This video from National Geographic about James Cameron's descent to the Mariana Trench is an excellent example of technical communication for a general audience. The video uses an engaging mix of clear text, simple graphics, real-life video, easy-to-grasp facts, arresting music, and an inherent time scale (via the vertical scrolling) to convey the sense of what it would be like to descend to the Mariana Trench -- the deepest part of the ocean that we know about. |
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Discussion will start next week.
Lab will start next week.
Try out an ROV driving simulator for some frustrating fun 😊
First, watch the demo video
Then, try it out! (this might work best in Chrome)
🗨 Dr. Alford says: Feeling angry after trying to drive this ROV around? ME TOO! Think of how you could design an ROV that is easier to control! 🎉 |
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The ROV Project: Lots of designing and building, lots of documentation!
Learn what goes in your Individual Design Proposal.
Learn what technical communication is all about, and then learn how your audience impacts your communication style. Practice your new skills with professional emails.
Tour the lab, learn about hydrostatics with a simple underwater vehicle, and see a demo ROV in action. Complete Homework 1 before lab!
Come meet our IAs and ask them questions about the class, the university, internships, whatever you want!
5:00-6:00pm
1544 North University Building (NUB)
This student-facing post from Arizona State University talks about office hours: why to use them, how to prepare for them, etc. We hope you'll come visit us in our office hours, and we want to emphasize that you can come to discuss course-related questions or concerns, but you can also come to ask us about majors, about your resume, etc. We are very excited to meet with you 1:1! |
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Introduction to Design: Objectives and Constraints
Via the Memo Practice assignment on Canvas, do some asynchronous practice with the memo format as you start putting together your IDP.
Get set up with Onshape and learn about how to do some 3D modeling with this online program. Submit items to Homework 2 for credit.
This article from Wired asks Does Jewelry and Big Hair Slow Down Olympic Runners? We really like how the article uses basic equations and common sense to see if there's any big differences in "operating conditions", as opposed to looking for tiny nuances to optimize. We'll be taking a similar approach with our ROV calculations. |
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ROVs in the real world, technical prose, visuals
A lot goes in to your IDP. Go over all the requirements and make sure you're not missing anything!
Learn how the location of the thruster affect an ROV's movement through water. Learn about soldering and practice with the ROV control system by making a basic control circuit.
This article about the need for more people trained in maritime-oriented jobs from our own Prof. Matt Collette shows how interconnected the maritime industry is, both globally and in terms of the different types of people needed to keep everything moving across our waters. |
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Meet your team, visuals workshop / CRAP
ROV Project Design Reviews
Individual Design Proposal Workshop
Sunday, Feb 2, 1-3pm
B505 Pierpont
Learn about combining ideas and prepare for your PDR
Learn how to create a basic 3D model of an ROV in Onshape.
Why are visuals so important in presentations? Because they convey both your data and why your audience should care about that data. This article on the myth of letting data "speak for itself" shows how important it is for you to put your conclusions and take-aways right there in the visual along with the data itself. |
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ROV Prototype Calculations
Formal technical presentations and the Detailed Design Review (DDR)
Meet with your instructors to talk through your ROV design ideas, and learn about what can (and can't!) be built in the lab for your ROV.
This is a three hour lab. Please go to lab at the start of your discussion time.
You will spend your discussion time at the lab; discussions will not meet separately this week.
This article at The Verge talks about a study published in Nature that used AI and massive numbers of satellite images to create maps of human activity on the world's oceans. Maps like these are critically important as we make policy decisions regarding how we use our oceans, from building new offshore wind farms to establishing new nature preserves. |
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Team communication styles and coming to consensus
Audience analysis, collaborative communication, work time with DDR slides
There are a lot of moving pieces to this ROV project, and a lot of people working on the various tasks. It's time to get organized!
Take a tour of the Duderstadt Center's fabrication facilities to help understand what you might create for your custom part. Create an operating agreement to help guide your team towards a successful project.
Meet in the Central Collaboration Area on the first floor of the Duderstadt Center (DC floor map)
Did you know that Justin, our lab manager, made his own canoe and participated in the 2024 Au Sable River Challenge? Each canoe was given a GPS tracker, and this GPS data was shown live on a tracking website so that friends and family could see where each canoe was (and who was winning!). You can replay the race and get a sense of how everyone did. Justin is canoe C12, can you find him? |
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Detailed Design Reviews -- The First Eight Teams
See Canvas announcement for which room your team should go to
Detailed Design Reviews -- The Other Eight Teams
See Canvas announcement for which room your team should go to
In this week's lab, your team will have to convince Justin and your IA that you know what you're doing and have a plan in place to get your ROV system completed on time. Make sure you're ready for their critique!
Meet with Justin and your IA to go over your plan for building and testing your ROV. If you pass their checklist, you can start building this week!
Intro to engineering courses inspire students to create all kinds of interesting products! The founder of Cocoa Press, a machine for 3D printing delicious-looking chocolates, came up with the idea while in an intro to engineering course in high school. Where do you think the CG and CB are for this chocolate boat? |
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We hope you have a lovely break and will return rested and ready to start building ROVs!
These squishy magnets were developed by researchers at the University of Michigan and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart, Germany. The researchers hope that material like this gel could eventually be used for safe and innovative medical treatments. |
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ROV scaling and handling risk in engineering
Giving and receiving feedback; work time with CDR slides
Review what you need to have done for your CDR, both the presentation and report. The CDR is the last big review of your ROV progress before we head to the MHL.
Measure the thrust produced by each of your thrusters to help you decide which thrusters should go where. You should be able to make some good progress on your ROV and controller during this lab!
Need a distraction for somewhere between 5 minutes and 5 days? Check out Calculating Empires: A Genealogy of Technology and Power Since 1500, an incredible visual that shows just how complicated human society is. You can zoom in/out and scroll around to see the evolution of communication, how we view human bodies, energy production, how we tell time, and many more! |
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Innovation Videos
Overview of MHL testing procedures, the Final Presentation and Final Report
Meet with your instructors to update them on your progress. Bringing your ROV to this meeting will be very helpful!
This is a three hour lab. Please go to lab at the start of your discussion time.
You will spend your discussion time at the lab; discussions will not meet separately this week.
If these times don't work for you, just send me an email with some times that work for you. I'm sure we can figure something out!
Tuesday and Thursday after lecture
Wherever we end up talking
Friday 12:30-1:00pm
B521 Pierpont (go to the little room that's inside the ENGR 101 office hours room)
I am available at these times and by appointment. So, if these times don't work for you, please email me!
Thursday 10-11 am
5114 Engineering Research Building (ERB)
I am available at these times and via Zoom by appointment. So, if these times don't work for you, please email me!
Tuesday 11am-12pm
5109 Engineering Research Building (ERB)
I teach the Monday 2:30pm lab, but everyone is welcome!
Tuesday 10:30-11:30am
108 GFL
I teach the Tuesday 2:30pm lab, but everyone is welcome!
Tuesday 4:30-5:30pm
108 GFL
I teach the Wednesday 10:30am lab, but everyone is welcome!
Monday 4:30-5:30pm
108 GFL
I teach the Wednesday 2:30pm lab, but everyone is welcome!
Monday 12:30-1:30pm
108 GFL
I'm the "swing IA", so I'm not teaching lab this semester, but you'll see me around helping out! Come by and say hi!
Friday 4:00-5:00pm
108 GFL
All the details
Norms and expectations for "employees" of GFL, Inc., a fictional company that you will pretend to work for in this course.
Meet the course staff!
Reference material for the technical aspects of the course.
Reference material for the communication aspects of the course, including templates for presentations and reports.
Reference material for the technical aspects of the ROV project.
Description of the ROV project and the tasks your ROV will need to complete.
Detailed descriptions of all of the assignments for the ROV project, including the format of the assignment, what is required for each assignment, and advice on how to do well.
Log in to Onshape using your U-M email address and you will have access to a set of pre-built 3D models of common ROV parts, including the payload canisters, camera, and thrusters. Please use these when creating your 3D model -- it will save you time and frustration! Note: Lab 4 walks you through examples of how to use the parts library!
Step-by-step instructions for assembling a basic ROV Controller. Your team will be able to choose where you want your buttons and switches to go!
This is the standard code that we have for the Arduino board in your ROV controller. Click the heading above to download the code; it is an .ino
file that you can open in a text editor. Please read the comments carefully if you are planning to customize your code!
Template for your ROV's total parts list and cost estimation. Make a copy of this worksheet and then complete it with the final parts list for your ROV.
Individual Design Proposal
Preliminary Design Review
Detailed Design Review
Critical Design Review Presentation
Critical Design Review Report
Final Presentation to Client
ROV Showcase at MHL
Innovation Video
Final Report to Executive Team
Week 1 |
Lecture |
Discussion |
Lab |
Assignments Due |
---|---|---|---|---|
No discussion | No labs | |||
No lecture | ||||
First Day! Design-Build-Test-Communicate | ||||
Week 2 |
Lecture |
Discussion |
Lab |
Assignments Due |
---|---|---|---|---|
Discussion 1: Intros, audience, emails | Lab 1: Orientation & ROVs | Homework 1 Due |
||
The ROV Project | ||||
Tandem Beginning of Term Survey | ||||
The Individual Design Proposal | ||||
Week 3 |
Lecture |
Discussion |
Lab |
Assignments Due |
---|---|---|---|---|
MLK Day Symposium Events |
Discussion 2: Memo practice This material will be done asynchronously as part of Homework 2. |
Lab 2: 3D modeling tutorials This material will be done asynchronously as part of Homework 2. |
||
Introduction to design: objectives and constraints | ||||
Homework 2 Due Tandem Lesson Due |
||||
Intro to ROV Hydrodynamics and Controls | ||||
Week 4 |
Lecture |
Discussion |
Lab |
Assignments Due |
---|---|---|---|---|
Discussion 3: IDP check-in | Lab 3: Controls & Hydrodynamics | Homework 3 Due | ||
ROVS in the real world, technical prose, visuals | ||||
Tandem Lesson Due | ||||
Prototyping lessons from industry, hydrodynamic stability | ||||
Week 5 |
Lecture |
Discussion |
Lab |
Assignments Due |
---|---|---|---|---|
Discussion 4: Combining ideas | Lab 4: 3D modeling |
Homework 4 Due Individual Design Proposal Due |
||
Meet your team, visuals workshop / CRAP | ||||
Tandem Lesson Due | ||||
ROV Project Design Reviews | ||||
Tandem Team Check Due | ||||
Week 6 |
Lecture |
Discussion |
Lab |
Assignments Due |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 HOUR LAB Disc/Lab 5: Preliminary Design Review and Construction Techniques Go to lab at your regular discussion time. Your team will be pulled out for your PDR meeting. |
PDR slides ready at start of your lab | Homework 5 Due | |||
ROV Prototype Calculations | |||||
Tandem Early Survey Due | |||||
Formal technical presentations and the Detailed Design Review | |||||
Tandem Team Check Due | |||||
Week 7 |
Lecture |
Discussion |
Lab |
Assignments Due |
---|---|---|---|---|
Discussion 6: Project planning | Lab 6: 3D printing, operating agreements | Homework 6 Due | ||
Team communication styles and coming to consensus | ||||
Tandem Lesson Due | ||||
Audience analysis, collaborative communication, work time with DDR slides | ||||
Tandem Team Check Due |
||||
Week 8 |
Lecture |
Discussion |
Lab |
Assignments Due |
---|---|---|---|---|
Discussion 7: Making a case to Justin and your IA | Lab 7: ROV plan and prep |
Homework 7 Due Detailed Design Review Slides Due |
||
Detailed Design Review (Formal Presentation) -- 8 Teams | ||||
Tandem Lesson Due | ||||
Detailed Design Review (Formal Presentation) -- The Other 8 Teams | ||||
Tandem Team Check Due | ||||
Week 9 |
Lecture |
Discussion |
Lab |
Assignments Due |
---|---|---|---|---|
Spring Break! | ||||
Week 10 |
Lecture |
Discussion |
Lab |
Assignments Due |
---|---|---|---|---|
Discussion 8: The Critical Design Review -- Presentation and Report | Lab 8: ROV build | Homework 8 Due | ||
ROV Scaling and Handling Risk in Engineering | ||||
Tandem Lesson Due | ||||
Giving and receiving feedback, worktime with CDR slides | ||||
Tandem Team Check Due Individual Change Recommendation Memo Due |
||||
Week 11 |
Lecture |
Discussion |
Lab |
Assignments Due |
---|---|---|---|---|
Critical Design Review Slides Due | ||||
3 HOUR LAB Disc/Lab 9: Critical Design Review Go to lab at your regular discussion time. Your team will be pulled out for its Critical Design Review presentation. The rest of the time is build/test time. |
Homework 9 Due | |||
Innovation Videos | ||||
Tandem Lesson Due | ||||
Overview of MHL testing, the Final Presentation and Report, advanced topics for presentations | ||||
Tandem Team Check Due | ||||
Week 12 |
Lecture |
Discussion |
Lab |
Assignments Due |
---|---|---|---|---|
3 HOUR LAB Disc/Lab 10: ROV testing at GFL Go to lab at your regular discussion time. |
Homework 10 Due Critical Design Review Report Due |
|||
Work time for evolving CDR presentation to final presentation | ||||
Tandem Mid-Term Performance Review Due | ||||
Work time for ROV deliverables | ||||
Tandem Team Check Due | ||||
Week 13 |
Lecture |
Discussion |
Lab |
Assignments Due |
---|---|---|---|---|
3 HOUR LAB Disc/Lab 11: ROV testing at MHL Go the MHL in West Hall on Central Campus at your regular discussion time. |
||||
Work time for final presentations | ||||
Tandem Lesson Due | ||||
Review of ROV Showcase rules & logistics, work time for final presentation with a focus on visuals | ||||
Tandem Team Check Due Cost Worksheet Due Final Presentation to Client Due |
||||
ROV SHOWCASE |
Week 14 |
Lecture |
Discussion |
Lab |
Assignments Due |
---|---|---|---|---|
Discussion 12: Planning for innovation video | Lab 12: Final testing and data gathering | |||
ROV Showcase De-Brief, talking about failure, ethics in creating videos | ||||
Tandem Lesson Due | ||||
Working meeting: innovation video and final report | ||||
Tandem Team Check Due | ||||
Week 15 |
Lecture |
Discussion |
Lab |
Assignments Due |
---|---|---|---|---|
Discussion 13: Work time for final deliverables | Lab 13: ROV tear down and work time for final deliverables | Innovation Video Script and Scene Descriptions Due | ||
ABR Workshop | ||||
Tandem Lesson Due | ||||
Working meeting: innovation video and final report | ||||
Tandem Team Check Due | ||||
Week 16 |
Lecture |
Discussion |
Lab |
Assignments Due |
---|---|---|---|---|
No discussion | No lab | Innovation Video Due | ||
Course wrap-up and Innovation Videos! | ||||
Final Report to Executive Team Due | ||||
No lecture, classes are over | ||||
Tandem End of Term Feedback Survey Due | ||||