ME132a TA-Instructor Meeting, Winter 2011

This page is used for facilitating discussion between the instructors and TAs of ME/CS 132a (Winter 2010). Please note that the content of this page is open to the public.

Course Preparation

Course Organization

• Homework
  • How many: 1/week
  • Due date: 1 week later.
  • How to turn in: Shuo's mail box and/or Andrea's email address
  • Office hours: Instructors -- 303 TOM, TA -- TBD

• Web page, mailing list
  • Where to set up the web page: Murray Wiki redirected from IMSS
  • Upload: by TA
  • Access: solutions -- Caltech only, others -- open to the public
  • Mailing list: me132-students@caltech.edu, me132-tas@caltech.edu

• Honor code
  • Collaboration policy: wait for Larry (cf. CDS_101/110a,_Fall_2008)
  • Use of other materials: other than solutions from past and/or other courses

• Textbooks/references

• Prerequisites: check with Richard & Joel, linear algebra, basis prob and stat.

• Programming skills: TBD

Platform

• Which robots we are going to use
  • ER-1 (old ctrl module): being kept by Pete (can fail in the middle of the course, not the current best bet)
  • ER-1 (new ctrl module): need to write drivers for the new motor control module? (check with evolution robotics, in any case, rewriting the drivers ourselves seems more trouble than worth)
  • Richard's Pioneer? (Pete will use it for thesis work. Shouldn't plan on using it.)
  • JPL's Pioneer? (wait for Larry and Rob)

• Server for simulation
  • Install Ubuntu Lucid
  • Wait for Aaron to see if a static IP address and a hostname can be assigned (wait until 5 Jan)
  • Think about rwx permissions (everyone's directory is 750, TA's use sudo -u to enter students' directory)
  • Check how to add users in batch (will write a Python script)
  • Create a system for student to submit account info (name & username)
    • see: https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dDZqNVVLdkl3RU5la2Ria0JVZmZqSnc6MQ

• Sensors:
  • SICK: should be enough
  • Stereo cameras: should be enough

• Laptops
  • Need a Firewire ports

• Software stack.
  • What interface/drivers do you want people to work with? (player, ROS, ...)
  • What would be the format for data files? (HDF, carmen, ...)

• Labs organization
  • For example, the first lab assignment: Should I give them a charged robot with installed drivers, and let them write the software to collect the log? Or should I write all the software and let them collect the log? Is this done as a group (all the students together), as many small groups, or once for individual students?
  • First test on a simulator

• Matlab vs. Python

Things to finish before Week 1

• Complete the course website
• Finish setting up the server: software (player/stage), account admin tests, backup
• Finalize HW set #1