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 from Joel's lab vs Pioneers from JPL)
  • ER-1: there is some maintenance to do. The unit I was using summer had a motor controller failure. We have bought the replacement, but haven't installed yet (it is not a 5 minute thing, as the software driver has changed, so there will be a little tinkering required).
  • New ER-1: new motor control module has player/stage interface?

• Server for simulation (Joel's?)
  • All students have the same username/password?
  • If yes, directory naming rules?

• 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