COMP10B:SimpleRobotics
SummerSession2:July5thtoAugust12th,2016
ClassDescription:
Basic principles of computer science for students with minimal or no prior programming
background. Fundamentals of design, coding, and testing of computer programs. Fundamental
algorithms for sorting and searching. Programming projects employ and demonstrate common
algorithms.Projectsanalyzeandvisualizedatafromrealapplications.Theseconceptswillbetaught
through hands-on projects utilizing a robotics toolset, and will include introductions to robot
construction, event-based programming, artificial intelligence, and elementary controls in that
context.
Instructor:
Dr.EthanDanahy:Ethan.Danahy@tufts.edu
TeachingAssistants:
JasonIskenderian:Jason.Iskenderian@tufts.edu
Winnie(Zheng)Lin:Zheng.Lin@tufts.edu
“OfficeHours”:alwaysbyappointment(alldonevirtually).ContactInstructororTAstoschedule.
Schedule:
This is an asynchronous online course, so there are no official meeting times. However, there are
periodic deadlines and tasks that you need to accomplish each week. In general, each week will
include:
• Watchingonlinevideotutorialsonhardware,software,etc.(coursecontent)
• A“groupmeeting”whereyouneedtomeetonlinewithotherstudentsintheclass(one
ormoreotherstudents,randomlyassignedtoyou,withwhomyoumustcoordinate)
• Completing“sub-project”(smallerscaleproject)tobuildskills(dueWednesdayby9pm)
• Completingaweekly“project”(largerscaleproject)todemonstratetheskillswithina
context(dueSatby9pm)
Additions/exceptionstothisstructurewillbe:
• Thereareafeworganizationaltaskstobecompletedpriortothestartofclass
• Week1(July5th)isashortweek,sothesub-projectwillbedueonThursday(7/7)
Itisexpectedthiscoursewillrequireaverageof20-hoursperweekoftimetocompletealltasks.
Grading:
GroupMeetingNotes: 10%
Sub-Projects(5%x6):30%
Projects(10%x6): 60%
Rangeoftopicscovered/discussed:
Asacomputersciencecourse,whiletherewillbeafocusonCSideasandtheprojectswillbuildan
introductoryunderstandingofprogramming,throughtheimplementationofroboticsprojectsawide
rangeofconceptswillbeexplored(atvariouslevels):
Engineering:EngineeringDesignProcess,creativethinking,problemsolving
Mechanics:Structuralintegrity,gears/gearratios,controltheory
Electronics:Sensors,motors,computerarchitecture,communicationprotocols
Computer Science: Program flow, programming mathematical formulas, order of operations,
functions,modifiers/variables,datatypes,datastructures,loops,runtime,parallelprocessing
Comp10B(Summer2016)Syllabus
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COMP10B:SimpleRobotics
SummerSession2:July5thtoAugust12th,2016
CourseMaterials:
Textbook:
There is no textbook associated with this class. All course material will be presented online via
videos(linkstoYouTubepostedoncoursewebsite).
Hardware:
Youwillbeloaned,bytheCenterforEngineeringEducationandOutreach(CEEO)atTuftsUniversity,
aLEGOMINDSTORMSEV3RoboticKit.Youwillneedtoeitherpickthisuppriortothestartofclass
or let the CEEO Admin (Lynne Ramsey at Lynne.Ramsey@tufts.edu) know your home mailing
addressandwewillshipittoyou.TheCEEOislocatedat200BostonAve,SuiteG-810,MedfordMA
02155(ifgoinginperson,contacttheInstructororCEEOAdminforspecificdirectionsandtimesfor
availability;theCEEOistypicallyopen9amto5pm,MondaytoFridays,exceptholidays).Attheend
of the course, you must return your kit (with all parts intact) back to the CEEO, either physically
returningitinpersonormailingitback.ThekitsmustbereturnedbySeptember1st,2016orelsea
billforthecostofthekitwillbesenttothestudent.Notethekitcosts$300andifyouareshipping,
itshouldbeinsuredatthatprice(andrelevanttrackinginformationemailedtotheInstructorand
CEEOAdmin).Theshippingaddressis:
CenterforEngineeringEducationandOutreach
200BostonAve,SuiteG-810
TuftsUniversity
MedfordMA02155
Software:
Forthiscoursewe’llbeusingtheLabVIEWGraphicalProgrammingEnvironment(LabVIEWStudent
Edition2015)thatcanbepurchasedfromStudica.comfor$20.Youwillneedtopurchase,download,
andinstallthesoftwarepriortothestartofclass.Additionally,youwillneedtoinstalltheappropriate
(free)MINDSTORMSModulefromNationalInstrumentstoenablethesoftwaretoworkwiththe
providedhardware.Detailedinstructionsonalltheseprocesseswillbepostedtothecoursewebsite.
Website:
Sincethisisanonlinecourse,webresourceswillbeleveragedheavilyincoordinating/runningthis
course.TheTuftsTrunksite(http://trunk.tufts.edu)willbeusedforregisteredstudentstoaccess
theOnlineRobotics2016classsite(locatedontheDr.E’sLabdomain).Thisclasssitewillbeused
forprovidingweeklyoverviews,linkstohelpvideos(hostedonYouTube),andspaceforstudentsto
submit their completed work (meeting notes, sub-project documentation, project documentation;
this will include text, pictures, video, submitted code, etc collected, edited, and shared by each
student).
Projects/Sub-Projects:
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
Dates(2016)
7/5–7/9
7/10–7/16
7/17–7/23
7/24–7/30
7/31–8/6
8/7–8/13
Sub-Project(byWed@9pm)
AttachingMotors(dueThurs)
SensorInvestigations
StayonthePaper
DesignaPuppet
MotorRecord
FinalProjectDesign/Prototype
Project(bySat@9pm)
SillyWalks
RoboticAnimal
ArtBot
PuppetShow(collaborative)
InteractiveVideoGame
PlayfulCreation
Comp10B(Summer2016)Syllabus
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