FRS 002, Sec. 32--Freshman Seminar -- Spring 2019
Join the Maker Revolution
Instructor: Shirley Chiang, Department of Physics, 235 Physics/Geology
tel: 530-402-7113; FAX: 530-752-4717
E-mail: chiang@physics.ucdavis.edu
Description:
Have
you ever dreamed of building a robot? Or using a 3D
printer to bring an idea to life? A manufacturing
revolution through the "maker culture" of do-it-yourself
technology has been taking place in the last few years.
The ability to prototype small objects using a 3D
printer and to use small, inexpensive computers allows
makes it possible for everyone to design, build, and
control small machines, such as a simple robot or a
garden watering system. We will discuss the tools that
make this possible and learn to use some of them. We
will learn some simple electronics and computer
programming in order to use an Arduino microcontroller
to get input from sensors (switches, thermometers, etc.)
and control output to devices (LEDs, motors, etc.). We
will also learn how to design an object that can be
fabricated on a 3D printer. Students will work together
in groups on a final project that incorporates these
devices.
Seminar
goals:
Students will learn
elementary dc and ac electronics and simple
programming in C in order to connect simple
circuits to the Arduino microcontroller. (No
background in either circuits or programming will
be assumed.) This will allow the Arduino to
acquire input signals from analog sensors and to
control analog outputs. They will also learn how
the Arduino can be used to control a piezoelectric
buzzer and make music. In addition, they will
learn how to use electronic measurement tools like
an oscilloscope and multimeter to measure
waveforms and to debug their electronic circuits.
They will also learn how to use computer-aided
design (CAD) software to design an 3D object,
slice it, and transmit code to a 3D printer to
fabricate it.
Then they will discuss how to use these
skills and work in groups to build final projects
of their choice, given limitations in materials
available in the laboratory. Examples of possible
projects are a robot with wheels and sensors, a
controllable lamp with varying colors, an alarm
system, a temperature controller, a computer game,
and a water irrigation system.
Assignments:
Students
will read about how to use the Arduino microcontroller
and write small programs weekly before they come to
class. These programs will involve exercises such as
reading input from switches, turning LEDs on and off,
and using analog to digital and digital to analog
converters. In the first half of the course, they will
work in pairs during class time to wire up simple
circuits to the Arduino and then to test their programs
on the hardware in the lab. They will also use free 3D
design software to design an object and then build it on
the 3D printer in the lab. Students will form groups of
3 to 4 people to work together on the design and
construction of a final project. The concept of the
final project must be discussed with the professor for
assessment of feasibility that will depend on the
availability of components in the lab or additional
parts that can be purchased quickly and inexpensively to
build the project. Students will work on the designs
outside of class and work together to build the final
projects during the class times in the last half of the
course. At the final class, each group will present its
project to the class and explain how they built it. Each
student will be required to write a final report of
about 5 double-spaced pages explaining the project and
describing his/her role in designing and building it.
The class will meet for 2 hours per week, and
assignments are expected to take an additional 2 to 4 hours
per week.
Grading:
Students
will be evaluated on their participation in the
programming and circuit lab exercises (1/3), on the
quality of the final group project and presentation (1/3),
and on their final paper of approximately 5 double-spaced
pages (1/3).
Websites with ideas for projects:
Interesting (and relevant) WWW Links
Professor Shirley Chiang
4/18/2019