Control Systems/ Software Training Curriculum

Guiding Principles

• Students hate lecture style teaching. Better to be hands on.
• Wide variety of skill levels. Take care not to cater to any one particular level.
• Not all students go to all sessions (due to family conflicts, etc).
• Make sure to coordinate with Software Leads.

General Student Skill Set

• Robocode
  • Software fundamentals.
  • Java Programming Basics
  • Computer focused.
  • Individual Challenges/ Competition
• Minibots
  • Basic bot usage and control with java.
  • Sensor, Drive manipulation with java.
  • Small Team challenges
• Midbots (Peanut, etc)
  • Roborio
• Safety
• Software Development Practices (CM, Design ,etc)
  • Git
  • Testing
  • Basic Design
  • Problem Solving/ Debugging
  • Teambuilding

There are three technical skill levels that build on their predecessors. Not all students start at level one.

Skill Level 1: Students new or beginners at Java programming (​Robocode)

• Compile in Java
• Eclipse
• For while loops,if statements, functions.
• Supplement with online training resources (on student's own time)
• Zhaozhou running point on this task.
• Action: Talk to dev lead, identify key constructs, create a few exercises on Robocode. See something working, change it, create something new.
  • Set up robocode environment.
  • Show idea/walk them through it.
  • Have them make changes.
  • Custom activity/challenge.

Skill Level 2: Familiar with simple programming, no embedded/io/robot experience (Minibots)

• Bots are fully built up front with OS installed. A bit of risk given timeline.
• Equipment Familiarization
• Basic IO manipulation with Java
• Drive manipulation/autonomous without sensors
• Sensor manipulation
• Integration Challenges
• Chris D running point (Alan helping).
• Action: Build minibot. Come up with exercises like above.

Skill Level 3: Familiar with embedded java/simple robots (Midbots/RoboRIO/WPILib)

• RoboRIO
• FRCSim
• WPILib
• Alan running point
• Action: Get simulator running, figure out what there is to learn.

Safety

• All students take safety class.

Software Development

• All students take software dev class
• Student to teach git
• Block diagrams flow charting
• OOA&D
• Teambuilding
• Problem Solving/ Broken Code (Fix some code?)

Sensor Deep-Dive

• Ardinuo stuff?