Transcript Introduction to the course Computer Programming through Robotics CPST 410 Summer 2009 Contact  Prof.

Introduction to the course
Computer Programming
through Robotics
CPST 410
Summer 2009
Contact
 Prof. Harry Howard
 howard at tulane dot edu
 862-3417 (voice mail 24 hours a day)
 Newcomb Hall 322-D
 Office hours: right before class & by appointment
(the link goes to my home page, which displays
my Google calendar)
 Course home page
(http://robolab.tulane.edu/CPST410/)
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Show of hands
 Who are the beginners?
 Who are the continuing students?
 You can do both.
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Goals - beginners
 The goal of this course is to introduce you
to the principles of computer programming
by programming a small mobile robot.
 We use the Lego Mindstorms NXT robot, v.
1.1.
 This course will gravitate towards my
interests in linguistics and cognitive
science.
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Goals - beginners, cont.
 However, it is an introduction and does not
require any knowledge of computer
programming, robotics, cognitive science,
or linguistics.
 It satisfies the formal discipline
requirements for the Cognitive Studies
(CGST) major.
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Objectives
 For you to demonstrate your understanding
of computer programming, you will perform
the following tasks:
turn in a daily project,
turn in a final project by the final-exam day,
perhaps come to class.
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Objectives: weekly project
 Turn in a project every day except the first &
second
 No project can be accepted late
 10 * 7.5% = 75%
 Even though these look like a lot of small grades
 If you know ahead of time that you will miss a
project, send me an e-mail and I will excuse you
with no penalty.
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Objectives: final project
 Turn in a final project by the final exam day
(Aug 10). This may be a group effort, but
the entire group will receive the same grade.
[25%]
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Objectives: class participation
 Note that there is no credit for class participation.
 I will post my PowerPoint presentation to the class
website after each class (my presentations are ugly
so that you can print them easily).
 I am recording myself and will post an mp3 (i.e.
podcast) to the class website after each class.
 So you don't have to come to class, if you can turn
in the daily project somehow.
 In any event, I will change any high X– into a Y+
if I notice you participating in class
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Harry Howard, CPST 410, Tulane University
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Code of Academic Integrity
 “The integrity of Newcomb-Tulane College is based on the absolute honesty
of the entire community in all academic endeavors. As part of the Tulane
University community, students have certain responsibilities regarding work
that forms the basis for the evaluation of their academic achievement. Students
are expected to be familiar with these responsibilities at all times. No member
of the university community should tolerate any form of academic dishonesty,
because the scholarly community of the university depends on the willingness
of both instructors and students to uphold the Code of Academic Conduct.
When a violation of the Code of Academic Conduct is observed it is the duty
of every member of the academic community who has evidence of the
violation to take action. Students should take steps to uphold the code by
reporting any suspected offense to the instructor or the associate dean of the
college. Students should under no circumstances tolerate any form of academic
dishonesty.”
 For further information, point your browser at
http://college.tulane.edu/honorcode.htm.
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Students with disabilities
 Students with disabilities who need academic
accommodation should:
 Contact and register with the Office of Disability
Services (ODS). For more information, visit the ODS
website at http://erc.tulane.edu/disability/.
 Bring official notice to me from the ODS indicating
that you need academic accommodation. This should be
done before the first project.
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Readings
 Textbooks
 Beginners:
 LEGO Mindstorms NXT-G Programming Guide by James
Floyd Kelly (~$17)
 LEGO Mindstorms NXT Power Programming: Robotics in C by
John C. Hansen (~$22)Advanced
 None, as of right now
 Other readings: There may be supplementary
readings, distributed as pdf files on Blackboard.
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Schedule of assignments
 See handout or website for details of the schedule.
 Any changes to the schedule will be made to the
website.
 I have never taught on this schedule before, so I
do not know whether the syllabus is too fast or too
slow. We will figure that out as we go.
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Odds and ends
 We will cover 30-40 pages a day, though
Hansen's book is much denser than Kelly's
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Continuing students
 Goals
To practice and expand on what you know
 Objectives:
Turn in a final project by the final exam day
(May 6). This may be a group effort, but the
entire group will receive the same grade.
[100%]
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Special for today
 If you prefer to use an e-mail address other
than your Tulane one, please e-mail me a
message to that effect.
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Go over roster
 And pass around sign-up sheet & camera.
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Robots and programs
Kelly §1
What is a robot?
 Kelly's definition
 A robot is a device that is built to INDEPENDENTLY perform
actions and interact with its surroundings. (p.1)
 More generally, such things are divided into
 autonomous robots
 non-autonomous or remote-controlled robots
 Autonomy is much more interesting and is what we are
interested in
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What is a program?
 Kelly's definition
A program is a set of instructions for a robot.
Programming is what you do when you create
a program.
 Robots, and computers in general, are
DUMB!
Their instructions have to be extremely explicit
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The MINDSTORMS NXT
application
 The MINDSTORMS NXT application is the tool that you
will use to create instructions for your robot
 Version 1.1 is the most recent
 The CDs that came with the boxes are v. 1
 There are two flavors, the regular one (in the big cardboard
boxes), and the educational one (in the plastic bins).
 I want you to all install the educational flavor, which has
the Robot Educator
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NXT-G
 NXT-G is the programming language that the
MINDSTORMS NXT application uses
 Like I said the first day, it is a graphical language, which
means that you build a program by inserting icons and
moving them around
 Most other languages are based on text, like the (not quite)
C language we will use later on
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Program structure
Kelly §2
Pseudo code
 Before writing a program in the way that
the robot understands, we will sketch what
we want it to do in a way that people
understand
 Kelly calls this a 'fake program' but the
technical term is pseudo-code.
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One example of pseudo-code
 SPOT, move forward about 10 inches, turn
left 90 degrees, and start moving forward,
then start looking for a black object with
your ultrasonic sensor, because I want you
to stop when you find a black object, then
turn right 90 degrees, and move backward 2
feet, OK? (Kelly, p. 8)
 What is good or bad about this example
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A different phrasing of the
pseudo-code example
 SPOT, move forward about 10 inches and stop
 Now turn left 90 degrees
 Start moving forward, and turn on your ultrasonic sensor,
 Stop when you find a black object
 Turn right 90 degrees and stop.
 Move backward 2 feet and stop.
What is good or bad about this example?
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Pseudo and real code
 The main advantage of the second phrasing
is that we can match up the commands in
each line to elements in the programming
language
 In NXT-G, these elements are called blocks.
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Test the robot!
 Put in 6 batteries and see whether it starts
up
 Play with right and left buttons
 To shut down
Go back to 'My files'
Press dark grey button
Press orange button for check mark
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Next time
 Finish Tribot
 NXT introduction
 Movement, 'Going the Distance'
 Kelly §1-4, 24
 Bring your laptops!
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