Daily schedule
• 7:30am – 8:30am: Breakfast
• 8:30am to 10:00am: Session 1
• 10:00am to 10:30: Break
• 10:30am to 12:00: Session 2
• 12:00 – 1:30: Lunch and free time
• 1:30 – 3:00pm: Session 3
• 3:15 – 3:30: Break
• 3:30 – 5:00pm: Session 4
• 5:00 – 7:00pm: Dinner and free time
• 7:00 – 9:00pm: Social activity
• 9:00pm: Bedtime!
Arrival: Sunday
• Students arrive in the afternoon
• After dinner, orientation session about living on campus by mentors. (Venue: Lecture Hall 218)
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Saturday
Day 1: Monday
Goals:
By the end of today, students will know how to:
- Build a wheeled robot using the Lego Mindstorms NXT
- Make the robot drive in a straight line for a specific distance
- Make the robot turn in place for a specific angle
- Make the robot drive along an arc.
Session 1: Welcome and Introduction to CS & Robotics
Venue: Lecture Hall 218
• Welcome, introductions
• Discussion of goals of the program
• Discussion with students about what they think computer science and robotics involve
• Presentation about the exciting world of computer science and robotics
• Demonstration of algorithmic thinking through acting out wolf-sheep-raft story, as well as using a card trick
Session 2: Introduction to the Mindstorms Kits
Venue: Labs 221 & 222
• Teams are given Lego Mindstorm NXT kits
• Teams build their first robot, following instructions
• Teams watch video introducing the NXT kit and programming environment, following along with their robot
Session 3: Ashesi Alumni Panel
Venue: Lecture Hall 218
• Graduates of Ashesi who studied computer science / management information systems discuss their time at Ashesi, and what they have been doing since they graduated.
Session 4: Navigation and movement
Venue: Labs 221 & 222
• Introduction to programming the NXT robot
• Teams write their first program for the robot
• Teams are instructed on how to program robot to move a specified distance and how to turn a specified amount
• Teams program their robot to trace a specified shape/pattern
Day 2: Tuesday
Goals:
By the end of today, students will know how to make the robot
- detect objects using the ultra-sound sensors
- follow a line using a light sensor/color sensor
- detect colored patches on the floor using a color sensor
Session 1: Working with sensors
Venue: Labs 221 & 222
• Introduction to working with sensors on the NXT robot
• Introduction to using the ultrasound sensor to detect obstacles
• Introduction to loops and conditional behavior using sensors
• Introduction to light and color sensors
Session 2: Algorithm & Program Design
Venue: Labs 221 & 222
• Modular program writing (making “blocks” in NXT)
• More about loops and conditional behavior
• Teams program robot to follow a line, and detect colored patches along line
Session 3: Extended picnic lunch & nature walk
Venue: Aburi Botanical Gardens
Session 4: Introduction to the Final Challenge
Venue: Lecture Hall 218, followed by Labs 221 & 222
• Introduce scenario for the final challenge and its two variations
• In teams, brainstorm with mentors about strategies for final challenge and how to put functionality already developed together in a modular fashion
• If time permits, teams can begin developing solutions for version A of the challenge
Day 3: Wednesday
Goals:
By the end of today, students will know how to:
- Build claws/arms for their robot
- Perform version A of the final challenge
Session 1: Grasping
Venue: Labs 221 & 222
• How to build claws/arms for the robot
• How to program robot for grasping
• How to use sensors to know if grasp is empty/full
Session 2: Working towards the Final Challenge
Venue: Labs 221 & 222
• Teams work on building the various modules needed to perform version A of the final challenge (pineapple harvesting via line-following)
Session 3: Industry guest speakers
Venue: Lecture Hall 218
Session 4: Working towards the Final Challenge
Venue: Labs 221 & 222
• Teams continue work on building the various modules needed to perform version A of the final challenge (pineapple harvesting via line-following)
• If time permits, teams can begin work on building the various modules needed to perform version B of the final challenge
Day 4: Thursday
Goals:
By the end of today, students will be able to:
- Navigate around a 3x5 grid, covering every square
- Perform version B of the final challenge
Session 1: Coverage
Venue: Labs 221 & 222
• Introduce the concept of coverage and its importance in various robotics applications
• Teams brainstorm strategy for covering a 3x5 grid
• Teams implement strategy for covering a 3x5 grid
Session 2: Working towards the Final Challenge
Venue: Labs 221 & 222
• Teams work on building the various modules needed to perform version B of the final challenge (pineapple harvesting on a grid)
Session 3: Ashesi & The MasterCard Foundation
Venue: Lecture Hall 218
• [45 mins] Information about applying to Ashesi University and about The MasterCard Foundation scholarship program
• [45 mins] Guest Lecture: Patrick Awuah (President, Ashesi University College)
Session 4: Continued work on the Final Challenge
Venue: Labs 221 & 222
• Teams finalize work on building the various modules needed to perform version B of the final challenge (pineapple harvesting on a grid)
Day 5: Friday
National Holiday
Day 6: Saturday
9 – 11: Preliminary challenge rounds
Venue(s): Labs 221 & 222; Lecture Halls 217 & 218
• 16 teams each perform 2 rounds of each version of the challenge; 2 parallel runs in each of 4 rooms (10 minutess each)
Final Challenge & Graduation Ceremony
Venue: Lecture Hall 218, with video streaming to Lecture Hall 217
• 10:00 – 10:15: Welcome by Patrick Awuah
• 10:15 – 10:30: Introduction to Final Challenge
• 10:30 – 12:30: The Final Challenge
- Four teams each perform 1 round of each version of the challenge
• 12:30 – 1:00: Refreshment break
• 1:00 – 1:30: Graduation, awarding of prizes and certificates