An energy-harvesting autonomous vessel built by students in Fall 2009 to operate in the Charles River. It's based on a Wheeler model sailboat hull, augmented with two pontoons for stability, two thrusters, and a 5W solar panel. Instrumentation includes a sonar range sensor, a camera, GPS, compass, and a computer for control. (Photo by Franz Hover. Used with permission.)
Instructor(s)
Prof. Franz Hover
Harrison Chin
MIT Course Number
2.017J / 1.015J
As Taught In
Fall 2009
Level
Undergraduate
Course Description
Course Features
Course Description
This course covers the design, construction, and testing of field robotic systems, through team projects with each student responsible for a specific subsystem. Projects focus on electronics, instrumentation, and machine elements. Design for operation in uncertain conditions is a focus point, with ocean waves and marine structures as a central theme. Topics include basic statistics, linear systems, Fourier transforms, random processes, spectra, ethics in engineering practice, and extreme events with applications in design.
