On this page, we will describe how you can choose what to work on for your group project. You will have the choice to either join one of the projects proposed by us or to choose a project idea of your own. Below we describe each track and corresponding todos.
Track #1: Join one of our projects
My research team and I brainstormed a range of ideas that make for a great class project. For this track, the team size will vary from 2-4 students depending on the project. My research team will present the ideas in class, you will then have the chance to chat with each researcher on my team, and then rank up to 3 projects by your preferred choice. We will then match each student to one of their ranked projects and let you know which one you were matched with. The benefit of this track is that the projects are scoped to be feasible in class, you will be mentored by an experienced member of my research team, and you will work on cutting edge research that could potentially lead to a publication later.
Oct 6 (wed, 4pm): Rank top 3 ideas by your preference in this form and provide input why you are a great match for the project
Oct 6 (wed, 8pm): We let you know which project you were matched with.
Track #2: Propose your Own Idea
In this track, you propose your own ideas as a team. Below are the requirements.
Student Team Size: The team size should be 3-4 students per project.
Project Requirements:
The project needs to have hardware (e.g., fabricated parts, electronics) and software components. Projects that are missing one of these components are not valid for 6.810. You can however choose where you want to put your main focus, i.e. some projects may be heavy on the fabrication and electronics while others may be more heavy on the software part.
The project needs to use fabrication technology your learned in class, i.e. it should not just be the standard breadboard prototype with off-the-shelve electronic components you bought from Sparkfun but have a nicely integrated form factor with printed or sprayed electronics, a 3D printed or laser cut casing where appropriate etc. Make your prototype look as professional as you can. We recommend you review the lecture slides to look for different technologies you could experiment with.
The project idea needs to be big enough to warrant, e.g., a 4 person team working on it for 6 weeks. Note that each week you will be putting in ca. 6 hours per person, so this should be 4 student x 6 hours per week x 5 weeeks = 120 person hours worth of work.
Budget:
Each student will have $50 to spend on hardware ($200 per team of four students).
Timeline:
Oct 13 (wed, 1pm): Upload 5 ideas to your team's student google drive.
Oct 13 (wed, 2-4pm): The teaching team will review your ideas with you in class and will provide feedback on which are most suitable for a class project.
