Robotics and Engineering Design (SKAK) Syllabus

Instructor Mr. Chin-Sung Lin (Email: clin@erhsnyc.net) Course Description Robotics and Engineering Design is a project-based course that uses a hands-on approach to introduce the basic concepts/skills of robotics and the principles/practices of engineering design. During the first semester, we will be focusing on the construction and programming of autonomous mobile robots. Course information will be tied to lab experiments; students will work in groups to build and test increasingly more complex mobile robots, culminating in an end-of-semester robot contest. In the second semester, student groups will choose and work on complex robotic projects following the formal engineering design processes. Project groups will have to meet stage milestones and furnish their technical reports, conduct formal demonstrations and presentations at the end of the semester. We will be using VEX Robotic Design System as our platform. Students will be divided into groups and complete a variety of robot construction and programming activities within the confines of these groups. Course Objectives In this course, students will: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Explore the broad scope of robotic applications Learn the basic components and building blocks of robots Develop the robot construction skills Learn to program and control the robots Adapt to the engineering design process Develop innovative problem solving skills in a project group setting Communicate technical facts through verbal/written methods, physical demos, and multimedia Construct and program autonomous mobile robots to achieve challenging tasks

Essential Questions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. How can robotics technology further impact our future in a positive way? What are the required components, factors and skills to build a high performance functioning robot? How to construct and program an autonomous mobile robot? How are the engineering design process used to solve real-world problems? How to finish the deliverables on time and with quality through project management skills?

Chin-Sung Lin


Course Requirements and Materials Needed 1. 2. 3. 4. Hardware: VEX Robotics Design System, accessories and tools (provided by school). Software: ROBOTC license (provided by school). Engineering journal: a wide ruled composition notebook (9 x 7 in). Scientific or graphing calculator.

Instruction Materials 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 2008 VEX Inventors Guide, VEX forum website: http://www.vexforum.com/wiki/index.php/Inventor's_Guide. VEX Curriculum 2.0, Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy website: http://www.education.rec.ri.cmu.edu/roboticscurriculum/vex_online/. ROBOTC Curriculum for the VEX, robotc.net website, http://www.robotc.net/education/curriculum/vex/. Teaching ROBOTC for Innovation First Robots, Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy website: http://www.robotc.net/vex_full/. Instructional Video: Various on-line videos of robotics research. Website: Class website dynamically provides further learning resource.

Course Format 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Lectures Video and multimedia presentations Group work and discussions Laboratory investigations Group competitions and activities Mini- and term projects Homework assignments

Grading Policy 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Homework assignments Class participation Quizzes and tests Laboratory contributions and results Project deliverables and presentations (10%) (10%) (10%) (25%) (45%)

Chin-Sung Lin


Content Outline This course is divided into: 1. Entering the robotics world a. b. c. 2. a. b. 3. a. b. 4. a. b. 5. a. b. Expectations 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Attend class daily, on time and ready to work. Participate and contribute to group assignments and projects. Maintain a daily, complete, organized engineering journal. Have all assignments done and submitted when they are due. Review work done each day. Spend an appropriate amount of time preparing for tests. Exercise safety and common sense at all times. Have a mutual respect for fellow students and their right to an education. Introduction to robotics STEM careers Safety and project management Materials, construction & motion Motors & gears Electricity & batteries Remote controllers Microcontrollers Sensors Setup & fundamentals Movements 8. 7. 6. Programming: Sensing & controlling a. b. a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. Radio control Sensing Customer requirements Specification Innovative problem solving High-level design Detailed design Implementation Testing Integration Technical presentation Technical documentation

Engineering design process:

Robotics: Mechanics

Robotics: Electricity

Robotics: Sensing & controlling

Programming: Motion

Competitions

Chin-Sung Lin