CS190: Robotics Freshman Seminar

Can you remember the last time you were more than arm's reach away from some computer (think broader than just those made for your laps or desks)? In fact most of us probably carry more computing power on our person than most households had 15-20 years ago! Our goal in the course is to explore, understand, and take advantage of these untapped resources. Whereas a traditional introductory computer science course might teach you how to bully around (i.e. program) a traditional desktop computer, in this course we'll learn how to bully around all kinds of computers, especially those lurking inside toys, gizmos, and gadgets (i.e. robotic, mobile, and multimedia devices).

An interest in learning about, problem solving, and tinkering with Lego robots. We will be focusing more on instructing robots how to preform tasks rather than designing the robots themselves, and we will learn to write computer programs.

We will typically have the following types of class segments: traditional lectures, group discussions/braintstorming/problem-solving (hopefully many), hands-on lab sessions, and student presentations. I expect diversity in the interests and experience of the participants of the course, and so we will have some flexibility in the kinds of topics we will cover:

• Robotics (most of the course)
  • Topics
    • Introduction to programming (in Lego NXT-G and Java)
    • Types of robots and robotic systems
    • Sensors and interfaces
    • Locomotion
    • Navigation and learning algorithms
    • Robots/technology in society
    • AI topics
  • Devices
    • Lego Mindstorms NXT
    • iRobot Roomba
• Embedded systems (supplemental topics)
  • Topics
    • Applications
    • Intro to electronics
    • Engineering and design constraints
    • Input/Output devices
    • Networking and communication
    • Multimedia and compression
    • Security and crypto-systems
  • Devices
    • Mobile phones
    • iPods and multimedia devices
    • Video game systems
    • Surprises
• Your interests?

All your work must be goverened by the Emory College Honor Code in addition to the Math/CS department's Policy on Computer Assignments, included below for your reference.

Emory University

Department of Mathematics and Computer Science

Statement of Policy on Computer Assignments (SPCA) Students will be graded partially on the basis of their programming assignments. These programming assignments are to be treated as examinations, and are expected to be your individual work. While discussions with other students in the course may be permitted or encouraged by your instructor, you should write your program yourself. The mathlab representatives are available to explain error messages, discuss briefly technical details with which you may not be familiar, and give short suggestions as to how you might detect logic errors. The reps should not, however be asked to write part or all of your program. Your instructor (and any teaching assistants assigned to the course) will be glad to help you to the extent that he or she feels reasonable. Submissions based on other students solutions in prior offerings of the course specifically violate these guidelines, as do submissions prepared with the help of an outside "tutor". You should take precautions to protect the confidentiality of your work: preserve the secrecy of your password, do not make files or directories sharable, pick up your printouts promptly and dispose of printouts where they will not tempt other students. All work should be done either in your "priv" directory or in the class hand in directory of your University account. All submissions should include a comment statement near the top of the program of the form: THIS CODE IS MY OWN WORK, IT WAS WRITTEN WITHOUT CONSULTING A TUTOR OR CODE WRITTEN BY OTHER STUDENTS - YOUR NAME Cases of apparent plagiarism or collusion will be referred to the Honor Council.