EGM 180 Introduction to Mechatronics Lab

This Week in 180 Schedule Resources Late Start Times

TEXTS
What's a Microcontroller
Robotic
IR Remote for the Boe-Bot
Basic Stamp Manual
TIME AND PLACE
WF 9:35-11:25 AM
RBH 011
INSTRUCTOR
Rebecca Bruce
RBH 220
T,R: 1:00-2:00pm, W,F: 2:00-3:00pm or by appointment
828.232.2275
bruce@cs.unca.edu
 
 

DESCRIPTION
This course introduces students to engineering and design as a synergistic combination of mechanical and electrical engineering, computer science, control and information technology. Fundamental concepts in engineering and design are introduced including analog and digital electronics, serial communication, sensors, motors, microprocessors, and microprocessor interfacing to electromechanical systems. This is a "hands-on" course, all concepts will be introduced in an interactive lab/lecture environment. There will be ample opportunity for self-guided exploration and creativity.

CLASS PHILOSOPHY
We believe that it is essential to play with technology, exploring different possiblities directly in hardware and software. We believe that exploration should be self-guided to the largest extent possible. Creativity is fostered by self-guided exploration. In order to incourage creativity, this class strives to offer the nine dimensions of a climate for innovation (Prather, C. W., 1996).

ATTENDANCE POLICY
Lecture: Students are expected to attend all class meetings. Failure to do so will impact your Lab Exercise grade and will be considered a lack of interest in success on the part of the student. Students are responsible for completeing all work missed due to class absense on their own.
Exams: If you must miss a quiz due to illness, you must email or telephone the instructor before the scheduled time to avoid a zero for that quiz.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
Developmental Learning Objectives
  1. Create a sense of community.
  2. Engage in personal creativity through engineering design.
  3. Develop responsibility and good study skills.
Skill-Based Learning Objectives
  1. Develop problem-solving skills including quantitative reasoning and critical thinking by developing microprocessor algorithms.
  2. Develop college-level writing skills.
  3. Measure and/or calculate the voltage and current anywhere in a simple circuit.
  4. Understand the basic principles of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) for communication and power control.
  5. Understand and program a Basic-Stamp microprocessor.
  6. Understand the principles of operation of microcontrollers and sensors.
  7. Understand the basic principles of robot locomotion including gear ratios, DC motors and servos.
  8. Integrate a system of microcontrollers, sensors and actuators into a complex robotic system.

Course Schedule

01/13-15/09
Wed:
Lecture: Overview, Charge, and Current
Lab: Exercise 1 & BoeBot Kit Inventory
Frid:
Lecture: Voltage, & Resistors
Lab: Exercise 2
01/20-22/09
Wed:
Lecture: Kirchhoff's Voltage Law, & Kirchhoff's Current Law
Lab: Exercise 3, & Exercise 4
Frid:
Lecture: LEDs
Lab: Exercise 5
01/27-29/09
Wed:
Lecture: Writing Discussion, & Basic Stamp Programming
Lab: Quiz 1, Exercise 6, & Exercise 7
Frid:
Lecture: Basic Stamp IO
Lab: Exercise 8, & Exercise 9
02/03-05/09
Wed:
Lecture: DC Motors & Servos
Lab: Quiz 2 & Exercise 10
Frid:
Lecture: Snow Day: No Class
Lab:
02/10-12/09
Wed:
Lecture: Writing Issues & Motor Control
Lab: Exercise 11
Frid:
Lecture: Geartrains & Matriculation
Lab: Exercise 12
02/17-19/09
Wed:
Lecture: IR Communication
Lab: Quiz 3, & Exercise 13
Frid:
Lecture: IR BoeBot Control
Lab: Exercise 14
02/24-26/09
Wed:
Lecture: Intro to: Project 1, SolidWorks & Machine Shop
Lab: Exercise 15
Frid:
Lecture: Sheet Metal Fab: Model & Drawing
Lab: Quiz 4, & Exercise 16
03/03-05/09
Wed:
Lecture: Snow Day: No Class
Lab:
Frid:
Lecture: Project 1 & Milling: Model & Drawing
Lab: Exercise 17, Extra Credit: Exercise 18
03/10-12/09
Wed:
Lecture: Spring Break
Lab:
Frid:
Lecture: Spring Break
Lab:
03/17-19/09
Wed:
Lecture: Project 1 & Milling: Model & Drawing
Lab: Project 1 Work
Frid:
Lecture: Project 1 & Fasteners
Lab: Project 1 Proposal Due
03/24-26/09
Wed:
Lecture: Project 1
Lab: Quiz 5, & Project 1 Work
Frid:
Lecture: Project 1
Lab: Project 1 Work
03/31-04/02/09
Wed:
Lecture: Project 1 & Photos from the competition
Lab: Project 1 Competition
Frid:
Lecture: Project 1 & More photos from the competition
Lab: Project 1 Competition
04/07-09/09
Wed:
Lecture: Sensors
Lab: Exercise 19, Exercise 20
Frid:
Lecture: Robot Control
Lab: Exercise 21
04/14-16/09
Wed:
Lecture: Project 2 & Strategies
Lab: Project 2 Work
Frid:
Lecture: Project 2
Lab: Project 2 Work
04/21-23/09
Wed:
Lecture: Project 2
Lab: Project 2 Proposal Due & Quiz 6
Frid:
Lecture: Project 2
Lab: Project 2 Work
04/28-30/09
Wed:
Lecture: Project 2
Lab: Project 2 Work
Frid:
Lecture: Project 2
Lab: Project 2 Work
5/7/09
FINAL EXAM Friday, May 7th, 8:00-10:30AM: Project 2 Competition
Pictures of the Competition

Grading

Description Number Individual Points Net Points
Essay Quizes* 5 25 125
Lab Exercises 20 10 200
Projects
 2 80 160
Totals 485 points

* The lowest quiz grade is dropped.

Lab Exercises will be graded on the +/ok/- scale, where + indicates excellent, ok indicates satisfactory, and - indicates needs improvement.


Resources

Boe-Bots More Basic EE Batteries
Sumo-Bot Manual Using a Multimeter How Batteries Work
Parallax Robtics Manual Studying Electronics With the Electronics Club Different Types
Parallax Basic Stamp Manual Basic Electricity for Computer Scientists DC Motors
Parallax Manual: What's a Microcontroller Electronics Tutorials How DC Motors Work
Parallax Basic Stamp Tutorial LEGOs Basic Motor Theory
IR Remote for the Boe-Bot Basic Machines Virtual Physics Labs
FTP Rice's Lego Gear Design Principles of Operation
Basic Commands How Gear Ratios Work Servos
Putty (secure FTP and telnet) Commands Visio Flowcharts & Schematics How to Modify a Servo
Basic EE Install Visio from MSDNAA How Servos Work
All About Circuits A Visio Tutorial Writing Resources
Resistor Codes   Grading Guidelines for Writing
     
     
     
   
 
 

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Last modified: January 12, 2009 22:36