Professor: Jim Hendler
Office: 3138 AVW
Email: hendler@cs.umd.edu
Office Hours: TBD
TA: Evren Sirin
Office: 1151 AVW
Email: evren@cs.umd.edu
Office Hours: M 12:00-1:00 PM; W 2:00-3:00PM
Text:
R. Murphy, An Introduction to AI Robotics, available from
MIT PRESS
Amazon.com
BarnesandNoble.com
and other fine bookstores.
This course will be an overview of robotics from a programming perspective. We will cover roughly the following:
The course will be punctuated with special events and guest lectures, so pay attention to scheduling!
There will be three major projects this term. These will not be specified as precisely as most of you are used to: you will need to do more than simply come up with the appropriate outputs for some set of inputs. I will assume an ability to program in C++ and Java. The three projects will be:
The Final Project will be either a paper or independent project of your choice or a robot-building project using Lego(TM). Details will be worked out. There will be a limited number of robotics kits available (and you'll be responsible for finding your own personal computer to use with them and to learn how to use them), so you will seriously want to consider one of the other options (you have been warned).
Projects will be due on Tuesdays, with a 1/2 grade decrement for one class late and a further full grade decrement for two classes late. That is, a project worth a B on Tuesday is worth B- on Thursday and C- the following Tuesday. No project will be accepted after that. The TA will not be allowed to give extensions or any other sort of breaks - you will need to negotiate those with the professor (who is not known for being nice about unexcused latenesses).
There will be exams. I currently anticipate a take-home midterm and an in-class final, but may change my mind about the midterm depending on how the class goes (more overall participation in class will lead to lessening chance of killer in-class midterm).
According to the official (revised) schedule of examinations, the final exam date will be Wednesday, May 22 from 10:30 am-12:30 pm.
There will be grades. Final grades will be based on: