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91.450 Robotics I Fall 2005
Contact
Prof. Fred G. Martin
http://www.cs.uml.edu/~fredm/
fred_martin@uml.edu
Olsen 208 (office) x1964
Olsen 306 (lab) x2705
Schedule
Monday, 1:30 3:30 pm, OS 306 (lab)
Friday, 1:30 2:20 pm, OS 415 (lecture)
Office Hours
Monday 4:30 5:30 pm, OS 306 (Martin)
Wednesday 11:30 12:30 pm, OS 208 or OS 415(Martin)
Thursday 3:00 4:00 pm, OS 208 (Martin)
Web Site
http://www.cs.uml.edu/~fredm/courses/91.450/
Discussion Board
The class will use the ikonboard system for web-based
threaded discussions of lectures, assignments, and other
course-related material. All students are expected to create an
account for themselves on the discussion board, and use it when
appropriate. Before sending me a private email, please consider
posting your question to the discussion board. Look for the link to
the course board at the top of any course web page, in the pink
resources menu.
Text
We will use two textbooks, Robotic Explorations: A Hands-On
Introduction to Engineering, (C) 2001 by Fred G. Martin, ISBN
0130895687, Prentice-Hall, and Behavior-Based Robotics, 3rd
edition, (C)
2000 by Ronald C. Arkin, ISBN 0-262-01165-4, MIT Press.
(Click on each books cover image to go to its respective web site.)
Course Description
We will learn about mobile robots by building them. The course will
make use of the LEGO Technics (R) construction system and the Handy Board robotics controller.
In a series of labs, you will build and program a mobile robot. In
the middle portion of the semester, a competitive robot contest event
will be run. In the latter portion of the semester, students will
design and implement a robotic system of their own conception.
Midway through the semester, we will receive a new controller board
design based on the Analog Devices BlackFin 537 processor. This is a
32-bit, 600 MHz DSP processor. The boards will include 64 MB of flash
and 64 MB of RAM and will be capable of running ucLinux. They
will work with Analog's Visual DSP++ Studio, and National Instrument's
LabVIEW Embedded programming environments. Also, there will be an
inexpensive CMOS camera matched with the board, and we will have the
opportunity to write vision processing code.
Invention Database
Throughout the semester, we will participate in a beta-test of the
web-based Invention Database. The site is a community-built
database of resource for inventors in general and roboticists in
particular. The system is based on a thesis project of Michael
Rosenblatt, who recently graduated from the MIT Media Lab, and will
become a product of his startup, invention atelier.
The Invention Database URL is http://www.inventiondb.com. Each
class member will receive a personal login on the system. As part of
lab write-up and project documentation activities, directions will be
given for creating entries (known as cubes) on the system.
Project Sequence
This course together with Robotics II in the spring is a project sequence.
Syllabus
Most work will be done in labs, which are due weekly. Here is the
sequence of topics and projects:
- Lab 1: Introduction to the Handy Board. This
lab will introduce work with the Handy Board, a Motorola 68HC11-based
robotics controller that runs Interactive C. Also, in this lab you
will build the first robot for class use, called the
HandyBug.
- Lab 2: Introduction to Robot Programming. In this lab,
we will program the Handy Bug to avoid obstacles by backing up and
turning when one of the bump sensors is hit. Then we will modify the
Handy Bug to include a light sensor so that it can follow a black
line.
- Lab 3: Braitenberg Vehicles, Emergence, Meta-Sensing and
Randomness. In this lab, we will learn about Valentino
Braitenberg's ideas of evolving robots with wired programs, and other
topics in biologically-inspired robot control.
- Lab 4: Wall-Following. In this lab, we will use a
distance sensor and build a closed-loop feedback control to track the
wall.
- Lab 5: Shaft Encoders and Gears. In this lab, we will
continue the study of closed-loop control by employing shaft
encoders. Also, we will focus on geartrain design and performance
evaluation.
- Lab 6: Sonar Sensor and Servo Motors. In this lab,
we will use the sonar sensor and a servo motor to create a robot that
drives towards open space.
- Robot Contest: Egg Hunt. We will run a robot contest
based on Rich Drushel's Egg Hunt design (see the CWRU LEGO 375/475 course
web site). We will have a mock contest in lab and
then a public contest.
- Student Projects. The last portion of the course is
for open robotic project designs. These do not have to be mobile
robots any sort of project that involves sensing, control, and
action is welcome. I am particularly interested in projects that
directly involve human interaction with robotic system.
Exams
Midterm: Fri, Oct 14, in class
Grading
Homework and Labs 25%
Midterm Exam 25%
Contest and Writeup 25%
Final Project and Writeup 25%
Collaboration Policy
Labs will be done in groups of two students each. You may choose your
own partners, but I reserve the right to regroup people as the term
progresses. For the labs, I expect that each person will do his or her
own equal share of the work. To learn, you must actually build and
program the robots not watch another person do it.
Homework assignments should be written up by yourself. You may discuss
the questions with your classmates, but you must write them up
individually.
Exams are also to be an individual proposition.
Robots
Students will work in pairs with with robot building kits provided in
lab. All robot work will be done in lab; the robot kits are not to
leave campus.
Lab
The lab is in Olsen 306. The door has an ID lock, so you will have 24
hour access to the lab via your UML ID. You must enter with your
ID.
Each group will have their own workbench with a computer for
building and programming their robots. This area will occasionally be
shared with other people, so it is important to keep your workspace
and the lab neat.
Food policy food is permitted with the condition that
all food must be cleaned up immediately at end of the work session
in which it was consumed. Only bottled drinks with caps are
permittedno cans of soda. Violations will result in loss of
food privileges. We have rodents in this building, so I have little
tolerance for food mess.
Last modified:
Wednesday, 14-Sep-2005 12:47:30 EDT
by
fred_martin@uml.edu
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