This module is really a blend of robotics and computer vision. We will be exploring different, reactive algorithms for performing collision free navigation through the world, and maybe even vision-based tracking of an specifically colored target. The baseline set of activities will rely on the Turtlebot learning modules (AKA Turtlebot Adventures). This adventure is for people who are open to learning the python programming language and also to learning the Robot Operating System (ROS), or who already have some knowledge of either/both.

This module pretty much follows the standard pipeline from the Turtlebot Adventures.

Week #1: Basic Operation
This module assumes no prior experience, so the first week is about getting the basic covered in terms of simply running the Turtlebot mobile robot. Like connecting to the Turtlebot and basic tele-operation of it. To answwer some of the questions and be able to see what's going on from the command line, you should get familiar with the basic command line ROS commands.

1. Demonstrate that you can connnect to the Turtlebot, launch the core services, and tele-operate it.
2. Answer the questions in the First Run adventure.

Week #2: Drive Commands and Visual Sensing
Now that we have some grasp on the basics of the Turtlebot, we want to understand how to both actuate and to sense, the latter because that's the purpose of the class, and the former because this module is about deciding how to actuate based on the sensed information.

1. Complete the Basic Movements module and answer the questions. Also, demo the robot movement during office hours.
2. Complete the first two bullets of the Sensing the World adventure. Demo that you can subscribe to the visual sensor and to the depth sensor, and properly display both of their messages.

Week #3: A Safety Finite State Machine
Here, we will explore how to implement some safety checks in the robot en route to creating visual navigation algorithms for the Turtlebot. Importantly, these involve creating a finite state machine (FSM) for the operating mode of the Turtlebot, then coding this same FSM into python code.

1. Complete the first two bullets of the Sensing the Turtlebot adventure.
2. Demo the robot blindly navigating around based on its bump sensors.

Week #4: Vision-Based Wandering
Here, we will explore the most basic form of navigation, wandering around aimlessly without hitting things (hopefully). Limitations in the sensor field of view means that some collisions are inevitable under the right obstacle geometries.

1. Complete the Wandering adventure, turn in the coding mistake regarding the sectors, and demo the robot wandering around.

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ECE4580 Learning Modules