PCC  IntraTech    

Computer  Science  –  Engineering  –  Industrial  Technology    

Cross-­‐func<onal  STEM  Experimental  Course      

Summer  2012    

17  Feb  2012  

PCC’s  CET  and  Transfer  programs  address  the  need  for  these  combined  skills  requiring  a  mix  of  technical  coursework  and  humani<es.          HOWEVER…  Modern  workforce  jobs  also  require  employees  to  engage  in  cross-­‐func<onal  technical  teams  to  realize  complex  products.  Today,  engineering  design,  computer  programming,  and  prototype  fabrica<on  are  all  essen<al  employee  skills.    

Technology  Jobs                            Technical  Skills                            People  Skills  

=   +  

What  is  PCC  IntraTech?      

In  response  to  the  observed  gap  between  industry  needs  and  current  program  offerings,  PCC  IntraTech  is  being  launched  as  an  explora<on  into  the  possibili<es  of  integrated  technical  learning.  

=  

In  order  to  collabora<vely  engage  engineering,  computer  science,  and  industrial  technology  students  and  faculty,  we  needed  to  come  up  with  a  concept  project–  one  that  would  be  fun,  challenging,  and  impressive.    Yet  more  importantly,  this  project’s  intent  is  to  flush  out  the  details  necessary  to  establish  a  long-­‐term  working  rela<onship  between  these  departments,  hence  the  name  PCC  IntraTech.        A\er  considering  several  project  op<ons,  we  struck  on  the  idea  of  inven<ng  and  building  a  cu]ng  edge  telepresence  robot;  one  which  will  (at  least  hypothe<cally)  enable  remote  students  to  par<cipate  in  on-­‐  campus  classroom  ac<vi<es.        The  code  name  of  our  project  robot  is  iVatar:  internet-controllable avatar  iVatar’s  basic  func<onality  can  be  seen  in  the  video  below  created  by  Johnny  Chung  Lee,  a  Google  engineer/futurist  who  built  this  low-­‐cost  robot  to  keep  in  touch  with  his  family  in  Seaele  while  he  worked  in  Silicon  Valley.      

iVatar’s  stretch  goal  func<onali<es  include:      • Robo<c  manipula<on  arm  

• Onboard  screen  projec<on  system  

• Full-­‐rota<on  auxiliary  camera  

 • Autonomous  naviga<on    

     PCC  IntraTech  Plan      

Ø  I    Planning–  Winter  2012    q  Ascertain  Project  Funding  q  Select  demonstra<on  project  q  Assemble  project  team  q  Order  materials  and  demonstrate  proof-­‐of-­‐concept  q  Generate  department  faculty  and  student  interest  q  Explore  op<ons  for  course  logis<cs  including  CCOG  dra\  q  List  op<ons  for  long-­‐term  PCC  IntraTech  ac<vi<es  q  Obtain  finalized  project  sponsor  approval    

                                                   Ø  I  Status  Update  2-­‐18-­‐2012      

       

Ø  II    Prototyping–  Spring  2012    q  Document  Summer  2012  course  syllabus  q  Document  iVatar  project  specifica<ons  q  Iden<fy  possible  compe<<on  events  q  Request  Advisory  Board  feedback  (where  applicable)  q  Select  student  volunteers  &  complete  beta  build  q  Procure  all  project  material  q  Iden<fy  auxiliary  student  reading  requirements  q  Finalize  course  loca<on  and  instructor(s)  q  Adver<se  course  offering  to  aeract  enrollment      

Ø  III  Execu?ng–  Summer  2012    q  Build  iVatars  q  Publish  results  q  Complete  course  logis<cs  (eg  grade  submieals)  q  Hold  compe<<ons  q  Demonstrate  results  to  PCC  administra<on  q  Collect  student  feedback  q  Assemble  faculty  notes  and  recommenda<ons  

Ø  IV    Assessing–  Fall  2012    q  Analize  student  and  faculty  feedback  q  Generate  long-­‐term  plan  (IntraTech  Cer<ficate?)  q  Request  future  funding    

Ø  I  Status  Update      2-­‐17-­‐12     ü  Select  demonstra<on  project  

iVatar  has  been  selected  as  our  telepresence  class  project.    A  second  robot,  eVatar  is  being  considered  as  a  companion  robot  and  together  they  will  evolve  into  fully  func<onal  telepresence  robots  with  added  features  as  <me  and  skills  permit.  

 ü  Assemble  project  team  

 Sponsors  Dieterich  Steinmetz  –  Science  and  Engineering  Charmagne  Ehrenhaus    –  Computer  Science    Dan  Findley    –  Industrial  Technology  

Faculty  Leads  Gregg  Meyer  –  Engineering  (  Project  Manager)  Li  Ling    –  Computer  Science  Pat  Kra\    –  Industrial  Technology            

ü  Order  materials  

The  following  items  have  been  ordered  and  received:    

•  iCreate  robot  plakorm  from  Turtlebot  (1  base-­‐only  and  1  full  kit  with  computer)  

•  Robo<c  Arm  to  aeach  to  iVatar’s  torso  •  Kinects  X-­‐box  vision  system  •  Foscam  IP  Camera  

   

Ø  I  Status  Update      2-­‐17-­‐12  (cont.)  q Demonstrate  Proof-­‐of-­‐Concept  

Faculty  leads  are  in  the  process  of  unboxing,  assembling,  and  striving  towards  basic  func<onality  of  subsystem.  

 q Generate  Department  Faculty  and  Student  Interest  

 Just  beginning  to  happen  now.    More  will  follow  as  we  get  hardware  and  so\ware  opera<onal  and  have  “show  and  tell”  material  (~  Mar  1st)  

q Explore  Op<ons  for  Course  Logis<cs  

Not  started    

q Create  List  of  Ideas  for  Long-­‐term  PCC  IntraTech  Educa<on  

How  can  we  maintain  our  momentum?  •  Look  for  exis<ng  intra-­‐department  programs  within  the  

community  college  network    •  Is  an  IntraTech  cer<ficate  viable?    We  could  require  

students  to  complete  introductory  classes  in  CS,  ENGR,  and  MC,  then  finish  the  cer<ficate  with  a  capstone  class  similar  to  what  we’ll  offer  this  summer.  

•  Could  we  create  guest  lectures  where  an  ENGR  faculty  member  tailors  two  2  hour  sessions  aimed  at  Industrial  Technology  students  and  CS  students?    (plus  reciprocal  arrangements  from  other  faculty)  

 q Obtain  Finalized  Project  Sponsor  Approval  

 End  of  Winter  Term