Note: “codebook” entries below are verbatim pasting of all of the code we wrote in class. It’s possible they may not compile (i.e. may have errors) if we left things unresolved, or were writing pseudocode, etc.

Monday, Aug. 24th: Intro

  • Welcome to class!
  • Quick introductions: students in random pairs each answer a few questions about each other:
    1. Their name and pronouns
    2. What they’re studying and what year they’re in
    3. What brings them to this class
    4. Something fun/interesting/exciting/great/awful they did over summer break
  • Review course Canvas site briefly
  • Review main course site (the one you’re reading this on) briefly, going over the various sections listed in the navigation bar on the left
  • Review Gantt chart of major course flow across the semester
  • Quick IDeATe walking tour
  • Phys Comp Lab tour. Room notes:
    • Food and nonwater drink must be consumed in the Zone of Shame and are not allowed at tables
    • Please use all resources within reason!
  • Please use the “Name Coach” feature on Canvas today or tomorrow
  • Strong recommendation: sign up for the university fire extinguisher training which is the hardest part of the process to gain access to IDeATe’s laser cutters. Link to relevant Bioraft (training system) page.
  • Homework 1 assigned, due Wednesday 8/26
  • Handing out beginning of course kit:
    • Arduino Uno R3 with USB cable

Wednesday, Aug. 26th: Diving in

  • Reviewing asynch discussion board homework questions
  • Some eagle-eyed error finders out there! I’ll get back to all of you after class today.
  • Syllabus review (as of this writing, 67% of you have read it carefully, which is decent but not great)
  • Weekly Feedback assignments introduction
  • Previous-semester projects review (this was part of Homework 1)
  • Introducing the ioRef cards and associated resources
    • Lesson on using ioRef cards to diagram data flow through a system
    • Drawing the equivalent diagram using the customized diagrams.net interface, accessible at https://draw.ioref.org
    • Teams discuss and draw assigned devices: microwave, projector, radio-controlled toy car, refrigerator, old-school (wired) telephone
  • Reminder to sign up for a fire extinguisher use training if you haven’t already. (See link in Monday’s Class Log entry.)
  • Homework 2A is due on Monday; Homework 2B is due on Wednesday 9/2 (and you can start working ahead on that if you wish).
  • Handing out course kit. Everybody gets:
    • 1 6 qt. plastic tub with name tag (label your tub!)
    • Inputs
      • 1 CdS (cadmium sulfide) photoresistor (ioRef #0390)
      • 1 HC-SR04 ultrasonic ranger (ioRef #0572)
      • 1 10kΩ potentiometer (ioRef #0390)
      • 1 tactile pushbutton (ioRef #0356)
    • Outputs
      • 3 LEDs (any colors you like)
      • 1 hobby servo motor (ioRef #1896)
    • Connectors
      • 1 medium breadboard (ioRef #2106)
      • ~10 male–male jumper wires, including at least two red and two black ones
    • Electronics components
      • 3 270Ω resistors (ioRef #0019)
      • 1 5.6kΩ (5,600Ω) resistor (ioRef #0043)
      • 1 10kΩ (10,000Ω) resistor (ioRef #0045)

Monday, Aug. 31st: Asynch homework Q&A

  • Aziza has posted a sign-up calendar link for office hours with her (on Canvas)
  • Also, n.b. that Zach is available liberally by appointment for any questions/concerns/etc.
  • Reviewing asynch discussion board homework questions
  • Reading resistor color codes
  • Data types in C
    • bool: true or false
    • int: whole number in range –32,768 to 32,767
    • unsigned int: the same number of values as int, but starting at 0, so: range is 0 to 65,535
    • long: whole number in range approximately –2.1 billion to 2.1 billion
    • unsigned long: the same number of values as long, but starting at 0, so: range is 0 to about 4.3 billion
    • float: “floating point” number, meaning something with a decimal in it like 1.543 or –10493.25, but with limits (a float has 6 or 7 digits of precision, so it wouldn’t store 9872.19886757275 without truncating it). Range is about –3.4 × 1038 to 3.4 × 1038
    • char: short for “character,” things like a, Q, ?, or even 8 (as a character, not the value 8)
    • String: a “string” of characters put together, like "Abracadabra!" she yelled., or q (yes, a String can be just one character long, confusingly), or 735—though it looks like a number, it’s a String so it has no numerical value
    • Read lots more details at this section of the main Arduino reference page
  • Fire extinguisher training reminder:
    • University-wide sessions available through Bioraft
    • IDeATe-specific sessions upcoming, both in Studio B (Hunt 106C):
      • Wednesday 9/2 10:00am
      • Wednesday 9/2 5:00pm
  • Wednesday we’ll introduce the Double Transducer and make your teams for that
  • For now—remainder of class is work time for Homework 2B (if you didn’t already complete it)

Wednesday, Sep. 2nd: Asynch homework wrap-up, Double Transducer assignment

  • Homework 1 grades posted; talk with me individually if you’ve got any questions/concerns
  • Reminder: Weekly Feedback assignents are due every Friday at noon. Submit on time for full credit, <24 hours late for half credit.
  • Reviewing asynchronous homework discussion board questions
  • Introducing “Diary of Sorrows” discussion board
  • Fire extinguisher use reminder: there is an IDeATe-only fire extinguisher training today at 5pm in Studio B (room 106C) on the first floor of Hunt Library. No sign-up needed. Highly recommended if you have not already done your training!
  • Project 1, Double Transducer introduced
    • Demo sample project shown in class
    • Schematic drawing using draw.ioref.org
      • Schematics aren’t the same as functional block diagrams
      • They show every wired connection
      • Use ground and power nets to reduce clutter!
    • Sample software sketch introduced, including:
      • Opening comment block explaining the software’s purpose and including a pin mapping
      • Declaration of global variables
      • Four part loop with named functions:
        1. Read inputs
        2. Make decisions
        3. Drive outputs
        4. Report back to the user
    • Groups introduced (posted as announcement in Canvas)
    • Ideation is due Wednesday Sep. 9th at the start of class

    # Wednesday, Sep, 9th: Double Transducer ideation review

    • I think I’m current in all homework grading
    • IDeATe lasers and 3d printers are currently inaccessible owing to flooding over the weekend. Shouldn’t affect us too terribly, but hopefully things will be back online in a few days.
    • Look-forward:
      • Monday 9/14 is a work day
      • Wednesday 9/16 is a work day
      • Monday 9/21 the project is due for demo in class
    • Great bulk of class is ideation meeting time with Double Transducer teams (each team meets with Zach and Aziza independently)