Wearable Robotics: Electronic fashion for Mardi Gras
TIDE (184), Fall 2009

Day and time: TBA
Professor Harry Howard
Office hours: TBA & by appointment
322D Newcomb Hall

862-3417
www.tulane.edu/~howard/TIDE184/

Objectives

TIDE 184 teaches the basic principles of electronics and computer programming using the Arduino open-source electronics prototyping platform with the goal for you to design and build an electronic costume for Carnival (or Halloween or whatever). No previous knowledge of electronics or computer programming is necessary for you to enroll in the course; all of the necessary concepts will be introduced and practiced in class as you build your costume. Although these concepts may seem geeky and forbidding, they are actually quite easy to master with the right presentation and motivation. The mode of presentation is the Arduino platform, which is  based on flexible, inexpensive, easy-to-use hardware and software, intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments. The motivation comes from you designing a costume that will blow away your friends and on-lookers during Carnival.  To keep you focused on this goal, the final class will be a fashion show in which you or a suitable model displays your costume while you narrate what it incorporates and how it works. Though this aspect of the course may seem trivial, wearable computing is an active topic of research, with areas of study including user interface design, augmented reality, electronic textiles, fashion design, and the use of wearables for specific medical and military applications. If you are interested in pursuing these or related topics, you will be encouraged to participate in Prof. Howard’s Sociocognitive Robotics Lab when the course is over. Note that, to get you started, Prof. Howard will assemble an appropriate Arduino kit. There will therefore be an obligatory course fee to cover this expense of $150 [approximately – I don’t know exactly how much yet], payable on the second day of class. You also should have a laptop (Mac, Linux, or Windows) that you can bring to class that can run the Arduino software.

Outcomes

For you to demonstrate your attainment of the objectives of the course, you will perform the following tasks:

  1. Class participation: Because the course only meets once a week, you are expected to attend every session and to come to class prepared to complete the daily assignment. (10%)
  2. Weekly milestones. There will be 4 assignments to be checked in class. (4 x 10% = 40%)
  3. Final project. On the last day of the course you or a suitable model will display your costume while you narrate what it incorporates and how it works. (50%)

Code of Academic Integrity

“The integrity of Newcomb-Tulane College is based on the absolute honesty of the entire community in all academic endeavors. As part of the Tulane University community, students have certain responsibilities regarding work that forms the basis for the evaluation of their academic achievement. Students are expected to be familiar with these responsibilities at all times. No member of the university community should tolerate any form of academic dishonesty, because the scholarly community of the university depends on the willingness of both instructors and students to uphold the Code of Academic Conduct. When a violation of the Code of Academic Conduct is observed it is the duty of every member of the academic community who has evidence of the violation to take action. Students should take steps to uphold the code by reporting any suspected offense to the instructor or the associate dean of the college. Students should under no circumstances tolerate any form of academic dishonesty.” For further information, point your browser at http://college.tulane.edu/honorcode.htm.

Violations of the Academic Honor Code will not be tolerated in this class. I will rigorously investigate and pursue any such transgression.

Students with disabilities who need academic accommodation should:

Fall 2009 Schedule

Date Day
Topic
 ppt
Sept ?
Day 1
Introduction to the course; Open the package and check out the Arduino boards; How to connect a board to your computer
Sept ?
Day 2
Basic programming in C: the LilyPad
 
Sept ?
Day 3
Finish the LilyPad project
 
Sept ?
Day 4
Blinkie: Sketches, variables, procedures and hacking code
 
Oct ?
Day 5
Breadboards, resistors and LEDs, schematics, and basic RGB color-mixing
 
Oct ?
Day 6
The serial library and binary data - getting chatty with Arduino and crunching numbers
 
Oct ?
Day 7
The serial library and binary data - getting chatty with Arduino and crunching numbers, 2
 
Oct ?
Day 8
Buttons & switches, digital inputs, pull-up and pull-down resistors, if/if-else statements, debouncing and your first contract product design
 
    Halloween stress test  
Nov ?
Day 9
Buttons & switches, digital inputs, pull-up and pull-down resistors, if/if-else statements, debouncing and your first contract product design
 
Nov ?
Day 10
Fashion show
 
Go back to Harry Howard's home page
Started 21-Feb-2009; last update 21-Feb-2009. HH