Instructor Name: Mark Allen
Email: electronics@markallen.com
Office Hours: tuesdays by appointment
Course Description: 147B is an introduction to digital electronics and working with microcontrollers. This class will be primarily concerned with programming and implementing the Basic Stamp 2 microcontroller manufactured by parallaxinc.com.
Course Prerequisites: 147A (or equivalent electronics knowledge). Portfolio review.
Textbooks: After years of looking for a good text book for this class, I'm very happy to have made the acquaintance of Physical Computing, by Dan O' Sullivan and Tom Igoe. It's in the bookstore, go buy it.
Online documentation for the basic stamp is available at www.parallaxinc.com
I also recommend The Microcontroller Application Cookbook, by Matt Gilliland. This book is available at the bookstore or can be ordered online.
Support: Help outside of class can be arranged for my office hours. Please email me in advance for scheduling. Questions of a non-technical nature (grades, attendance, fashion advice) will be answered via email. Technical questions should be directed to the class forum. The forum is a bulletin board for posting and discussing technical issues and getting help with the homework assignments. Please post freely - asking and answering questions here will count towards your class participation. I will monitor the boards and answer questions if needed on a regular basis.
Equipment (parts): Every student is required to buy a basic stamp microcontroller board and parts kit for this class for $100. Additional costs for the final project will vary depending on individual needs, but expect to spend $50-$200 dollars each. Bring a check made out to UCSD Regents for the amount of $100 to the second class meeting.
Equipment (computer): Do you have a computer? Good. While it's possible to use the less than stellar computer in the lab, your life is going to be a lot easier if you have a laptop. Bring it to class. If your computer is lacking a serial port (which is quite likely if it's less than three years old) you'll need to purchase a usb to serial adaptor. Please purchase the FTDI US232B USB to Serial Adapter available from Parallax, as it has been tested and will work on pc or macintosh. If you are blessed with a serial port please purchase a male to female serial cable.
Software: Please download and install the basic stamp software.
Weekly Outline:
Week one - introduction and overview. Lecture
Notes. Read chapters 4 and 5 in Physical Computing.
Week two - digital output+digital input. Lecture
Notes. Read chapter 6 in Physical Computing
week three - analog input, more output. Lecture
Notes. Read chapter 9 in Physical Computing
week four - sensors
week five - analog output
week six - serial data
week seven - Final project outline due.
week eight -advanced demos, work on final projects
week nine - advanced demos, work on final projects. Work in progress critique
of final projects.
week ten - present final projects.
Grading:
Your grade will be primarily determined through three factors - class involvement,
homework and the final project.
Class: Class attendance and participation is mandatory. If you need to miss class please inform me as soon as possible. Any students missing more than two classes will not receive credit for the class. Students are expected to bring outside research and experimentation to the class discussion and will be graded accordingly. Class involvement and attendance will be 30% of your grade.
Homework: There will be four homework assignments, each worth 5% of your grade. Late homework will not be accepted.
Project: Each student will be expected to finish a cool, ambitious, working final project. A written outline of the final project will be due at the beginning of the class week seven. A work in progress version of the final project will be presented during class week nine. Final projects will be presented during class ten. No final projects will be accepted after week ten.
Quizzes: It is possible that I may implement some quizzes during the quarter. These are meant merely to frighten and irritate; consequentially they will not have a significant effect on your grade. There is no final exam, nor we will be meeting during finals week.
Let's do the numbers…
Class 30%
Homework 20%
Final project 50%
Total 100%
Incomplete Policy: Incompletes will be given only in the
case of medical leave or other extraordinary circumstances. Any request for
an incomplete will require documentation in the form of doctors note, etc.
Requests for incompletes must be made before the last day of class.
