CS 490   Special Projects in Computer Science:  MOBILE ROBOTS

Winter 2001,  Instructor: Jeffrey Horn
 

ANNOUNCEMENTS (Tueday, April 10, 2001)

• Check on GRADES on WebCT.
• Here is EXAM I.
• IF YOU PICK UP ANY NEW SHIPMENTS FROM DW,  BE SURE TO LEAVE HER ANY PACKING SLIPS OR INVOICE YOU FIND IN OR ON THE PACKAGE!  (and check the contents against the packing slip/invoice while you're at it!)
• While the cat's away...  Yes I WILL be gone to Switzerland (EMO Conference) rest of this week BUT I will only miss Thursday March 9th with you guys.
• So here are your marching orders while I am gone (and you are *gasp* unsupervised, or rather self-supervised):
1. Everybondy has an assignment, due TUESDAY, MARCH 14th, the day I  return.  See SWISS ASSIGNMENT below for your specific task.  This I will grade!
2. ROBOT RAMBLE is coming up on Sat. March 17, and I need volunteers!  This counts toward your community service portion of your grade (see matrix below), so consider signing up.  Here are the details:
1. national web site
2. TIME:  1:30-3:30pm  3/17/01
3. PLACE:  NSF atrium area, top floor

 
3. CELEBRATION OF STUDENT RESEARCH AND CREATIVE WORKS
• This is a high visibility annual event, a great resume item too!  Also counts as "community service" below.
• Hardcopy applications are sitting on table in 1207.  Due date extended for us until next week when I get back.  All we need is a short (200 words) abstract.
• Then on April 12, we give a "performance" (demo) or a 10 minute oral discussion, or a poster display.
• This would be a GREAT thing to do, if only because it gives a real deadline to drive for!
• I would like to see the car there, and maybe the rovers with interesting new behaviors, and anything else you can think of that you can do by April 12th!

Not so New (Older Announcements):

KALEIDESCOPE:  OK, I've got down Carlo, Brandon and Mike Oman (anyone else, just show up for credit!)

DETAILS:  Saturday, Feb. 17th from 12 to 4pm, Superior Dome.

Anyone who can come early enough, meet me in the lab (1207) at 11:30 or so.  Plan to leave here at 11:45 with the TriloBot and AmigoBot and all of their accessories!

Actual set up times I've been told are 6pm - 8pm Firday and 10am -12pm Sat.

Admission is $2 but see if you can get in just by telling them you're with the NMU robots or whatever.  Worse comes to worse, I'll reimburse you!

I can stay until 2:00 or so.  Someone needs to stay until 4pm, or...let me put it this way:  last person take the 'bots with you!  (and bring 'em back Monday!)  I might be able to come back and pick them up at 4:00 or later.  Will let you know tomorrow!

Paul Olson from LCPA and Betty Grund from Aspen Ridge schools should be there earlier (11am?) with LEGO Mindstorms.  We should meet with them, set up next to them, and talk robots!

First phase of this class is over.  Phase I was to familiarize ourselves with our new equipment and see what it can do.

Now it is time to pick our goals, make our plans, and set some deadlines.

We'll start today!

Friday, Feb. 9, 2001, at 2:00pm in Jamrich 218, we have a guest speaker giveing a seminar on "FUZZY LOGIC AND INTELLIGENT AGENTS".  This applies to robotics.  I will take attendance, which will count towards your "participation" grade component (I am still working on the grading criteria for this course, but participation is one of them!).  If you also later email me a paragraph or two about how fuzzy logic might be useful in programming robot behavior, then this will count toward other grade components (e.g., initiative, creativity).  I realize some of us have conflicts.  It is not necessary to attend.  This is just another opportunity to earn points in this class.

 

MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY
8-10 am 4-10 pm*	all day	8-10 am 4-10 pm*	8-10 am 11-12 noon 4-10 pm*	8-10 am 4-10 pm*

(* dept. closes at 5pm, so there might not be access to the cabinet keys or even 1207)

• Original Course Announcement
• Syllabus

Ideas

1. Real-time Linux Demonstrators
1. Predator
2. Prey (Avoider)
3. GoalKeeper
2. Digital Braitenberg Vehicles
3. Stiquito
4. Mobile "Armed" Robot, on the web (Tony)
5. Ultra Hexapod

Platform Teams

• Trilobot
• Mike Oman
• Branden Hoiska
• Amigobot
• Mike Rolland
• Joel Sabin
• Dr. Russ
• Car
• Joe Schmeltzer
• Mike Kowalczk
• Joystick  driver
• Gordon Glass
• Jason O.
• CyberTrack II driver
• Erik
• Gordon
• Jason
• Video
• John Bolliger
• Charles Rice
• Jason O.
• Wireless Serial
• Mike K.
• Carlo Razzeto
• Truck
• Dave Newman
• Advanced Rover
• Joe Lawton
• Jeff Seger
• Jim Urbaniak
• Beacon Follower
• Jim Urbaniak

ASSIGNMENTS
 

1. COMMUNITY INTERACTION

NAME	Open House with Graveraet's Computer Class Thursday Jan. 25, 3:30-4:30pm)	Peter White Library MindStorms Challenge (Fridays, Feb.  ??-March ??)	KALEIDESCOPE Superior Dome Saturday, Feb. 17 12-4:00pm (Trilobot, AmigoBot)	ACADEMIC MAJORS FAIR Tuesday Feb. 20, 12-3:00pm Great Lakes Room	ROBOT RAMBLE (national web site) Saturday, 3/17 1:30--3:30pm NSF atrium, top floor	Celebration of Student Research and Creative Works April 12 (App.s due March 14) UC Center, 11-5pm
John Bolliger
Gordon Glas
Branden Hoiska			2
Jason H.				3
Mike K.						2
Russ L.	2
Joe Lawton						2
Eric Mitchum					2
Dave Newman					3
Jason O.
Mike Oman	2		2
Carlo R.			2
Charles Rice
Mike Roland	2	10
Joel Sabin		10
Joe Schmeltzer						1
Jeff Seger						2
Jim Urbaniak

TRILOBOT:
 

Power

decent tether!  (DONE)
Figure out what size battery to order from Digi-key.  Email me the part number!  and brief descr. (jhorn@nmu.edu)

Wireless

     Russ-(maybe with Jason H.?)  find out for "sure" (90%) that the Orinoco ( orinocowireless.com)
Ethernet and serial converter works with our Cisco (or any other vendor's) 802.11b wireless Ethernet PCMIA card.  If so, we'll order it!  And hope that Keith can get the RT linux talking to it!

AMIGOBOT
 

Whatever comes in (see if DW will release it to ya!)
Get Colbert programming working (Mike, and ???)
Find out what we need for the color system (Joel or Russ?)

CAR

Get CyberTrack control of head neck  (Gordon and Eric?)
Switch servos on head/neck  (Now or later?)
Buy steering wheel  (Eric, DONE)
Get Joystick conrol of throttle and steering  (Grodon and Jason and Joe?)

STREAMING VIDEO  (Charles and John)
 

Get MS MediaServer installed and serving to another workstation!

TRUCK  (Dave and Jason H.)
 

Get Basic X and Servo controller in control of steering and speed controller

ADVANCED ROVER
 

Get two new behaviors (or one REALLY good one).
Calder's code.

BEACON FOLLOWER (Jim U.)

Jim, see if you can get this behavior working on TRILOBOT!  (work with Mike, Branden, Jason O.)

• Grade components:
• Initiative  (e.g., go research a new product!)
• Resourcefulness  (ability to use diverse approaches_
• Participation
• Achievement (Individual)
• Learning
• Teamwork (ability to work with others)
• Project (shared among all members of project team)

• A major grade component of this class will be the FINAL presentation
• For this, everyone will have either a specific assignment/role, or share the final grade of their project team.
• The final presentation is scheduled during our regular final exam hours, which is 12 noon to 1:50pm Monday, April 23, 2001, in room NSF 1207.
• We all show up at 12 noon and start prepping our 'bots, etc.
• At 1:00pm the official show begins, and will run until 2:00 or even over, as it degenerates into an open house, interactive atmosphere.
• The public, and some press, will be there.
• Here is the official announcement.
• Here is a rough outline of the program (work in progress!)