5-Jan-09—5:18 PM Introduction

EGN
1935 EGN 1935: ECE (Ad)Ventures

Welcome to
EGN-1935: Electrical & Computer
Engineering (Ad)Ventures
• This is the first Educational Technology
Class in UF’s ECE Department
• We are Dr. Schwartz and Dr. Arroyo.

University of Florida, EGN 1935 – File 00

© Drs. A. A. Arroyo & E. M. Schwartz 1

EGN
1935 EGN 1935: ECE (Ad)Ventures
Class 1 — Tu, 06Jan09
• Web site:
> http://mil.ufl.edu/1935/
> Handouts:
– www: Syllabus
– www: MIT 6.270 Book
• Next Week:
> Lecture on Tu, 13 Jan, in NZH 112
• Today:
> Lecture 0: Introduction, slides 1-…
> Show & Tell: TJ

University of Florida, EGN 1935 – File 00

© Drs. A. A. Arroyo & E. M. Schwartz 2

University of Florida, EEL 3701 – File 00

© Drs. Schwartz & Arroyo 1
5-Jan-09—5:18 PM Introduction

EGN
1935 EGN 1935: ECE (Ad)Ventures
Who are we?
• Let us tell you about Dr. Schwartz & Dr. Arroyo

University of Florida, EGN 1935 – File 00

© Drs. A. A. Arroyo & E. M. Schwartz 3

EGN
1935 EGN 1935: ECE (Ad)Ventures
Menu Look into my ...

• Instructor’s Philosophy
• Course Philosophy
• Course Introduction and Procedures
> Syllabus
• Our web-site: http://mil.ufl.edu/1935/
• Overview

See web-site: syl_s09.pdf,

schedule.pdf
University of Florida, EGN 1935 – File 00
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University of Florida, EEL 3701 – File 00

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EGN
1935 EGN 1935: ECE (Ad)Ventures
Philosophy and Syllabus
• Instructor’s Philosophy
• Course Philosophy
• Course Introduction

syl_s09.pdf

• Class notes (and updates) available on web (for

limited time)
• Web tour

University of Florida, EGN 1935 – File 00

© Drs. A. A. Arroyo & E. M. Schwartz 5

EGN
1935 EGN 1935: ECE (Ad)Ventures
Teaching Assistants (TAs)

Thomas Vermeer

University of Florida, EGN 1935 – File 00

© Drs. A. A. Arroyo & E. M. Schwartz 6

University of Florida, EEL 3701 – File 00

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EGN
1935 EGN 1935: ECE (Ad)Ventures
Where does EGN 1935 fit in?
• Designed to be your first hands-on exposure to
electrical, computer and mechanical engineering
>You will design, test and construct robotic circuits
– You will learn about sensors and robots
– You will learn how to interface sensors to a robot
– You will program and control a robot
– You will (almost) build a robot from scratch
>You will design the basic components of a
autonomous mobile robot and in the process learn a
lot about the disciplines in electrical, computer and
mechanical engineering (often called mechatronics)
University of Florida, EGN 1935 – File 00
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EGN
1935 EGN 1935: ECE (Ad)Ventures
ECE Adventures Philosophy
• This course is different from almost every course you have ever had or
heard of before.
• You will be practically building a robotic system to learn about the
practice, technique, and theory behind all of electrical, computer and
mechanical engineering as these disciplines interact in the field of
autonomous mobile robotics.
• For our purposes a robotic system is a device that can measure its own
state and take actions based on it.
• You will learn not only about robots, but also about technological
systems of all kinds—electrical, mechanical, and computational.
• More important, you become engaged in engineering design and
problem solving (in the lab component of the class) as you work on
activities and projects inspired by your own design.
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University of Florida, EEL 3701 – File 00

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EGN
1935 EGN 1935: ECE (Ad)Ventures
ECE Adventures Philosophy
• This course uses a more sophisticated set of “toys”
(mobile robots are like toys in the sense that they are fun
to work and interact with, but you can call it a new
educational technology if you like) that is specifically
designed to lead students into thought-provoking and
challenging engineering situations.
• In other words, while the set of tools you will be using in
this course will ultimately result in you nearly building an
autonomous mobile robot, the real work is in your hands,
thinking hard about issues and problems as you progress
through the semester.
University of Florida, EGN 1935 – File 00
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EGN
1935 EGN 1935: ECE (Ad)Ventures
ECE Adventures Philosophy
• This course is part tutorial, part project guide, part
reference, part philosophy, and part theory.
• You will nearly design and build a mobile robot, but,
more important, you will learn about engineering design
and the process of invention because, although all the
pieces are presented in class and lab, it is up to you to
utilize and put them together in original ways.

University of Florida, EGN 1935 – File 00

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University of Florida, EEL 3701 – File 00

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EGN
1935 EGN 1935: ECE (Ad)Ventures

Lets Play!
University of Florida, EGN 1935 – File 00
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University of Florida, EEL 3701 – File 00

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