Programming Projects

Request for Proposals

Each team will have a different project, but based on common technologies.  Students are encouraged to collaborate on these common technologies and make in-class presentations when they find a solution that will benefit other groups. 

All code must be credited with the original author.

It is recommended that the project be coded in either Java, or C, but any computer language can be used.

The following are requirements common to all projects:

Following a brief description of each project are a list of requirements. Requirements are  listed in order of importance to the customer. 

Projects Selected - Winter 2005

  • Sorting Marbles in a box by Color

  • Shooting Marbles

  • Robotic Climbing Hand-over-Hand up Pegs


All New Projects for Spring 2005

We have these special projects thought up by
former students just for your edification

  • Play Dominos with a Robotic Arm

  • Sort marbles into two bins.

  • Bounce a Ball on a Paddle (see
    Sensor Driven Dexterous Manipulation )

  • Track a red and blue ball in 3-D and play
    back animation.

  • Drive a car in a video game using hand motion

  • Drive a radio control car through a maze using
    motors to move the joy sticks of the remote
    control.

  • Push a checker through a maze with a robotic arm.


Sorting Marbles in a box by Color

Using a autonomously controlled arm sort two kinds of marbles that are randomly placed in a 12-inch square box. There should be at least 15 marbles in the box. The Sorter should verbally announce the following:

Shooting Marbles

Automatically knock marbles off the table using a marble "shooter". The shooter should automatically aim and shot the ball without human intervention. Use at the most ten marbles to knock 5 balls off the table. Must give verbal feedback on:

OR

Robotic Pong

Have five cups on the table filled with your favorite beverage. Take less than 10 shots to get one ping pong ball into each cup.

Have your robot take a drink after each successful pong. Give verbal feedback similar to above.

Robotic Climbing Hand-over-Hand up Pegs

Automate the climbing of a small robot up a wall using a series of pegs. Must do at least six moves without falling. Must give verbal feedback on:


The projects are from Winter 2003


Wall Clock Reader

Determines the time of day by analyzing the video of a wall clock.

The team shall develop a system that 

Alarm Clock Reader  

Determines the time of day by analyzing the video of a digital alarm clock.

The team shall develop a system that 

Backgammon Board Reader

Using a computer vision system read a Backgammon board and give a auditory description of the last move. 

The team shall develop a system that 

Dice Reader

Using a computer vision system read the dice thrown in a backgammon game.

The team shall develop a system that 

Head Tracker

Using a computer vision system track the orientation of the head of a person that is playing a video game. Use the head movement to change the view of a scene in the video game and give voice feed back on which way you are looking.

The team shall develop a system that 

Sign Translator

Prototype a system for reading and translating signs for sight-impaired and hearing-impaired individuals who are either moving in a building or on the street.

The team shall develop a vision-based system that 

The system shall support 

The team shall demonstrate the system using