|
Date |
Description |
Examples |
|
Feb. 1: |
Pick an
everyday task of your choice and draw a
storyboard of its most common implementation.
Identify a most salient breakdown in the common
implementation and propose a solution to improve it.
Storyboard the new solution. |
ATM |
|
Feb. 8: |
Pick a
problem you would like to see solved. Through
research (either online, at the library or by
interviewing experts) identify the main roadblocks
toward solving this problem. Selecting the most
important roadblock, brainstorm to find possible
solutions. Develop the best idea so you can present
it in class. (Note: for this assignment you
are encouraged to brainstorm in large group). |
Car
navigation systems
Clean water for the developing world |
|
Feb. 13: |
Pick an
artifact of your choice, and figure out: 1) how it
works; 2) how it was put together. For small
artifacts (see the list to the right), you should be
prepared to dis-assemble and re-assemble the object
in class. For larger artifacts such as building, you
should be prepared to present a set of slides
explaining how the artifact was assembled. In all
cases to should be sure to identified clever design
that you might reuse in your own design (Important
note: please contact me about the object you pick so
we can be sure it is safe to dis-assemble). |
Mechanical
clock
Automatic pencil
Retractable pen
Hard disk |
|
Feb. 15: |
Using paper prototyping techniques, build a
prototype of the device of your choice. |
New way to tell time
New digital book reader
New digital communicator |
|
Feb. 27: |
Build a toy
using the laser cutter. The toy needs to be 3
dimensional and have a moving part in it. It should
be strong enough to be played with. |
Car (with
rotating wheel)
Bike (with rotating wheel)
A rocking chair |
|
|
Build a prototype of the device of your choice using the
3D printer. The prototype must have at least 2
half-shells that fit together. |
New digital book reader
New digital communicator |
|
Mar. 13: |
Using your
PIC evaluation board, create a simple toy which uses
the I/O port to sense user interactions and react to
them. Feedback can be provided through LED, coil, or
motor... |
LED display
Morse communication
Fan controller |
|
Mar. 27: |
Use the A/D converter to create the device of
your choice. |
Range sensing
Sound recorder
Tangible sound panel |
|
Apr. 3: |
Illustrate how interrupts and timers can be used
to build low power consumption user interface
devices. |
Capacitive sensor
Key pad
Quadrature encoder |
|
Apr. 10: |
Build a
device using either the I2C or the SPI bus. |
Tone generator
Function generator
I2C memory
Between board communications |
|
Apr. 26: |
Illustrate
the use of PWM to control electromechanical devices
(servo, coil, motors...). The device should sense to
user interactions and react to them. Please note
that the PWM module of our PIC cannot be used to
drive a servo (as the signal frequency will be too
fast), but this can be done easily with a timer. A
description of how to control a servo can be found
here. |
A clock
Variable speed motor control
Simple robotic arm
Animated puppet |
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