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Course presentation
This course is an advanced course in computer science running over two periods and focusing on the broad, inter-disciplinary field of robotics. The emphasis in DD2419 is on showing how methods are used in practice and how they are integrated into a complete system. It follows up on the course DD2410, which gives a broad introduction to robotics. To keep things manageable and steer the learning in DD2419, the project task is predefined. So you will not be able to define your own project, but you will have loads of fun anyway! You will be working with a mobile robot equipped with an arm, and RGB-D camera and a 2D laser scanner in the project.
The first assignment is an individual assignment ("boot camp"). This aims to make all students familiar with the basic methods and software used in the project and as such enable all to contribute better to the project work later. This also serves as the test for the ability to use ROS which is a requirement for the course. You need to pass the boot camp assignment no later than one week after the last official presentation slot to be allowed to continue the course.
Headings denoted with an asterisk ( * ) is retrieved from the course syllabus version Spring 2021
Content and learning outcomes
Course contents
The main task in the course is to design, implement and evaluate robots to solve certain specific assignments. The work is carried out in groups as a project. The assignments that should be solved are large and complicated enough to put the project groups in situations where one is forced to prioritise and handle limitations, especially in time.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of the course, the student should be able to
implement and integrate software components for robots
solve an assignment in robotics with limited resources
in order to
be able to work with autonomous and other complex systems in research and/or development
improve the skills of planning and carrying out development work in project groups.
Learning activities
This is a project course and so the main learning activity in the course is hands-on project work.
The course starts with an individual assignment, nicknamed the "flight camp". It serves two purposes, demonstrate that the you meet the requirement to take the course (have sufficent knowledge of ROS) and introduces the core components/problems that you will work with in the project.
After this there will be a brief period of work in pairs where the hardware used in the courses is first examined.
The main part of the course, i.e., the project work is what most of the time in the course is spent on. This is carried out in groups of 4-5 students.
The activities that are marked in the schedule are described below. Some of these could arguably be said to be mainly examination activities but they are added here for completeness.
Lesson: The lessons will be given in the beginning of the course as a way to introduce the core tpoics in the course. There will be two types of lessons in the course. In some cases, a scheduled lesson will be either one or the other type, but in some cases they will be mixed.
Lecture: In a lecture a teacher will present material and the student mostly listen. Students are very much encouraged to ask questions as this will make the session more interactive and interesting. A stduent can be passive at a lecture.
Excersice: In an exercise the main ide is to work with a topic in an intellectually more "hands-on" way. Students are expected to be active in an exercise. The work will often be done in small groups. When taking part over a Zoom link, a student's camera is turned on to take part in an exercise.
Presentation: A single or a group of students presents their work for a TA or a TA and the course leader. This happens the first time to pass teh requirement of what is known as flight camp (INL1). Here, these presentations are examination sessions (mainly summative feedback). Presentations with the project group and the TA and teacher will happen regularly along the project and these are formative feedback sessions.
Seminar: The project groups and teachers get together to discussion progress, problems, results, etc together
Examination: At the end of the course each group will meet the teachers and present their results and be examined regarding their fulfillment for some of the ILOs. These sessions provide a mix of formative and summative feedback.
Detailed plan
Learning activities
Content
Individual assignment "Flight camp"
You will learn the basics of the different components / part of the system in a tutorial style assignment using a simulator. It ends with an individual task that you should solve and you need to present your work to a TA and show that you understand. Passing the requirement from the flight camp earns you the right to work with the real hardware and thus participate in the project.
You need to pass the flight camp assignment no later than one week after the last official presentation slot to be allowed to continue the course. The flight camp tests you prior knowledge of ROS and without this knowledge you will not be able to contribute to the work in the group in a fair way.
The flihght camp will be examined in a session that the student will need to sign up for a slot. The student should explain and motive the solution. To pass there should be no question that the solution is understood and that it was developed by the student.
Core topic lecture
Introduces core topics used in the course so that all have a basic understanding of these. These are project management, perception, localization and planning. Given that all should have taken DD2410 the three latter topics should be familiar to all already. Here the focus is on the challenges that arises when one want to use these methods in practice. Project management aspects is discussed along with things like handling git to manage your code base.
Copre topic exercise
There will be one exercise session for each of the core topics perception, localisation and planning. The exact execusion of these will vary from topic to topic, but the aim is to get even closer to the practical use of the methods from the topics to the work in the project.
Progress meetings
The project groups will meet the TA and teacher at regular times during the course to discuss the progress of the work, problems and possible solutions.
Project work in pairs
You will explore the hardware used in the course in pairs to ensure that all of you get close access to the hardware an learns the basics.
Project work in groups of 4-5
The main part of the learning in the course takes place in the project group of 4-5 students.
The main deadlines to adhere to during the work in the course are the following
What
When
Complete "Flight camp"
Fri Jan 28, 17:00
Work in pairs ("MS1")
Tue Feb 8, 17:00
Last chance to present Flight Camp to be allowed to continue the course. A student that is not able to present a complered Flight camp in one of the scheduled time slots (last of these was a week before this deadline) need to arrange for a presentation with one of the TAs. It is the student that drives this.
Fri Feb 11, 16:00
Project milestone "MS2"
Tue Mar 1, 17:00
Project milestone "MS3"
Tue Apr 12, 17:00
Final project deadline (need to hav ereached at least MS3) where the aim is the "MS4" specification.
Fri Apr 29, 17:00
Final progress report reports, individual reflections, etc
Fri May 6, 17:00
In addition to this the project groups need to upload weekly progress reports.
Bachelor degree or similar out of which 45 ECTS in mathematics or information technology.
English level B or equivalent
Specific preparations
We will make heavy use of ROS (ros.org) that you leanred in DD2410. If you feel like you might have forgotten some ot it. Please ensure to go back and brush up your knowldge.
Literature
There will be no course book. It is a project course where the main objective is to put to use what you learned in other course. You are expected to acquire knowledge on your own if you are lacking something.
Equipment
In the project you will work with Crazyflie micro drones which is provided to you.
To do experiments you need access to a laptop where you can run Ubuntu (for spring 2022 it is Ubuntu 18.04, but in general we follow the version that is available in the Ubuntu computer rooms). A set of external SSD disks will be made available so that one can boot from it and get an environment setup for the course. This does not work for Mac laptops.
Software
You will all make use of Ubuntu 18.04 and ROS (ros.org) as a base. Additional software used will depend on your solution in the project.
Support for students with disabilities
Students at KTH with a permanent disability can get support during studies from Funka:
INL1 - Project preparations, 0.5 credits, Grading scale: P, F
INL2 - Project documentation, 1.0 credits, Grading scale: P, F
PRO1 - Project work, 7.5 credits, Grading scale: P, F
Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.
The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.
Passing item INL1 is required before participatíng in the grupprojektarbetet (INL2 and PRO1).
The section below is not retrieved from the course syllabus:
Project preparations ( INL1 )
Project documentation ( INL2 )
Project work ( PRO1 )
Alternatives to missed activities or tasks
This is a project course where one of the ILOs is connected to working in a team. There is therefore very limited alternatives to the activities in the course.
Reporting of exam results
We use Canvas to register/track results in the course. There are three course components in Ladok. The first one, INL1, will be reported roughly after a month assuming that the requirements for it has been met. The last two INL2 and PRO1 will be reported after completing the entire course.
Ethical approach
All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.
