Labs

SES # TOPICS LABS
1

Class overview

Introduction to engineering and the design process, engineering drawing, sketching, back of the envelope calculations

Introduction to the OETL (PDF)

Solid Works tutorial

Machine shop skills and safety (PDF)
2

Basic design analysis

Free body diagrams, Newton's laws

  
3

Electronics and water: two great tastes that don't taste so great together…

Exploration with instrumentation

Light banks (PDF) (Courtesy of Kate Thompson. Used with permission.)

Electronics Assembly (PDF) (Courtesy of Kate Thompson. Used with permission.)

Solid Works tutorials/parts library
4 Hydrostatics, pressure and water proofing  
5 Holiday - no lecture

Instrumentation panels introduction and construction (PDF)

Information on sensors (PDF)
6 Design brainstorming, project ideas, Solidworks repository development  
7

Motors and electronics

Guest lecturer: Prof. Steve Leeb, MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Waterproof sensors/lights

Design brainstorming
8

Design analysis, error estimation, data presentation

Propulsion: power vs. thrust and efficiency

  
9 Engineering ethics and using your best judgment

Motor building and testing

Team development and brainstorming
10

Communicating engineering design

Promoting your ideas/inventions

  
11

Exploration on the Moon: mission planning for EVA and geology, part 1

Guest lecturer: Prof. Dava Newman, MIT Aeronautics & Astronautics

Testing sensors in lab

Design analysis

Brainstorming!
12

Exploration adventure part 2

Guest lecturer: Prof. Dava Newman, MIT Aeronautics & Astronautics

  
13 Student presentations: in-class design review

Build

Revise analysis

Parts list submission
14 Design iterations, recalculations  
15 Cool robots and bomb disposal

Build, build, build!
16 Bio-Robots, Gecko feet, and cool stuff!  
17 Engineering and society

Dunk-test vehicle (Pool)
Photos

Complete electronics
18 Guest lecture  
19 Pool testing at the Z-Center

Troubleshoot

Data analysis from dunk test (Pool) and/or field test at Sailing pavilion (River)
20 Engineering at MIT: things to think about... choice of majors  
21 No class, optional Boston Harbor Day trip + lunch

Off site testing (River)
Photos
22 Guest lecturer: Prof. Steve Dubowsky, MIT Mechanical Engineering, mobile robots  
23 Guest lecturer: Prof. Sangbae Kim, MIT Mechanical Engineering, bioinspired design

Off site testing (TBA)
24 Engineering after MIT: things to think about... grad school, consulting, FE exam, professional engineers certification, internships  
25 Guest lecturer: Dr. Sheri White, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, underwater exploration

Further data analysis (PDF)

Design review poster preparation
26 Guest lecturer: Prof. Jeff Hoffman, MIT Aeronautics & Astronautics, aerospace engineering design  
27 Final student poster presentations  
28 Lab clean up, evaluations  

Pool Testing Photos

Two students posing with a cube-framed robot at the edge of the pool. Two students with their robot and coiled-up tether. Two students whose robot has a sloping top. One student uses a control pad to drive the robot around the pool. The video from the robot's camera is displayed on a CRT. Students use pliers and wire to fix their robot.

River Testing Photos

A sphere-bodied robot with a propeller hovers near the river surface. With one propeller at the end of each arm, the robot drives point-first through the water. The typical cubic frame is augmented with wings for added stability. Students on the dock maneuver their robots around, make adjustments before launch, and watch each others' progress. Four PVC pipe buoys are attached to this robot's frame. The hollow buoys are placed across from each other on two sides of the frame; 2 foam blocks add extra flotation on two other opposing sides. The multi-stranded tether coils up on the dock as a student hauls in the robot. A student repairs electronics stored inside a PVC buoy. A student attaches the PVC buoy to the robot with a metal hose clamp. The robot zigzags and turns around at the river surface. A student watches intently while steering their robot down to the river bottom.

Video


(AVI - 24MB)