Worked on NXT program on presenter computer, and spent the bulk of the day finalizing presentation materials. We also worked some on sorting through literature material and identifying the most relevant sources.
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| Midterm Presentation Cover Slide |
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Week 3: Day 4
Thursday 6-28-12
Worked on NXT program on presenter computer, and spent the bulk of the day finalizing presentation materials. We also worked some on sorting through literature material and identifying the most relevant sources.
Worked on NXT program on presenter computer, and spent the bulk of the day finalizing presentation materials. We also worked some on sorting through literature material and identifying the most relevant sources.
Week 3: Day 3
Wednesday 6-27-12
We worked on our presentation and were given more specifics for the presentation on Friday. In the afternoon, we found several websites that will aid us in defining our Garcia Robot here at UNT as well as how what we learn here will translate into our classrooms. We also located many relevant sources of information on the Mindstorm robots and flowchart fundamentals.
We worked on our presentation and were given more specifics for the presentation on Friday. In the afternoon, we found several websites that will aid us in defining our Garcia Robot here at UNT as well as how what we learn here will translate into our classrooms. We also located many relevant sources of information on the Mindstorm robots and flowchart fundamentals.
Week 3: Day 2
Tuesday 6-26-12
We spent the morning working on our lesson plan, filling in some details and identifying corresponding TEKS. We also worked on the midterm presentation, and then met at 3PM for a session on lesson planning by Dr. Ruthanne Thompson.
We spent the morning working on our lesson plan, filling in some details and identifying corresponding TEKS. We also worked on the midterm presentation, and then met at 3PM for a session on lesson planning by Dr. Ruthanne Thompson.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Week 3: Day 1
We built two NXT “Explorer” robots. The robots randomly search an area and detect and/or avoid obstacles. It utilizes two different sensors, one ultrasonic and one touch. If the ultrasonic "eyes" detect an object at about 8" or closer, the robot stops, looks left and right for the most open path and turns in that direction to continue. If something is too low to be detected, the robot may run into it and bump its bumper, causing it to make an "oof!" sound, back up, and find a better path.
To test them, we (of course) had a battle between them.. In a confined environment, they will periodically cross paths and have to avoid each other. On less frequent occasions, they bump into each other and then turn to drive in a different direction. Even less frequently, they run into each and get stuck.
Aside from the randomness of the search patterns (which cannot easily be controlled with them at this time), the operation was a great deal of fun!!!
On a side note, we checked out gapminder.org, a cool site to show global trends in an easy-to-understand format. This could be a good site to use when my class looks at how technology will need to handle a rapidly changing world.
To test them, we (of course) had a battle between them.. In a confined environment, they will periodically cross paths and have to avoid each other. On less frequent occasions, they bump into each other and then turn to drive in a different direction. Even less frequently, they run into each and get stuck.
Aside from the randomness of the search patterns (which cannot easily be controlled with them at this time), the operation was a great deal of fun!!!
On a side note, we checked out gapminder.org, a cool site to show global trends in an easy-to-understand format. This could be a good site to use when my class looks at how technology will need to handle a rapidly changing world.
Week 2: Day 4
Thursday 6-21-12
In the morning we learned that Eduardo (our exchange student from Mexico) had gotten object detection working. We watched a demo, and will try to proceed with the Garcia project again. Also in the morning, we had a brief Q&A session about the paper we will write and our midterm presentation next Friday. We should cover a short lit review, methods, and project results to date.
We took previous flowcharts and simplified them to help build the program in simpler steps:
Step 1: drive around in a box (completed)
Step 2: avoid a simple object while driving around the box (we are almost here - there is still a little work to do)
Step 3: Avoid any object while driving around a box.
At 3 pm, we went to a seminar on wireless sensors and networks. Dr. Fu presented some cool work he'd done in monitoring heartbeats via bluetooth on a smartphone, and monitoring wind pressure on a test building at Texas Tech University. Then Dr. Acevedo discussed the use of wireless sensors for environmental research around Denton.
In the morning we learned that Eduardo (our exchange student from Mexico) had gotten object detection working. We watched a demo, and will try to proceed with the Garcia project again. Also in the morning, we had a brief Q&A session about the paper we will write and our midterm presentation next Friday. We should cover a short lit review, methods, and project results to date.
We took previous flowcharts and simplified them to help build the program in simpler steps:
Step 1: drive around in a box (completed)
Step 2: avoid a simple object while driving around the box (we are almost here - there is still a little work to do)
Step 3: Avoid any object while driving around a box.
At 3 pm, we went to a seminar on wireless sensors and networks. Dr. Fu presented some cool work he'd done in monitoring heartbeats via bluetooth on a smartphone, and monitoring wind pressure on a test building at Texas Tech University. Then Dr. Acevedo discussed the use of wireless sensors for environmental research around Denton.
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| Dr. Fu's bluetooth heartbeat |
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Week 2: Day 3
First thing in the morning, we were told to proceed with the LEGO Mindstorm kits only and that the project would no longer be using the Garcia robots. It's likely that this is due to difficulty in programming. So a complete project rework is due at this point, and Karl and I spent the morning brainstorming on where to go from here. We are looking into two options, either using the mindstorm kits to teach inputs/outputs, open/closed systems, and flowcharts, or creating a rocket recovery system from scratch. Budget, timing, and the necessary support from staff are issues that we will consider as we look into both. We'll decide by Thursday morning which way to go.
After lunch, we went to the Discovery Park Engineering Library for another session on using the library resources. As a group, we also discussed stumbling blocks everyone was facing and the confusion on what our final products are to be. There is a lot of confusion about the final paper, as far as content and format, and Sharon will get with Dr. Acevedo as soon as possible to clear this up.
After lunch, we went to the Discovery Park Engineering Library for another session on using the library resources. As a group, we also discussed stumbling blocks everyone was facing and the confusion on what our final products are to be. There is a lot of confusion about the final paper, as far as content and format, and Sharon will get with Dr. Acevedo as soon as possible to clear this up.
Week 2: Day 2
Tuesday 6-19-12
We received an NXT robot kit this morning and built a mini-rover to drive around to test our flowchart. We will continue working with it tomorrow. In the Garcia Robot Lab we watched the robot drive in a square following Li's program. It did have some glitches, but Li will continue working on it.
We went to a three hour LabView training seminar in the afternoon that was given by a representative from National Instruments.
We received an NXT robot kit this morning and built a mini-rover to drive around to test our flowchart. We will continue working with it tomorrow. In the Garcia Robot Lab we watched the robot drive in a square following Li's program. It did have some glitches, but Li will continue working on it.
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| Never too old to learn from LEGO's! |
We went to a three hour LabView training seminar in the afternoon that was given by a representative from National Instruments.
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| LabVIEW Seminar |
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Week 2: Day 1
Monday 6-18-12
We reviewed the flowchart yet again and corrected a few small errors, and then met with Li to find out how the programming is coming along. It’s going slowly, and we arranged to meet later to discuss.
We then began our lesson plans using a format from last year. We are focusing on the 5 E Lesson Plans: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate. Today we wrote a couple steps, and will modify as we go.
In the afternoon, we all attended a short meeting to watch introduction training videos on LabView to prepare us for tomorrow’s 3 hour session. The videos covered topics such as graphical programming, programming tools, simple debugging, data types, and connecting to hardware.
Our team meeting began at 4 pm with Dr. Acevado and Dr. Namuduri, Li Li, Jennifer, Sharon, and the two of us. We discussed the current state of the project and where to go from here. It was decided that by noon on Tuesday, the robots could drive around in a square (roughly). From there by Thursday morning, the robot would be able to avoid one simple object in its path. We will expand beyond that after Thursday. In the meantime, we will use a LEGO Mindstorm kit to create a manually controlled robot to walk through our flowchart to detect any possible problems.
On a side note, the rideshare team gave me a GPS sensor to carry with me over the next few days. When they upload the data and lay it over Google Earth, it's shockingly cool how accurately they can see where you've been!
We reviewed the flowchart yet again and corrected a few small errors, and then met with Li to find out how the programming is coming along. It’s going slowly, and we arranged to meet later to discuss.
We then began our lesson plans using a format from last year. We are focusing on the 5 E Lesson Plans: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate. Today we wrote a couple steps, and will modify as we go.
In the afternoon, we all attended a short meeting to watch introduction training videos on LabView to prepare us for tomorrow’s 3 hour session. The videos covered topics such as graphical programming, programming tools, simple debugging, data types, and connecting to hardware.
Our team meeting began at 4 pm with Dr. Acevado and Dr. Namuduri, Li Li, Jennifer, Sharon, and the two of us. We discussed the current state of the project and where to go from here. It was decided that by noon on Tuesday, the robots could drive around in a square (roughly). From there by Thursday morning, the robot would be able to avoid one simple object in its path. We will expand beyond that after Thursday. In the meantime, we will use a LEGO Mindstorm kit to create a manually controlled robot to walk through our flowchart to detect any possible problems.
On a side note, the rideshare team gave me a GPS sensor to carry with me over the next few days. When they upload the data and lay it over Google Earth, it's shockingly cool how accurately they can see where you've been!
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| "Why do I feel like...somebody's WATCHing meeeee?...." |
Monday, June 18, 2012
Week 1: Day 5
Friday 6-15-12
We received a sample lesson plan that we should follow as far as the format once we begin making ours, and then Zac showed us how their team is using Google Docs and Blogger to create their team’s journal. We all thought it was a great way to document, and will set up blogs for all of the teams.
Our supervising professor, Dr. Namuduri, returned to campus today and we met with him briefly to discuss the project status. We relayed our ideas on the flowcharts and how we could use it in the classroom, and hangups we were having as far as the programming side and camera operation.
We then discussed a simplification to the flowchart and program with Li. We decided to eliminate the grid “search and rescue” style pattern and go to a simpler path that would mimic driving in a straight hallway with 90 degree turns in it. The robot would avoid obstacles and be able to make turns in the hallway. If this works, then the camera could be added and the robots could be used for surveillance. Li will create this program to be used in the table arena first, and then we can move on to the hallway.
We received a sample lesson plan that we should follow as far as the format once we begin making ours, and then Zac showed us how their team is using Google Docs and Blogger to create their team’s journal. We all thought it was a great way to document, and will set up blogs for all of the teams.
Our supervising professor, Dr. Namuduri, returned to campus today and we met with him briefly to discuss the project status. We relayed our ideas on the flowcharts and how we could use it in the classroom, and hangups we were having as far as the programming side and camera operation.
We then discussed a simplification to the flowchart and program with Li. We decided to eliminate the grid “search and rescue” style pattern and go to a simpler path that would mimic driving in a straight hallway with 90 degree turns in it. The robot would avoid obstacles and be able to make turns in the hallway. If this works, then the camera could be added and the robots could be used for surveillance. Li will create this program to be used in the table arena first, and then we can move on to the hallway.
Week 1: Day 4
Thursday 6-14-12
In the morning, all of the RET participants went on a field trip to the Water Research Field Station near the Rafes Urban Astronomy Center. A student led us on a tour of the facilities, including 30 stream flow tanks that the RET Aquatics team will be working with this summer. They will try to design and set up water monitoring stations for the tanks that could be monitored remotely over a wireless connection. We also walked to a nearby stream bed and learned how the landscape changes rapidly with the rise and fall of the stream. As it is currently dry except for a few shallow pools, we observed the recently dried algae, and the student explained how he would don a Ghostbusters’ style backpack that could be used to deliver a mild shock to the water. He would then collect data on the stunned fish that floated to the surface.
Afterwards, we worked on flowchart development and met with Li to learn how to set up the Garcia robots, link them to wifi, and run two simple programs to control them manually:
“aGarciaKey.exe” Controls robot using arrow keys (frequently locks up)
“aGarciaTool.exe” Controls robot using left and right wheels independently (works slightly better, but cannot drive the robot in a straight line)
These programs have issues, and in the 5-6 times we’ve run them, they stop functioning within the first few minutes of use, but it is a starting point!
In the morning, all of the RET participants went on a field trip to the Water Research Field Station near the Rafes Urban Astronomy Center. A student led us on a tour of the facilities, including 30 stream flow tanks that the RET Aquatics team will be working with this summer. They will try to design and set up water monitoring stations for the tanks that could be monitored remotely over a wireless connection. We also walked to a nearby stream bed and learned how the landscape changes rapidly with the rise and fall of the stream. As it is currently dry except for a few shallow pools, we observed the recently dried algae, and the student explained how he would don a Ghostbusters’ style backpack that could be used to deliver a mild shock to the water. He would then collect data on the stunned fish that floated to the surface.
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| Stream flow tanks currently being worked on |
Afterwards, we worked on flowchart development and met with Li to learn how to set up the Garcia robots, link them to wifi, and run two simple programs to control them manually:
“aGarciaKey.exe” Controls robot using arrow keys (frequently locks up)
“aGarciaTool.exe” Controls robot using left and right wheels independently (works slightly better, but cannot drive the robot in a straight line)
These programs have issues, and in the 5-6 times we’ve run them, they stop functioning within the first few minutes of use, but it is a starting point!
Friday, June 15, 2012
Week 1: Day 3
Wednesday 6-13-12
Continued to discuss lesson plan concepts. Finalized concept of an autonomous rocket search robot. This will be relevant to our students as several rockets locations are unknown after the Fredericksburg rocket launch event. The reality could be that the this system is mounted on an “off-road” Segway or similar platform. The system would require optics and image recognition that would recognize markings on a rocket and report its location to a base computer.
In our classrooms we will introduce a logic flowchart with basic collision avoidance while traversing a regular shape. The extension will include extending the flowchart to a “search grid” that will allow an entire area to be searched for a lost rocket. Further extensions could include faults such as being stuck or low battery issues.
In order to effect this lesson, we began developing the flowchart for our University faculty partners. We discussed the benefits/disadvantages of Elizabeth and I learning the specific coding and decided it was not a good use of our time. The flowchart includes a search grid and obstacle avoidance at this time.
In the afternoon, we went to the Engineering Library here at Discovery Park for a library resource intro session. A member of the staff walked us through how to utilize library resources such as online journals and ebooks, and how to request books from the main campus library.
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| Wonder how many of our students would get this one?? |
In our classrooms we will introduce a logic flowchart with basic collision avoidance while traversing a regular shape. The extension will include extending the flowchart to a “search grid” that will allow an entire area to be searched for a lost rocket. Further extensions could include faults such as being stuck or low battery issues.
In order to effect this lesson, we began developing the flowchart for our University faculty partners. We discussed the benefits/disadvantages of Elizabeth and I learning the specific coding and decided it was not a good use of our time. The flowchart includes a search grid and obstacle avoidance at this time.
In the afternoon, we went to the Engineering Library here at Discovery Park for a library resource intro session. A member of the staff walked us through how to utilize library resources such as online journals and ebooks, and how to request books from the main campus library.
Week 1: Day 2
Tuesday 6-12-12
Met with Li & Phillip and problem-solved on cameras. Two were purchased for the project- a Logitech webcam and a CMU CAM4. The Logitech requires Windows, and the programming will be done in Linux, so for the moment this one is out. The cam4 requires a cable that is being ordered.
Read articles on obstacle avoidance and discussed options for lesson plan. Discussed flowcharts and how we could use this project to teach students the fundamentals of logic. Went over last year’s Applications of Computer Vision project, and looked up the current location of Opportunity on the surface of Mars. We then discussed the Curiosity rover that should be landing August 5th on the red planet and how we could relate the rover missions to this summer’s work, cool stuff!
Met with Li & Phillip and problem-solved on cameras. Two were purchased for the project- a Logitech webcam and a CMU CAM4. The Logitech requires Windows, and the programming will be done in Linux, so for the moment this one is out. The cam4 requires a cable that is being ordered.
Read articles on obstacle avoidance and discussed options for lesson plan. Discussed flowcharts and how we could use this project to teach students the fundamentals of logic. Went over last year’s Applications of Computer Vision project, and looked up the current location of Opportunity on the surface of Mars. We then discussed the Curiosity rover that should be landing August 5th on the red planet and how we could relate the rover missions to this summer’s work, cool stuff!
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| Three generations of Mars rovers: Pictured left to right are siblings of Spirit/Opportunity, Sojourner, & Curiosity .....with a couple of space geeks thrown in for scale! http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/opportunity/20120117a/PIA15279_3rovers-stand_D2011_1215_D521_br.jpg |
Week 1: Day 1
Monday 6/11/12
We spent the morning in an orientation to the RET program, where we were also assigned our teams and projects and got lots of great info about the UNT Engineering Department. After a tour of Discovery Park, we met in the robot lab with the EE students that will be assisting with the robotics project, Li and Phillip. They gave us a demo on how the robots work, and discussed possibilities for research and a lesson plan. Because of the nature of the robots, outdoor activities were ruled out.
We came up with the following goals:
Possible applications for students:
In UNT lab, set up a landscape with a few large rocks and model trees. The robot can drive around doing a “search & rescue” for a small-scale rocket, cataloguing pics and location data as it drives. Another possibility would be to send a live feed back to a monitoring station so that you could see what the robot is seeing. In the future, this could be scaled up to be used at the SystemsGo large scale rocket launches.
We spent the morning in an orientation to the RET program, where we were also assigned our teams and projects and got lots of great info about the UNT Engineering Department. After a tour of Discovery Park, we met in the robot lab with the EE students that will be assisting with the robotics project, Li and Phillip. They gave us a demo on how the robots work, and discussed possibilities for research and a lesson plan. Because of the nature of the robots, outdoor activities were ruled out.
We came up with the following goals:
- Make one of the two cameras work, either via a live feed or recording still images.
- Program robots to avoid obstacles in a landscape.
- Have the robots drive around while avoiding obstacles and recording video/images simultaneously.
- If time allows, use a program that can run pictures through image detection software to look for images with a certain marker in them. These markers could be placed on an object that needed to be located and/or retrieved, such as a rocket that had been launched.
Possible applications for students:
In UNT lab, set up a landscape with a few large rocks and model trees. The robot can drive around doing a “search & rescue” for a small-scale rocket, cataloguing pics and location data as it drives. Another possibility would be to send a live feed back to a monitoring station so that you could see what the robot is seeing. In the future, this could be scaled up to be used at the SystemsGo large scale rocket launches.
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| Acroname Garcia robots |
Meet the Robotics Team
Elizabeth graduated from Texas A&M with a B.S in Aerospace Engineering, and is entering her fifth year of teaching. She currently teaches Engineering III and Chemistry for the STEM Academy of Northwest ISD, located at Northwest High School. This is her second year in the UNT RET program.
Welcome!
Hello all! The goal of this blog is to share the progress of the Robotics Team at the University of North Texas Research Experiences for Teachers 2012. We're excited about the work we're doing, and look forward to this summer's activities!
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| Department of Electrical Engineering at UNT Discovery Park |
UNT RET Program Summer 2012 NSF Grant # 1132585
Advisor : Dr. Kamesh Namuduri
Advisor : Dr. Kamesh Namuduri
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