What is Natcar?  Your chance to build a "smart" model electric car!

Natcar is an annual undergraduate design competition hosted by National Semiconductor Corporation.  The object of Natcar is to consturct a 1/10 scale autonomous electric car capable of optically and/or magnetically following a track in the fastest lap time.  Competing schools include Cal Berkely, Cal Davis, Oklahoma State, and Sacramento State.  The competition takes place during the end of may at NSC in Sunnyvale.  Stanford has yet to enter the competition.  Visit the Natcar website at http://www.ece.ucdavis.edu/natcar.

This spring, the EE department is offering an exciting new course--EE192G--geared solely toward student construction of Natcar entries.  In teams of 2-3, students will design and build their own Natcar entry.  The emphasis is on design of the electronics, so we use commercial car kits and motors as a starting point.

Catalog Description:

This is an experimental laboratory targeted at developing skills in electronic system integration involving sensor-based closed-loop control.  The demonstration vehicle for the course will be the design of an autonomous 1/10 scale electric car capable of maneuvering a track in the fastest lap time.  Teams of two or three undergraduate students will design and build an entry to the Natcar engineering design competition  (http://www.ece.ucdavis.edu/natcar/).  In support of the course objectives, students will do directed studies on the following topics: optical and  magnetic sensor design, proportional-integral-derivative control, pulse width modulation, servo and DC motor control, and control algorithm implementation with microcontrollers and analog circuitry.  Students are  expected to perform all design and construction independently with guidance  from instructors.  Class limited to 10 undergraduates.  Offered Spring 2000, 3 units.

Prerequisites:

EE122 or ME118 required
E105 and EE121 preferred
EE281 helpful but not expected

Course Information:

Instructor: Nate Matter
Email: nmatter@stanford.edu
Phone: 497-4855 (no calls after 9pm, please)
Office Hours: TBA, schedule by email

Meeting Time: Tuesday and Thursday 2:45pm-4pm
Meeting Room: Packard 64
Laboratory: Packard 64

Requirements:

• Demonstration of a functional project by the end of the quarter (20% of final grade, completed by each team)
• 5 page writeup of design and results (20%, completed by each individual)
• 1 page writeup of a noteable success or failure which will help to guide future Natcar students. (5%, individual)
• Organized, coherent lab notebook (15%, individual)
• Weekly 5-10 minute oral design review (20%, team)

Logistics:

The class will meet twice a week for discussion and/or design reviews.  Lectures and discussion during the first few weeks of class will cover general topics and design ideas, however the bulk of the innovation, design, and construction is up to you.  The class will have weekly design reviews where each team will give a 5-10 minute oral presentation on their current work and get feedback from the class on their design.  The purpose of the design reviews are to share design ideas and offer constructive criticism.

Lab:

EE192G students have open access to the lab in Packard 64.  If you need lab equipment or tools which are not avaliable in the lab, give your request to Nate.  Please follow these guidelines when using the lab:

• Clean your workbench and power down all equipment when you leave.
• Do not allow students from outside EE192G to use the lab.
• Use the equipment safely and responsibly.
• Do not remove anything from the lab.
• Report problems with equipment to Nate.

How to Join: