CS 490   Special Projects in Computer Science:  REAL-TIME ROBOTICS

Winter 2002,  Instructor: Jeffrey Horn
 

CLASS ANNOUNCEMENTS (Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2002)

• General Announcements (for all students)
• What IS New:
  • Welcome to CS 490!  The main news this first week is that I am gone all week to a conference, so you are "on your own"!  (not entirely).  Here's the deal:
    1. Veterans, like Keith, etc. are "in charge".  That is, it is their responsibility to make sure everybody gets access to the equipment, nothing gets lost or broken, etc.
    2. I will be back next Monday, the 21st and so will be in our class next Tuesday.
    3. In the meantime, I want you folks to do your best to get us started.  This is not like a regular course.  We are completely project-oriented, and this time I want to have the time, expertise, and experience to get some pretty amazing robots working really well.
    4. So, we can't blow off this week.  Here's what we'll do.
    5. Today, Tuesday, start off with some of the movies.  I know you didn't come here to watch Battlebots for hours, BUT I have picked out just two that I think are worth watching.  They are in the bottom of the CS 490 cabinet.
       1. Someone, maybe a vet robotics student, go DW in the dept. office and get the cabinet key.  
       2. Get the two tapes out from the bottom of the cabinet, along with the VCR and hook it all up to the projector.  It should work!  (try adjusting tracking on the remote control for the projector)
       3. Watch the short one first (the promo for the Cognachrome vision system; its pretty cool)
       4. Then put in the longer tape, a Sci. American Frontiers episode. This is an hour and although it is a very good one, some of you might have seen it before, etc.  SO while it is playing, you can start the MINI-PROJECTS (below)!  Continue with these on Thursday.
    6. MINI-PROJECTS:
       1. I have a lot of ideas for some meaty projects this semester, as I've discussed with some of you.  We'll discuss them next week when I'm back.  Meantime...
       2. Use this week to pursue some of the possibilities, while aslo "warming up" for some serious brainstorming.
       3. I have picked FOUR projects, and arbitrarily divided everyone up below.  Get as far as you can with each of them.  The equipment is clearly labeled by project in the CS 490 cabinet.  
       4. PROJECTS:  click here.
    7. THE ROBOT LAB:  You might need more equipment from the robot lab opposite my office.  Keith has a key.  Make him open it up (and lock it too Keith!)  Use the cart in there to get stuff back and forth to 1207.  I know the lab is a mess; hey, I got busy!  I'll clean it up when I get back.  Just don't make it worse!
    8. THE BIG LAB:  Don't let CS 302 take over!  We'll claim the front part of the room (along the wall with the hallway).  Move some empty tables over there and push them together.  I want to have plenty of work space.  We'll have to lock up the expensive stuff each day 'though.  I'll move the "computer Museum" when I get back!
• What Was New

Not so New (Older Announcements):

Syllabus (tentative)