Weekly Activities
Week 1:
Reading Assignment:
Baum’s
book (Chap. 1)
·
Introduction: Course description, course
web page exploration, software download and setup
·
Introduction to the Lego
Robotics Invention System: RCX micro-controller, sensors, IR tower, gears,
and other Kit Components (Page1, P2, P3, P4)
·
Introduction of programming software and other tools: NQC,
BricxCC, firmware, etc.
·
The RCX:
Output ports, input ports, Lego connectors, motors and sensors, downloading a
simple NQC program to configure sensors, reading the RCX display [Baum’s
book (Chap. 1); Lego Building
Tutorial (Chapter 1, pp. 1-6)]
·
Tankbot assembly (watch movie) [Baum’s
book (Chap. 5, pp. 94-98)] Construction steps: 1, 2, 3, 4.
Week 2:
Reading Assignment:
Baum’s
book (Chap. 2 and 3, pp. 35-44, 58-60)
·
Experimenting with Tankbot. Adding a light sensor to avoid obstacles.
·
RCX display control [Baum’s book (Chap. 3, pp. 58-60)]
·
Program RCX to display counts (in seconds). Download
program
Week 3:
Reading Assignment:
Baum’s
book (Chap. 3, pp. 45-57; Chap 4, pp. 66-71)
Ferrari’s
book (Chap. 1)
·
Home Work #1
to be turned in at the beging of class
·
Construction skills Part I [Baum’s book (Chap 4, pp. 66-71),
Ferrari’s book (Chap. 1)]
·
NQC programming: Control structures (NQC Tutorial, pp. 14-18)
·
Experimenting with Tankbot (continued)
Week 4:
Reading Assignment:
Baum’s
book (Chap. 4, pp. 72-79, Chap. 7)
Ferrari’s
book (Chap. 2, pp. 17-35)
·
Home Work #2
to be turned in at the beging of class
·
Construction skills Part II [Baum’s book (Chap 4, pp. 72-79),
Ferrari’s book (Chap. 2, pp.17-35)]
·
NQC programming: Tasks, functions and subroutines (NQC Tutorial, pp. 19-22)
·
Bugbot [Baum’s book (Chap. 7)] Teams take
kits home to finish assembling Bugbot.
Week 5:
Reading Assignment:
Baum’s book
(Chap 4, pp. 80-89; Chap. 7)
Ferrari’s
book (Chap. 2, pp. 36-40; Chap. 3)
·
Home Work #3
to be turned in at the beging of class
·
Bugbot [Baum’s book (Chap. 7)] Programming
and testing: tasks vs. functions (synchronous/asynchronous operation)
·
NQC programming: More about motors [NQC Tutorial (pp. 25-26); Ferrari’s
book (Chap. 3)]
·
Construction skills Part III: The Differential [Baum’s
book (Chap 4, pp. 80-89), Ferrari’s book (Chap. 2, pp. 36-40)]
Week 6:
Reading Assignment:
Baum’s
book (Chap. 2, pp. 22-30)
Ferrari’s
book (Chap. 4)]
·
Home Work #4
to be turned in at the beging of class
·
Test # 1
(Covers the material from Weeks 1-5)
·
The RCX and
advanced sensing (sensor port
circuits): Active vs. passive sensing
·
Rotation sensor, bend sensor, tilt, photocell, and other sensors [NQC Tutorial (pp. 27-30);
Ferrari’s book (Chap. 4); Baum’s book (Chap. 3, pp. 22-30)]. Table: RAW passive sensor
readings, Motor rpm/rotation sensor (NQC
program).
Week 7:
Reading Assignment:
Baum’s
book (Chapter 8)
Ferrari’s
book (Chap. 12)
·
Home Work #5
to be turned in at the beging of class
·
Bonus Mini Project Demonstrations
(brief reports/ movies should be posted on the team webpage by end of week)
Week 8:
Reading Assignment:
Ferrari’s book (Chap. 7)
·
Home Work #6 to
be turned in at the beging of class
·
BricxCC: Some Helpful Features (BricxCC Manual)
·
Work on Midterm Project
·
Midterm project presentations and demonstrations
Week 9:
Reading Assignment:
Baum’s
book (Chap. 10 & Chap. 18, pp. 306-312)
·
NO Home Work Due
this week
·
Datalogging
(graphing data using a spreadsheet) [Baum’s book (Chap. 18, pp.
306-312); NQC Tutorial (pp.
38)]
·
Example uses of repeat, for, and switch instructions: Application
to sonar sensor and dataloging [NQC Programmer’s Guide,
pp. 14-15]
·
Scanbot [Baum’s book (Chap. 10)] Teams
take kits home to assemble Scanbot.
Week 10:
Reading Assignment:
Baum’s
book (Chapters 10 & 13)
Ferrari’s book (Chapter 4, pp.75-79 & Chapter 9,
pp. 170-174)
·
Home Work #7
to be turned in at the beging of class
·
Scanbot [Baum’s book (Chap. 10)]
Programming & testing (continued). scanbot1 scanbot2 scanbot3
·
Solving
RCX I/O port limitations; sensor tips and tricks
[Ferrari’s book (Chap. 4, pp.75-79 &
Chap. 9, pp. 170-174); NQC Tutorial
(pp. 28-29)]
·
Steerbot [Baum’s book (Chap. 13)] Teams
take kits home to assemble Steerbot.
Week 11:
Reading Assignment:
Baum’s
book (Chapters 13& 15)
Ferrari’s book (Chap. 12, pp. 218-228)
·
Home Work #8
to be turned in at the beging of class
·
Test #2
(Covers the material from Weeks 6-10)
·
Steerbot [Baum’s book (Chap. 13)]
Programming and testing. Download modified
Programs: program 1, program 2
·
Final Contest
specifications
Week 12:
Reading Assignment:
Baum’s
book (Chapter 15)
·
Home Work #9
to be turned in at the beging of class
·
Final Contest preliminary
(informal) presentations by teams
Weeks 13 – 14:
Reading Assignment:
Ferarri’s book (Chapter 18:
Becoming Mobile & Chapter 11: Finding and Grabbing Objects)
·
Home Work #10
to be turned in at the beging of class of week 13
·
Students work
on their Final Projects
