Breadth-Last Technical Electives: Integrating the CS Core via Computer Games and Mobile Robotics

Breadth
-
Last Technical Electives:
Integrating the CS Core via Computer
Games and Mobile Robotics

William W. White

Southern Illinois
U
niversity Edwardsville

Department of Computer Science

Edwardsville, IL 62026
-
1656

wwhite@siue.edu

Jerry B. Weinberg

Southern Illinois
U
niversity Edwardsville

Department of Computer Science

Edwardsville, IL 62026
-
1656

jweinbe@siue.edu

Breadth
-
Last Technical Electives: Integrating the CS Core
via Computer Games and Mobile Robotics

The CS Core

2

•
Discrete
Structures

•
Programming
Fundamentals

•
Algorithms and
Complexity

•
Architecture and
Organization

•
Operating
Systems

•
Net
-
Centric
Computing

•
Programming
Languages

•
Human
-
Computer
Interaction

•
Graphics and Visual
Computing

•
Intelligent
Systems

•
Information
Management

•
Social and Professional
Issues

•
Software
Engineering

•
Computational Science and Numerical
Methods

The IEEE
-
CS/ACM Computing Curricula Task Force identified the
core body of knowledge appropriate for a CS undergraduate
curriculum:

Source: “Computing
Curricula
2001
-

Computer Science: Fi nal Report”, 12/15/01, The
Joint Task
Force on Computing
Curricula
-

IEEE
Computer
Society and Association
for Computing
Machinery,
http://www.computer.org/portal/cms_docs_ieeecs/ieeecs/education/cc2001/cc2001.pdf

Breadth
-
Last Technical Electives: Integrating the CS Core
via Computer Games and Mobile Robotics

CS Technical Electives

3

Technical electives commonly address some, but rarely all, of
these areas:

Example Technical Electives

Discrete


Structures


Programming

Fundamentals


Algorithms and

Complexity


Architecture and

Organization


Operating

Systems


Net
-
Centric

Computing

Programming
Languages


Human
-
Computer
Interaction


Graphics and

Visual Computing


Intelligent


Systems


Information

Management


Social and
Professional Issues


Software

Engineering


Comput
. Science &
Numerical Methods


Advanced Algorithms









Artificial Intelligence











Compiler Design







Computer Graphics











Database Management







Distributed Systems









Networks & Data Communications















Theory of Computation







Breadth
-
Last Technical Electives: Integrating the CS Core
via Computer Games and Mobile Robotics

Breadth
-
Last

4

A
breadth
-
last

technical elective integrates the
entire

CS core
into a single course, taken at the end of the undergraduate
curriculum, with the following goals:

•
Demonstrate how the diverse core areas fit together
within an integrated system instead of in the traditional
segregated manner that frequently ignores their
interdependence.

•
Facilitate the students’ ability to envision alternative
and more far
-
reaching solutions to practical software
development problems.

Breadth
-
Last Technical Electives: Integrating the CS Core
via Computer Games and Mobile Robotics

Game Design & Development

5

CS Core Area

Corresponding Course Topics

Discrete Structures

Isometric Grids; Music Sequencers;
Binary Space Partitioning

Programming Fundamentals

Event
-
Driven Programming; Recursive

Pathfinding

Algorithms and Complexity

Collision Detection;

Fractal Terrain Generation; Finite State Machines

Architecture and Organization

Graphics Processors; Peripheral Devices; Display Technologies

Operating Systems

Multimedia

Coordination; Cross
-
Platform Compatibility; Multithreaded Race Conditions

Net
-
Centric Computing

Multiplayer Platforms; Wireless Connectivity; Game Latency; Mobile Gaming

Programming Languages

Scripting Languages; Application Programming Interfaces

Human
-
Computer

Interaction

Intuitive Game Interfaces
; Heads
-
Up Displays

Graphics and Visual Computing

Real
-
Time Rendering; Character Animation; Texture Mapping; Lighting; Radiosity

Intelligent Systems

Non
-
Player Characters; Emergent Behavior; Dead Reckoning

Information Management

Game Asset Management; Massively Multiplayer Data Reduction

Social and Professional Issues

Game Content Censorship; Social Isolation; Software Piracy

Software Engineering

System Design; Agile Programming; Rapid Development

Comput
. Science & Numerical Methods

Subdivision Surfaces; Rigid
-
Body Dynamics

One breadth
-
last example:

Breadth
-
Last Technical Electives: Integrating the CS Core
via Computer Games and Mobile Robotics

Game Design & Development

6

Sample assignments:

Breadth
-
Last Technical Electives: Integrating the CS Core
via Computer Games and Mobile Robotics

Intelligent Mobile Robotics

7

CS Core Area

Corresponding Course Topics

Discrete Structures

Grid
-
, Graph
-
,
Quadtree
-
Based Maps;

Schemas; Voxels

Programming Fundamentals

Space
-
Limited Code Efficiency; Recursive Problem
-
Solving

Algorithms and Complexity

Position Sensing; Navigation; Spatial Mapping; Collision Avoidance

Architecture and Organization

Sensors;

Microcontrollers; Digital Signal Processing; Layers of Abstraction

Operating Systems

Multitasking; Interprocess Communication; Resource Scheduling

Net
-
Centric Computing

Wireless Connectivity; Multi
-
Robot Coordination; Web Interfacing

Programming Languages

Concurrent Programming; Functional Languages

Human
-
Computer

Interaction

Tele
-
Operation; Tele
-
Presence;

Heuristic Design; Cognitive Modeling

Graphics and Visual Computing

Computer Vision; Color Tracking; Pattern Recognition; Image
-
Map Correspondence

Intelligent Systems

Intelligent Agents; Path Planning; Reinforcement Learning; Swarm Intelligence

Information Management

Resource Management; Sensor Fusion

Social and Professional Issues

Industrial Automation; Assistive Robotics; Military Robots; Anthropomorphism

Software Engineering

Behavior Diagrams; Sequence Diagramming; Finite State Machines

Comput
. Science & Numerical Methods

Analog
-
to
-
Digital Conversion; Dead Reckoning; PID Control

Another breadth
-
last example:

Breadth
-
Last Technical Electives: Integrating the CS Core
via Computer Games and Mobile Robotics

Intelligent Mobile Robotics

8

Base System Setup:

Xbee

RF Communication Module

Level Translation Circuit Board

XBC Microcontroller

XBC Mounted to Robot Base Used to Detect Items of
Different Color and Control Robot Movement and Arm

Breadth
-
Last Technical Electives: Integrating the CS Core
via Computer Games and Mobile Robotics

Additional Breadth
-
Last Possibilities

9

Mobile Communications

•
Networking

•
Operating Systems

•
Architecture

•
Interface Design

•
Social Implications

Scientific Visualization

•
Parallel Processing

•
Computer Graphics

•
Numerical Methods

•
Algorithms

•
Database Management

•
Customer
-
Driven Development

Design Patterns

•
Software Engineering

•
Systems Analysis

•
Object
-
Oriented Programming

•
Algorithm Complexity

•
Code Refactoring

•
Network Programming