My own research interests lie in novice programmer behavior and exploring the usability of parallel programming languages. I see these areas as being intimately linked.
In working with undergraduates, my goal is to provide them with opportunities to stretch themselves and excel. Below are links to current (Summer 2010) and past student projects.
Fire-fighting rescue robots in occam-pi
Kathryn Hardy (Centinary '11) and Molly Mattis (Allegheny '11) are collaborating remotely on the development of a robotic platform and parallel control system for home fire fighting. In the spring, we'll take part in the Trinity Home Fire Fighting competition, and then spend the summer exploring the genetic evolution of programs to control the robot we developed during the year.
Project funded by the Collaborative Research Experiences for Undergraduates programme.
[ Project Weblog ]
[ Google Code Subversion Repository ]
Previous/Ongoing Projects
Operation: Stick Figure Army
Sara Doan '11 and Stephanie Cost '11 are engaged in Operation: Stick Figure Army, a project that will provide tools to support the printing of 2D images in 3D for use by blind students using low-cost 3D printing tools like the Cupcake CNC. Along the way, they intend to produce an army of stick figures... <insert evil laugh here>
Project funded by the Collaborative Research Experiences for Undergraduates programme.
[ Project Weblog ]
The GatorUAV
Ian Armstrong '12 and Anthony Smith have designed their own aircraft and are building a UAV control system in occam-pi. This parallel-safe language gives us the ability to modularize the control system, creating a reliable flow of data from sensor to filter to flight control to servo output.
Project funded by the Office of the Dean at Allegheny College.
[ Project Weblog ]
Plumbing for the Arduino
Drew Pirrone-Brusse '10 and Radu Creanga '11 pushed forward the state of the art for parallel programming on the Arduino. This work provided improved support for all of the AVR's functionality, as well as structuring code for supporting multiple platforms and hardware architectures.
[ Project Weblog ]
3D Printing at Allegheny
Maja Sweeny '09 led a group of Allegheny students in the construction of a RepRap, an open source 3D printer, in the Spring and Summer of 2009. We will be resuming work on this printer soon, once lab space becomes available.
[ Project Weblog ]
