Final Project Proposals and Goals

Today

  • Overview: What’s Ahead
  • Work on Project Proposals

For Next Time

Overview: What’s Ahead

Welcome to Day 20 in CompRobo! As part of planning out your final projects, here is an overview of what you can expect over these last class sessions together:

  • Class Sessions –
    • At least once a week, we will have a 20-30 minute broader impacts discussion continuing on themes related to human-robot interaction
    • Based on your final proposals, optional technical mini-lectures on related topics will be available for participation (topics will be announced next week once proposals are in and reviewed)
    • All remaining time will be in Studio
  • Final Project –
    • Two informal check-ins on Nov 20th (1 week from today) and Dec 4th (Thursday after Thanksgiving Break)
      • Formal milestone deliverables will be on 11/23 and 12/08
    • All materials will be due the evening of the Final Event Period on Dec 16th 12-3PM
      • Note that due to the timing of our final event, there isn’t going to be a ton of wiggle for late submissions
    • The Final Event period will include demonstrations from you all, a reflection on the semester + feedback period, and a celebration
  • Broader Impacts Part III –
    • The last part of your independent Broader Impacts project will be due Dec 12th.
  • Grades –
    • Detailed feedback is forthcoming on your projects; otherwise everything else is essentially up to date. As feedback comes in, if you have any concerns (or if we have any concerns), let’s plan to meet 1-on-1 to discuss.
    • You will be assigning your own grade for the YOGA assignment by the Final Event.

Project Ideation and Proposals

Take a look at the final project assignment document – today we’ll be forming teams, brainstorming project ideas, and starting your project proposals.

  • The project teams can be up to 5 folks for this assignment
  • There will be 7 class periods dedicated for this project (excluding this one) – 3.5 in-class weeks + Thanksgiving week + the “final events” week
    • All the final materials for this project will be due December 16th at 7PM which is evening of the day of our final event.
    • Beyond the typical demo + code + write-up, you are also asked to create a project portfolio website and prepare two milestone check-ins for this project
  • You are welcome to explore any topic(s) of interest for this project, building on your previous projects or projects in other classes (if building on projects from other classes, do be clear about this in your proposal)
  • The project should very much focus on a robotic system – while I won’t require integration with the Neatos specifically, use of datasets generated from real-platforms or use of other robots is highly encouraged.
    • An implication on this requirement is that most projects will be written as ROS packages.

Process:

  • [5 min] Read through the final project assignment document and individually review your learning goals for the class and for this project. Consider – how much time can you put into this project, in balance with your other projects? What are key skills you want to practice during this project?
  • [10 min] Create a sticky-note for each topic/theme you’d like to explore in this project. Consider:
    • Is there a particular robotic system you’d like to investigate?
    • Is there a particular class of algorithm you’d like to learn about?
    • Is there a particular algorithm you’d like to implement or dataset you’d like to use?
  • [10 min] Gather with 3 other folks and sort your sticky-notes into clusters on a white board – label your clusters with themes of interest
  • [5 min] Gallery walk the room and look at the affinity clusters that are being developed; what looks interesting to you?
  • [8 min] Choose a theme that interests you and go to it in the room; with the other folks in that area, discuss your learning goals and ideas you have related to that theme
    • You’re not committing to anything yet! This is about exploring some areas and project ideas of interest
  • [8 min] Pick another theme and go to it; repeat your discussions
    • You’re not committing to anything yet! This is about exploring some areas and project ideas of interest
  • [5 min] Let’s take a break; take a few minutes to quietly generate a few thoughts or responses based on your conversations so far; grab some water; and come back for team formation and proposal work-time.
  • [Last N minutes] Team up and work on your proposals!