Week

date 

topic

Assignment/ additional material

I

Jan 15

Introduction and course mechanics.

Assignment: A blog entry needs to be entered every week by Friday.

• set up a Blog [PDF].

• Install Scratch (http://scratch.mit.edu/)

• Scratch tutorials: http://wiki.scratch.mit.edu/wiki/Scratch_Wiki, You Tube, and elsewhere on the WWW (e.g. http://www.funlearning.de/<-click on English, http://nward.com/ict/scratch/default.htm, or http://www.hairbychas.com/scratch/home.html ).

1st Scratch project (due Thu, Jan 24th) [PDF]

Assignment (Comment on it in your blog, Jan. 18th): watch the whole of Randy Pausch's (last) seminar at Carnegie Mellon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo. 

Here is a NYT article that summarize why what you will learn in this class is relevant: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/sunday-review/the-internet-gets-physical.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

Jan 17

Begin programming with Scratch.

II

Jan 22

Scratch

Assignment: watch the whole of Ken Robinson's talk about changing paradigm in education: http://www.thersa.org/events/vision/archive/sir-ken-robinson (short, cartoon version at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U). Comment on it in your blog (due Jan 27th).

Jan 24

Presentations of 1st Scratch project.

2nd Scratch project (due Feb, 5th) [PDF]

III

Jan 29

Scratch

Continued presentations of 1st Scratch project.

Blog assignment (due in Feb. 2nd's blog): watch and comment on Gallo's TED talks @

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/david_gallo_on_life_in_the_deep_oceans.html

http://www.ted.com/talks/david_gallo_shows_underwater_astonishments.html

Reading for next week: Ch.1 of Physical Computing (concept of transduction, 6 pages).

Jan 31

IV

Feb 5

Scratch

 Presentation of 2nd Scratch project.

Blog assignment (due Feb 3rd): watch Bonnie Bassler's TED talk @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVfmUfr8VPA

Choose a sensor to build in sensor unit (so we can insure supplies are available).

Reading for Feb. 7th: Ch.2 of Physical Computing or first few tutorials at: http://itp.nyu.edu/physcomp/Tutorials/Tutorials).

1st sensor project (due, Tue Feb. 19) [PDF]

Some background material on basic electronic: http://itp.nyu.edu/physcomp/Labs/Electronics,

See also: http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~elec201/Book/basic_elec.html.

If you have never worked with circuits consider building circuits with the Elenco snap circuits we have in the lab.

Feb 7

In lab (in pairs): use Radioshack's sensor lab to familiarize yourself with sensors and electronic circuitry.

More about the timer chip: http://www.555-timer-circuits.com/

V

Feb 12

Sensor

Blog assignment (due Feb 17th): watch John Delaney's TED talk @ http://www.ted.com/talks/john_delaney_wiring_an_interactive_ocean.html

Feb 14

2nd sensor project (due, Tue Feb. 28) [PDF]

VI

Feb 19

Sensor

Assignment (due Feb 24):  Herald Haas, what communciation may be in the future@

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/harald_haas_wireless_data_from_every_light_bulb.html

And Kevin Kelly's talk about how human and technology relate@

http://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_kelly_on_how_technology_evolves.html

Deadline for submission of 1st Sensor project.

Feb 21

VII

Feb 26

 Programmable Sensor

Assignment (due Mar. 3rd):  Dan Ariely on conflict of interest in science @http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/dan_ariely_beware_conflicts_of_interest.html

Feb 28

Deadline for submission of 2nd Sensor project.

---------------March 3- March 15 spring break-------------

VIII

Mar 19

Robotics - tutorial

Blog assignment (due Mar. 24): watch Bill Stone's TED talk about using robots in exploration @

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/bill_stone_explores_the_earth_and_space.html and read article at http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-57327023-52/ocean-faring-robots-set-sail-on-guinness-record-attempt/ about an new and exciting robot.

Blog assignment (due Mar. 31):  Norris and Kamen on inventions@http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/woody_norris_invents_amazing_things.html & http://www.ted.com/talks/dean_kamen_the_emotion_behind_invention.html

Blog assignment (due Apr. 7): Beau Lotto + Amy O’Toole: Science is for everyone, kids included. http://www.ted.com/talks/beau_lotto_amy_o_toole_science_is_for_everyone_kids_included.html & NPR story: Why A Hoosier State Scientist Is Stuck On Oysters @ http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=175550939&m=175550926

Blog assignment (due Apr. 14): Ray Kurtzweil TED talk: How technology is accelerating @ http://www.ted.com/talks/ray_kurzweil_on_how_technology_will_transform_us.html

Blog assignment (due Apr. 21): Keller Rinaudo: A mini robot -- powered by your phone& documentary series exploring how robots affect the economy at: http://www.marketplace.org/robots-ate-my-job - a series of short documentaries.

Final blog assignment (due Apr. 28): In addition to summarizing the week, please answer on your final blog the following three questions (based on your experience this semester):

1: How could the class 'Engineering literacy for the 21st century' change for the better for future students?

2. What other skills/knowledge-base could you see being taught in a similar format?

3. Did you find the web talks to enhance or detract from your experience with the class?

The Robotics module is different from the previous two in that there are no deadlines except for the end of the semester to accomplish the robotic assignments (weekly blogs and viewing/reading are still expected!), see below:

The Robotics module includes several assignments:

1. Tutorial - learn how to build and program the robot and associated sensors [PDF].

2. Missions - perform successfully 3 missions successfully out of the following 10.

First Robot challenge - Pop Bot [PDF]   

2nd Robot challenge - Table Bot [PDF]

3rd Robot challenge - Robo line runner [PDF].

4th Robot challenge - Pipe Bot [PDF]

5th robot challenge - Firefly [PDF]

6th robot challenge - Mazing [PDF]

7th robot challenge - Laps runner [PDF]

8th robot challenge - Mower [PDF]

9th robot challenge - Slalom [PDF]

10th robot challenge - Line follower [PDF]

Rubric for challenges: A-all is accomplished, B-two are accomplished and one attempted, C-two are accomplished, D-one is accomplished a second one attempted. E- one is accomplished. F-not done.

Build (including sodering if needed) a senosr that integrates to the robot and calibrate it. Requirments are the same as with the 1st sensor project (calibration, mistery substance/conditions, writeup).

You will need to use to install the Legacy Block Library I searched on Lego Legacy Block and went to the following site: http://mindstorms.lego.com/en-us/support/files/default.aspx#Patches On the left side click to select "Patches", then scroll to the right to the " Legacy Block - English".  Download and unzip. In Mindstorms software, go to "Tools", then "Block Import", then brows to the legacy block folder and pick the old sensor you want.

To store data collected with a sensor see: http://www.teamhassenplug.org/NXT/DataLogging/Beginning_Datalogging.htm

Final project: build an AUV or ROV that will profile in the UMaine swimming pool down to 1yd depth taking data with an environmental sensor along the way.

Writeup of final project should include:

1. photo of AUV or ROV

2. calibration curve of sensor built+ uncertainty calculation

3. Time series of data collected.

4. Please reflect on the vehicle design choice and evolution as you built it. Now that you know more about it, would you do it differently next time?

Mar 21

IX

Mar 26

Robotics - tutorial / missions

Mar 28

X

Apr 2

Robotics - missions

Apr 4

XI

Apr 9

Robotics - missions/sensor

Apr 11

XII

Apr 16

Robotics - should start final project

Apr 18

XIII

Apr 23

Robotics -final project

Apr 25

XIV

Apr 30

Final robotics project presentations

May 2