALTRO GuSTO
Tue 3/17/2026Midterm survey dueModel-predictive control: SCP and sampling-based methods [board]MPPI DIAL
Thu 3/19/2026Project milestone dueSampling-based MPC continued (MPPI, CEM, DIAL), legged locomotion case study [board]MPPI DIAL
Module 4: Measurement Uncertainty and State Estimation
Tue 3/24/2026The dual problem: MAP inference and least squares [board] [code]SER Ch. 3
Thu 3/26/2026HW3 due, HW4 out(Extended) Kalman filtering as Gauss-Newton [board] [code]SER Ch. 4
Tue 3/31/2026Spring break, no classes
Thu 4/2/2026Spring break, no classes
Tue 4/7/2026Factor graphs and sparse least squaresFactor Graphs for Robot Perception pgs. 22-46
Thu 4/9/2026Applications: SLAM, bundle adjustmentFactor Graphs for Robot Perception pgs. 82-112
Module 5: Dynamics Uncertainty and Robustness
Tue 4/14/2026System identification: Estimating model parameters
Thu 4/16/2026HW4 dueSystem ID continued: Residual physics and model-based RL
Tue 4/21/2026Safety filters: Control Barrier Functions (CBFs) and shielding
Thu 4/23/2026Sim-to-real: Domain randomization as robust optimization
Tue 4/28/2026Project workshop
Thu 4/30/2026Guest lecture: Prof. Abhishek Cauligi, Johns Hopkins
Tue 5/5/2026Project video, reports due*Course summary and final project videos
* Project reports are due during the final exam slot (TBA). Project videos are due Monday, May 4, 11:59 PM ET.