CS 154 Syllabus, Spring 2000

Computer Science 154
Robotics
Overview/Syllabus, Fall 2000

General Information

Instructor: Zachary Dodds
Office: Olin 1265
Phone: x78990 (909-607-8990)
E-mail: dodds@cs.hmc.edu
Official Office Hours: WTh 2:30-4
Real Office Hours: Anytime

Class Time and Place:

Tue and Thu 1:15-2:30 PM, Jacobs B134

Course Homepage: http://www.cs.hmc.edu/courses/2001/spring/cs154/index.html

Is This Course for You?

Yes! To handle the programming components of the course, CS70 and CS110 would be helpful (C++ & systems); even more important is the ability to learn new APIs quickly, since we will be using several. The underlying theory will use linear algebra, differential equations, and probability theory.

What Is This Course About?

The goal is to provide a hands-on introduction to robotics. Robotics is the study of computational interaction with the environment, and this course looks at the locomotion (motors), sensing (vision, sonar, IR, ...), and reasoning (system architecture and planning) that defines that interaction. We will look at some of the theoretical tools and algoithms that support robotics, e.g., control, kinematic modeling, configuration space, and sensor fusion. The lab component of the course is an opportunity to apply those tools to a number of different robotic systems, both real and in simulation.

Text

Computational Principles of Mobile Robotics by Dudek and Jenkin. This is a very nice (and very new) overview of the field from a CS point of view. It's available for $29.95 (in paperback) at Amazon.com here.
There also are (or will be) be a number of papers linked on the assignment page (below) to supplement the text.

Assignments and Grades

Collaboration Policy - Honor Code

All conduct in this course should be conducted in accordance with the Harvey Mudd Honor Code. In particular, the projects in CS154 offer the opportunity to work with one or two other students. It is important that that work truly be a product of all of those participants. Also, while discussion about problems or projects is welcome outside of a lab group, you may not share (give or receive) work with other groups or others outside the class. Of course, you may use the assistance of the instructor and grader/tutors (if there are any).

If you have any doubts about whether a form of interaction constitutes a violation of this standard, it is incumbent upon you to ask the instructor prior to the issue.

Computer Science 154 Robotics Overview/Syllabus, Fall 2000