Computer Science 154
Robotics, Spring 2009
Assignments/Projects
There are two main components to the coursework in CS 154:
two large robot "lab projects" and several
short assignments with written and/or programming
questions.
Assignments
Lab Project Possibilities
I would encourage everyone to form teams of about 3 people - you're welcome to propose a semester long
project, or to try something out for the first half of the term and then switch (teams and/or projects)
after spring break.
Here is a summary of the options presented in the first lecture's slides. They're organized first by
platform, and then by possible tasks to pursue with that platform. Do keep in mind that these can be
for mixing/matching, for inspiration for a completely different project, or can be taken as they stand.
- Default Tasks
The default platform is the iRobot Create, although any of the prebuilt platforms will
work -- as long as they have a laptop (on or offboard), a camera, a bump sensor,
and a range sensor. The Create is a very flexible, if slightly small, robot. The default tasks
ask you to create a silicon Mudder, that is, a robot that can navigate intelligently among the
halls of the libra complex (or another similar environment).
Those tasks will guide you through building some basic capabilities during the first half of the term:
- Getting started with the software
- Wandering, sensing, and state-machine control
- Localization: finding oneself on a map, even with noisy sensors
- Mapping: creating a map, even with noisy sensors
This could provide a foundation for additional projects in the second half of the term.
- Other Create/Roomba projects
- using the vacuum - Roomba Pac-Man
- building your own iRobot ConnectR -
telepresent robot
- multiple-robot cooperation or competition -- we have lots of roombas!)
- gaming with (probably not against) robots...
- iRobot's hamsterbot (cool!)
- delivery-bot, perhaps anywhere within the libra complex passages
- unusual mapping algorithms: for example, using the WiFi signal strength
- The IJCAI student robotics challenge:
competition in Pasadena this summer
- The Lego NXT (we have two of these)
- spatial reasoning labs, a.k.a. the silicon Mudder I'd love to be part of the first mapping algorithms implemented on a Lego robot
- The IJCAI student robotics challenge:
competition in Pasadena this summer
- tag, hide-and-seek, competitetive games
- fire extinguishing in a maze (or, at least, candle-extinguishing)
- if it can be done at all, it can be done with Lego! Prove this statement true.
- The Chiaras
- this is perhaps not a cute platform, but rather a fairly formidable-looking one.
You can check out a video from last summer at this YouTube link
- This robot would not only support the spatial reasoning tasks (the default), but would
be an excellent platform for
the The IJCAI student robotics challenge
competition in Pasadena this summer
-
It offers as much more more manipulation capability as the other platforms --
as a result, it could undertake clean-up or construction tasks.
- The Scribbler/Fluke combination
- this is a cute
platform, more for tabletops than human-scale environments,
but it would certainly support the default silicon Mudder spatial-reasoning tasks
- these could also be used for investigating multi-robot coordination algorithms
- they could create a multi-robot entry to the The IJCAI student robotics challenge:
competition in Pasadena this summer
- Sony's AIBO dog
- spatial reasoning labs, a.k.a. the silicon Mudder (again, the default)
- a robot soccer player
- teach our dog new tricks -- machine learning / neural nets applications
- The Evolution ER1
- PowerWheels Robots - Mudd's got to have the first BarbieJeep tour guide!
- spatial reasoning labs, a.k.a. the silicon Mudder -- but in this case,
the spatial reasoning would be done outside, rather than in the halls
- the Mini Grand
Challenge, a.k.a. the Urban Challenge for Barbie Jeeps
- the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition
- a campus-wide tour guide
- other outdoor-robot fun :-)
- Competitions / Simulators / Other ideas...
- a robot that plays a game on the Wii - updating the DuckHunt robot for '09
This would probably involve creating a small robot arm and mounting a Wiimote to it.
- even more recursive: a robot that controls another robot with a Wiimote !
- The
Imagine Cup, an IT competition for individuals (teaming is not permitted).
- Microsoft's
RoboChapmps competition
- The BattleCode competition hosted by
MIT is certainly a possibility This involves simulated agents, but ones that
reason spatially and act entirely autonomously -- and can coordinate their
actions, as well. HMC is one of the "select" schools invited to participate.
- a robotic tie-in to an existing project you might be working on
- design/build/program your own, but I have found that one term is really not enough time
to build off-the-ground platforms (such as aerial or underwater robots) -- and then undertake
algorithmic or computational experiements with them. If those are your passion,
let's talk!
Course Grading
Each assignment is graded based on its particular tasks and normalized out
of 100 points. However, the overall assignment of grades follows the
customary, general headings as follows:
- A (90-100) for outstanding work
- B (80-90) for solid work
- C (65-80) for dialed-in work
- D (50-65) what happened?
- F you didn't show up
with shades of distinction indicated by the usual pluses and minuses.
The weight that the assignments and projects contribute to
a final grade breaks down as follows:
- Assignment 0 and participation: 10% of the total
- Five assignments, about every two weeks: 50% of the total
- Lab/Final Project(s): 40% of the total