The following homework assignments are due on the day specified.
Homework #1: Uses of Robots - due 25 Jan
Find any reading that discusses a mobile (preferably autonomous) robot being used for a productive function.
Be ready to do a 3 to 5 minute presentation summarizing the robot's capabilities and how it performs it's function.
The reading is to be turned in after class.
Reading #1: Introduction and Uses of Robots - due 25 Jan
Read R&N ("Artificial Intelligence A Modern Approach" by Russel & Norvig)
sections
25.1
and
25.4.
Reading #2: Actuators - due 25 Jan
Read the Society of Robots
Actuators -- Servos.
Be ready to discuss in class.
Reading #3: Effectors - due 25 Jan
Read R&N section
25.2.2
and
Wing and Gliding Dynamics of a Flapping Winged Ornithopter by Gary Parker and Johnny Borbone.
Be ready to discuss the readings in class.
Debate1: Wheels vs Legs - due 30 Jan
Bring a paper (technical paper or book chapter) to support your case.
Wheels: Timothy, Bobby, Aaron, Palmer, Charles, Jay, Kristen, Quinn, Josiah, Miles.
Legs: Russell, Brooke, Melanie, William, Zahar, Ava, John, Faiz, Krishh.
Project #1a: Consider Forming a Team - due 30 Jan
Teams should be no more than 3 people and the larger the team, the more extensive the project.
Reading #4: Power Supply - due 1 Feb
Read Continuous Power Supply for a Robot Colony by Gary Parker, Ramona Georgescu, and Kevin Northcutt.
Be ready to discuss the readings in class.
Project #1b: Discuss Possible Project - due 6 Feb
Individuals/teams are to present some idea of their intended project. If you have formed a team, the team will report. If you have an idea for a project and want to work with somebody, your presentation will help to find others who may want to join you in the project.
Homework #2a Controllers - due 6 Feb
Look through the following websites to get an idea about the company and the microcontrollers (for the PIC/PFGA, you don't need to look at each chip available, just get a basic idea):
Arduino
BASIC Stamp, Propeller, and micro:bit
Raspberry Pi
Nvidia Jetson
Microchip PIC and FPGA
Be ready to discuss in class.
Debate2: Controllers - due 8 Feb
Bring a paper (technical paper or book chapter) to support your case.
Microcontrollers: Timothy, John, Bobby, Quinn, Palmer, Josiah, Ava
Single-Board Computers: Brooke, Faiz, Miles, Melanie, Kristen, William
Workstations and Laptops: Jay, Aaron, Charles, Russell, Zahar, Krishh
Homework #2b Controllers - 8 Feb
Start
controller project.
Reading #5: Sensors - due 15 Feb
Read R&N
25.2.1
and Sections 7.7 through 7.12 of "Introduction to Robotics" by Saeed Niku. Be ready to discuss the readings in class.
Homework #2c Controllers - due 15 Feb
Submit
controller project.
Homework #3a Sensors - 15 Feb
Start
sensor project.
Project #1c: Propose a Project - due 15 Feb
Submit a one paragraph description of your project. Include the project title and list members of the team.
Homework #3b Sensors - 20 Feb
Submit
sensor project.
Reading #6: Reactive Control - due 20 Feb
Read "Vehicles" by Valentino Braitenberg pages 1 through 14.
Be ready to discuss in class.
Reading #7: Deliberate Control - due 22 Feb
Read "Introduction to AI Robotics" Chapter 2.
Be ready to discuss in class.
Reading #8: Subsumption Architecture - due 27 Feb
Read A
Robust Layered Control System For a Mobile Robot by Rodney Brooks.
This is the original paper on Subsumption Architecture. Be ready to discuss it in class.
Reading #9: Behavior-Based Control - due 29 Feb
Read
Behavior-Based Control: Examples from Navigation, Learning, and Group
Behavior by Maja Mataric (1997). You can also get it
here.
Be ready to discuss it in class.
Project Demo #1: Display and discuss your project. - due 5 Mar.
The robot body should be constructed, with the actuators in place.
Homework #4: Project Web Page - due 5 Mar.
Create a web page with a description of your project. Include at least project name, project members, a one paragraph description, and photos of the robot at various stages of development.
Reading #10: Bio-Inspired Robotics - due 7 Mar.
Read Biorobotic
Approaches to the Study of Motor Systems by Beer, R.D., Chiel, H.J.,
Quinn, R.D. and Ritzmann, R.E.. Be ready to discuss it in class.
Homework #5: Robotics and Biological Systems - due 7 Mar.
Observe any animal (besides a human) in motion to study its means of locomotion.
How could we make a robot that copies its mode of locomotion?
Report your results to the class (2 or 3 minutes).
Reading #11: Evolutionary Robotics - Train on Model - due 26 Mar.
Read RoboShepherd: Learning a Complex Behavior by Alan C. Schultz, John J. Grefenstette, and
William Adams. A pdf version is available here.
Be ready to discuss it in class.
Reading #12: Evolutionary Robotics - Train on Robot - due 28 Mar.
Read "Automatic Creation of an Autonomous Agent: Genetic Evolution of a Neural
Network Driven Robot" by D. Floreano and F. Mondada (1994).
A pdf version is available here.
Be ready to discuss it in class.
Project Demo #2: Display and discuss your project. - due 2 Apr.
The robot body should be fully constructed, with actuators in place, and the power
supply, sensors, and controller attached to the robot.
Reading #13: Evolutionary Robotics - Train on Model/Robot - due 4 Apr.
Read "From Simulated to Real Robots" by Henrik Hautop Lund and Orazio Miglino.
Be ready to discuss it in class.
Reading #14: Anytime Learning - due 9 Apr.
Read "An approach to anytime learning"
(postscript)
(pdf)
by J. Grefenstette and C. Ramsey. (1992).
Be ready to discuss it in class.
Reading #15: Punctuated Anytime Learning - due 11 Apr.
Read
"
Punctuated Anytime Learning for Hexapod Gait Generation" by Gary Parker.
Be ready to discuss the readings in class.
Project Demo #3: Display and discuss your project. - due 16 Apr.
The robot should be fully constructed, with the sensor and locomotion control programs completed.
Reading #16: Evolutionary Robotics Survey - due 16 Apr.
Read
"Evolving Controllers for Real Robots: A Survey of the Literature"
by Joanne Walker, Simon Garrett, and Myra Wilson.
Be ready to discuss it in class.
Homework #6: Autonomous Reference Robot - due 18 Apr.
Find any reading that discusses a mobile (preferably autonomous) robot that is similar to the robot you are constructing.
Be ready to do a 3 to 5 minute presentation summarizing the robot's capabilities and how it performs its function.
This is a team presentation with all members of the team participating. The reading is to be turned in after class.
Reading #17: Cooperation - due 18 Apr.
Read "Punctuated Anytime Learning for Evolving Multi-Agent Capture Strategies"
by H. Joseph Blumenthal and Gary B. Parker. (2004).
Be ready to discuss it in class.
Reading #18: Embodied Evolution - due 23 Apr.
Read "Enhancing Embodied Evolution with Punctuated Anytime Learning" by Gary Parker and Gregory Fedynyshyn (2007). Be ready to discuss it in class.
Homework #7: The Golem Project - due 25 Apr.
Explore the The Golem
Project by Hod Lipson and Jordan B. Pollack. Make sure you check out all the links
in "What would you like to learn more about?" plus any others of interest.
Be ready to discuss it in class.
Reading #19: Evolution of Morphology and Control - due 25 Apr.
Read "Concurrently Evolving Sensor Morphology and Control
for a Hexapod Robot"
by Gary Parker and Pramod Nathan. (2010).
Be ready to discuss it in class.
Reading #20: Neural Network Learning - due 30 Apr.
Read "Learning Live Autonomous Navigation:
A Model Car with Hardware Arduino Neurons"
by Mohammad O. Khan and Gary Parker. (2016).
Be ready to discuss it in class.
Project Demo #4: Display and discuss your project. - due 2 and 7 May.
The robot should be fully functional with the overall control program completed.
Robotics Notebook: Hand in your Robotics Notebook. - due at on the last day of finals.
This notebook is for you to organize and summarize what you have learned about Robotics. It is to have an entry for each assigned reading (a paragraph giving a summary of the paper and comments on your opinion of the paper if it's a peer-reviewed article), comments (one short paragraph) on the other papers presented in class, and notes on construction for each day that you work on the project (planning and construction). The notebooks are to be done individually.
Homework #8: Project Web Page Complete - due on the last day of finals.
Conclude the web page of your project. It should include at least project name, project members, a one paragraph description, photos of the robot at various stages of development, and a video of the final robot in action.