ENGR 50 Robotics

Fall 2014

Time: Friday 4 - 6:15 pm Room: GA 103 Section: 0320 Units: 1.0

Instructor: Tom Rebold Office: BMC-202B Contact: trebold (a) mpc (.) edu 645-1327

Office Hours: M2-3, T 3-4, W12-1, W5-6, F12-1

Note: MPC Bookstore does not stock robots.

Texts: Robotics and BASIC Stamp Manual available online and in class

Materials:       A USB Drive (or other media) for shuttling programs
                        (optional) Parallax Boe-Bot Full Kit, cost $149 at www.parallax.com
                        1-888-512-1024 (We have 13 kits for the class)

Class website: http://tomrebold.com/engr50

Course description:

Building and programming a robot is a combination of mechanics, electronics, and problem solving. This class will teach you how to to write programs, build electrical circuits, control motors, and solve problems using increasing levels of abstraction. In other words, we will start at the very bottom (calibrating our servomotors), and build up through many steps the increasingly sophisticated programs and circuits that will allow our robots to take on lifelike properties.

Student Learning Outcome:

Students will be able to use sensor circuits, motors and programming to construct a working robot project.
Analyze and evaluate complex issues or problems, draw reasoned conclusions and/or generate solutions, and effectively communicate their results.

Objectives: Students will be able to

Write programs in PBASIC
Build simple electrical circuits.
Control motors
Solve problems using increasing levels of abstraction.

Schedule:

Session	Topics	Lab
8/29	Introduction	MarsRover.bs2
9/5	Lec0.ppt BASIC Electronics and Programming Walking Robot	Lab 0 (Optional DTMF and sample wav)
9/12	Lec 1.ppt Navigation I Hektor Graffiti Bot	Lab 1
9/19	Lec 2.ppt Navigation II/Whiskers Tree Climbing Robot Next week: bring flashlights!	Lab 2a Lab 2b files: testWhiskers.bs2 testWhiskersLED.bs2 RoamingWithWhiskers.bs2 EscapingCorners.bs2
9/26	Lec 3.ppt Light Seeking/Avoidance Robotic Fly Cockroach Controlled Robot Sensing Color	Lab 3 files: p4.1.bs2 Test & debug p4.2.bs2 Light Compass p4.4.bs2 Roaming toward light light_music.bs2 darkbug2.bs2 LeftDark.bs2
10/3	Lec 4.ppt IR Detectors Swimming Snake Robot	Lab 4 p5.1.bs2 p5.2.bs2 p5.3.bs2 p6.1.bs2 p6.2.bs2 p6.3.bs2 Whole Package (.zip)
10/10	Project Design IR Remote Manual Batting Robot	RemoteIRdemo.bs2
10/17	Project Construction
10/24	Project Construction
10/31	Programming
11/7	Project Testing and Debugging
11/14	Last Class Final Competition

Resources:

Media:

Class Work and Grades:

6 Labs x 10 pts (Participation)            60 points
1 Final Project                                     40 points
                                                         ------------
total                                                    100 points

Grades will be based on the following point system (out of 100 points):

            A - 90 points
            B - 80 points
            C - 70 points
            D - 60 points

The assignments will mostly be completed in the lab, with some homework as you prepare for your final project.

The final project will be to complete a task as defined by the instructor from class suggestions. Everyone will get to design their own solution. Mostly this class is about having fun studying a fascinating field.