Bachelor Summer Program 2017
Introduction to Physical Computing
“Physical Computing: Sensing and controlling the Physical world with computers” (T.Igoe, Tisch NYU).
This is a recent movement requiring skills on Electronics, Computing, Data Processing, Physics and
even Design concept. The goal of Physical Computing is to create new devices in interaction with the
real world.
In this summer course, this concept of Physical Computing will be introduced and students will be
taught the theoretical & practical aspects of it.
This course is built around a large project that has to be chosen in a list (or possibly proposed by the
student and discussed with teachers); an example could be the development of an autonomous
mobile robot, able to move thanks to different sensors installed on it and regarding several rules.
This module is split in 3 different topics: Fablab, Electronics course and Practical. Those are detailed
in the following Syllabus.
Courses Duration Description
Welcome 2h General presentation of the module:
Definition of the goals
Presentation of the teaching team
Presentation of the different tools used by students
Fablab 14h Design of the project with dedicated software
Fabrication in a FabLab environment (free access of
equipment such as 3D printer, Laser cut, etc.)
Electronics 16h 1) Introduction Physical Computing
* Definition, Principles and Examples
* Presentation of Arduino Project in brief
- Arduino Board, Environment
- Arduino Language
* Practical: First Arduino Board Use
2) Components of Physical Computing
* Microcontroller in brief
* Sensors and Actuators
* Arduino Language:
- Variable, Control Structure
- I/O Operations
* Practical: Second Arduino Board Use
3) Communication: Computer - Arduino
* Serial, Bluetooth
* Language for Computer: Processing
* Practical: Advanced circuits
4) Advances Sensors and Actuators
* ultrasonic telemetry
* Motors : Servomotor, DC Motor (H Bridge), Stepper Motor
* Practical: Advanced circuits
References:
* Tom Igoe, Making Things Talk: Practical Methods for
Connecting Physical
Objects, Make; 1 edition (September 28, 2007), ISBN-10:
0596510519 (source of
examples). Second Edition, Released: August 2011 (est.) ISBN-
10: 1449392431,
ISBN-13: 978-1449392437,
http://oreilly.com/catalog/0636920010920
* Joshua Noble, Programming Interactivity: A Designer's Guide to
Processing,
Arduino, and OpenFrameworks, O'Reilly Media, July 2009
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_computing.
Practical 20h Presentation of the Electronic lab, quick remind
on basics in practical electronics, how to use the
tools, etc…
First development of the project
Sensor installation and communication with
Arduino Board.
Driving of actuators
Test with basic functionality (for example, a robot
should be able to follow a black line).
Increase of the complexity
Final show/presentation in front of the BSP Staff
and Students from other Modules.
Companies visits Visits of high tech companies of the Grenoble Area such as
STMicroelectronics, Orange Lab, Biopolis (biotech
companies incubator) but also some R&D National Center
such as CEA, CIME, etc.
Grades:
Electronics: coefficient 2
Project demonstration and discussion: coefficient 4
Industry visits report: coefficient 1
