IAP 2015 Activities by Sponsor - Lincoln Laboratory

Bradley Perry

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/05
Limited to 42 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: See Course Description

Are you interested in building and testing your own phased array radar system? MIT Lincoln Laboratory is offering a unique course in the design, fabrication, and test of a laptop-based phased array radar sensor capable of imaging moving targets in real-time, like a ‘radar video camera’. This course will appeal to anyone interested in the following: electronics, amateur radio, physics, electromagnetics, or phased array systems. Teams of three will make a phased array radar system and attend four sessions spanning topics from fundamentals of radar to digital beamforming. You will bring your radar into the field and perform imaging of moving targets around campus. Imaging unusual targets is encouraged; a final radar video competition will determine the most creative radar imagery.    

Laptop computer running Windows, Mac OS, or Linux. Other versions of Unix should work but have not been tested. At least one available USB port.  Matlab 2009b or later (The Instrumentation Control Toolbox for Matlab is strongly encouraged)

*This work is sponsored by the Department of the Air Force under Air Force Contract #FA8721-05-C-0002. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the United States Government.

Sponsor(s): Lincoln Laboratory, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT-SUTD Collaboration
Contact: Dr. Bradley Perry, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, radar.course@ll.mit.edu

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Build a Small Phased Array Radar System

	Jan/09	Fri	01:00PM-03:00PM	4-153
	Jan/12	Mon	01:00PM-03:00PM	4-153
	Jan/14	Wed	01:00PM-03:30PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/16	Fri	01:00PM-03:30PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/21	Wed	01:00PM-03:30PM	TBD

IMPORTANT:

Some sessions held at Beaver Works @ 300 Technology Square, 2nd Floor

Laptop computer running Windows, Mac OS, or Linux. Other versions of Unix should work but have not been tested. At least one available USB port.  Matlab 2009b or later (The Instrumentation Control Toolbox for Matlab is strongly encouraged)

 

Bradley Perry, Todd Levy, Patrick Bell, Jeffrey Herd, Shakti Davis, Ken Kolodziej, Nicholas O'Donoughue

Patrick Bell

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/05
Limited to 42 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: See Course Description

Are you interested in building and testing your own imaging radar system? MIT Lincoln Laboratory is offering a course in design, fabrication, and test of a laptop-based radar capable of forming Doppler, range, and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. This course will appeal to anyone interested in the following: electronics, amateur radio, physics, or electromagnetics. Teams of three will receive a radar kit and will attend four sessions spanning topics from fundamentals of radar to SAR imaging. Experiments will be performed as the radar kit is implemented. You will bring your radar into the field and perform experiments such as measuring the speed of passing cars or plotting the range of moving targets. A final SAR imaging contest will test your ability to form a detailed and creative SAR image of a target scene of your choice. The best image wins.

Laptop computer running Windows, Mac OS, or Linux. Other versions of Unix should work but have not been tested. At least one available USB port.  Matlab 2009b or later (The Instrumentation Control Toolbox for Matlab is strongly encouraged)

*This work is sponsored by the Department of the Air Force under Air Force Contract FA8721-05-C-0002.  Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the United States Government.

Sponsor(s): Lincoln Laboratory, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT-SUTD Collaboration
Contact: Patrick Bell, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, radar.course@ll.mit.edu

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Build a Small Radar System

	Jan/09	Fri	10:00AM-12:00PM	4-153
	Jan/12	Mon	10:00AM-12:00PM	4-153
	Jan/14	Wed	09:30AM-12:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/16	Fri	09:30AM-12:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/21	Wed	09:30AM-12:00PM	TBD

IMPORTANT:

Some sessions will be held at Beaver Works @ 300 Technology Square, 2nd Floor

Laptop computer running Windows, Mac OS, or Linux. Other versions of Unix should work but have not been tested. At least one available USB port.  Matlab 2009b or later (The Instrumentation Control Toolbox for Matlab is strongly encouraged)

Patrick Bell, Shakti Davis, Alan Fenn, Brad Perry, Ken Kolodziej, John Meklenburg, Jeff Herd

Dr. Robert A. Freking

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/05
Limited to 24 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: See Course Description

Misjudged as passé art or entertained only as an amusing physical paradox, holography critically encompasses all the essential principles governing propagating wave interactions across every domain of matter and energy.  Yet, surprisingly few in the applied sciences and engineering appreciate how to leverage holographic phenomena in real-world sensing applications.  This course will demystify holography by demonstrating how to gather and interpret 2-D, phase-preserving recordings to recover a hidden, encoded third dimension of information. Course topics progress from basic phenomenology on to specialized applications of holographic techniques in the physical and computational domains.  Participants will practice holography hands-on in the electromagnetic and audio domains through interactive laboratory exercises employing traditional film, computer-generated holography (CGH) and sonic recordings.  Measurement devices, supplies and MATLAB starter code will be provided.

All participants must supply their own laptops with MATLAB installed.

*This work is sponsored by the Department of the Air Force under Air Force Contract FA8721-05-C-0002.  Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the United States Government.

Sponsor(s): Lincoln Laboratory, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT-SUTD Collaboration
Contact: Dr. Robert A. Freking, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, holographycourse@ll.mit.edu

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Hands on Holography

	Jan/05	Mon	01:00PM-05:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/06	Tue	01:00PM-05:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/07	Wed	01:00PM-05:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/08	Thu	01:00PM-05:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/09	Fri	01:00PM-05:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center

IMPORTANT:

All sessions will be held at Beaver Works @ 300 Technology Square, 2nd Floor

Special Meeting Information:  All participants must supply their own laptops with MATLAB installed.

Kevin Cohen, Robert Atkins, Ken Gregson, Matt Cornick, Hamilton Shepard, Bob Galejs

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/05
Limited to 24 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: None

Do your innovative ideas get the attention they deserve? Would you like to become more innovative? In this interactive innovation tournament, we will collectively generate hundreds of new ideas to present, evaluate, refine, and ultimately transform into system concepts that solve relevant and challenging problems. We will discuss techniques and tools for brainstorming and concept development, including the MIT Lincoln Laboratory Blue Team process, and provide mentoring, presentation skills training, and lectures in advanced technology across diverse fields. This is the perfect opportunity to practice innovation and hone your skills for future research, development, and entrepreneurship.

*This work is sponsored by the Department of the Air Force under Air Force Contract #FA8721-05-C-0002. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the United States Government.

Sponsor(s): Lincoln Laboratory
Contact: Kevin Cohen, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, cohen@ll.mit.edu

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Innovation Tournament

	Jan/20	Tue	08:00AM-12:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/22	Thu	08:00AM-12:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/27	Tue	08:00AM-05:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/29	Thu	08:00AM-05:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center

Kevin Cohen, Robert Atkins, Ken Gregson, Matt Cornick, Hamilton Shepard, Bob Galejs

Jade Wang, David Caplan, Gavin Lund, John Moores

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: None

Free-space laser communication (lasercom) is poised to revolutionize space-based data transmission, by enabling links with higher data rates and longer ranges than are practically achievable with radio-frequency systems. MIT Lincoln Laboratory and NASA recently demonstrated a record-breaking high-data-rate lasercom link, from a spacecraft orbiting the moon to ground stations on Earth, in the Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration (LLCD).

Although we won’t be sending laser beams into space, this class will provide students with hands-on experience designing and building a basic lasercom system. The accompanying lectures will provide an overview of lasercom concepts, lasers and optical components, lasercom-relevant electronics, communication link design, and analog and digital modulation techniques. Students will learn to apply these principles by building their own laser audio communication systems, and will work in teams to compete for a best-project award. 

*This work is sponsored by the Department of the Air Force under Air Force Contract #FA8721-05-C-0002. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the United States Government.

Sponsor(s): Lincoln Laboratory, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT-SUTD Collaboration
Contact: Jade Wang, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, jpwang@ll.mit.edu

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Intro to Lasercom

	Jan/06	Tue	01:00PM-04:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/08	Thu	10:00AM-01:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/13	Tue	01:00PM-04:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/15	Thu	01:00PM-04:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/20	Tue	01:00PM-04:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/22	Thu	01:00PM-04:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center

Jade Wang, David Caplan, Gavin Lund, John Moores

Prof. Sertac Karaman, Dr. Michael Boulet, Owen Guldner, Dr. Michael Park

	Jan/07	Wed	10:00AM-12:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/09	Fri	10:00AM-12:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/10	Sat	10:00AM-04:00PM	AeroAstro Hangar, Optional Hackhathon
	Jan/12	Mon	10:00AM-12:00PM	Room 33-319
	Jan/13	Tue	10:00AM-12:00PM	Room 33-319
	Jan/14	Wed	10:00AM-04:00PM	AeroAstro Hangar, Optional Hackathon
	Jan/15	Thu	10:00AM-12:00PM	Room 32-141
	Jan/16	Fri	10:00AM-12:00PM	Room 32-141
	Jan/17	Sat	10:00AM-04:00PM	MIT Tunnels, Optional Hackathon
	Jan/20	Tue	10:00AM-12:00PM	Room 32-141
	Jan/21	Wed	10:00AM-04:00PM	MIT Tunnels, Optional Hackathon
	Jan/22	Thu	04:15PM-06:15PM	MIT Tunnels, Final Race

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/02
Limited to 25 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: See description.

Modern robots tend to operate at slow speeds in complex environments, limiting their utility in high-tempo applications. In the RACECAR course, you will be tasked with pushing the boundaries of unmanned vehicle speed. Participants will work in teams of 3-5 to develop dynamic autonomy software to race a converted RC car equipped with LIDAR, camera, inertial sensors and embedded processing around a large-scale, “real-world” course. The course culminates with a timed competition to navigate an MIT tunnel network. To subscribe, send an e-mail to racecar-iap-course-subscribe@mit.edu with a description of your programming / robotics experience and MIT/SUTD affiliation.

Participants must attend all lectures and capstone demonstration. Additionally, 6-10 hours per week of hands-on effort is required to complete the objective task. Attendance at the hackathons is strongly suggested but not required in cases of conflict with other IAP activities.

Prereqs: Advanced undergraduates and graduates with some background in controls or robotics. Majors include AeroAstro, Mechanical, Ocean, and EECS. Students with a background in computer science with interest in robotics and controls may also effectively participate.

*This work is sponsored by the Dept. of the Air Force under Contract FA8721-05-C-0002.  Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the U.S. Government.

Sponsor(s): Aeronautics and Astronautics, Lincoln Laboratory, MIT-SUTD Collaboration
Contact: Prof. S. Karaman, sertac@mit.edu

Scott Pudlewski, Thomas Royster

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/05
Limited to 8 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: See Course Description

MIT Lincoln Laboratory is offering a course on software defined radio technology with a focus on software based GPS receivers.  Satellite-based navigation and localization has become a part of our everyday lives, and this course will use the familiar GPS system to demonstrate many of the signal processing and wireless receiver techniques required to enable a wireless communication receiver.

Students will work in teams of two to build a GPS receiver using a combination of MATLAB and the USRP2 software defined radio platform.  Concepts such as binary-phase shift keying (BPSK) modulation, code division multiple access (CDMA), and Time Difference of Arrival (TDoA) will be introduced in lecture and then demonstrated in software.

* This work is sponsored by the Department of the Air Force under Air Force Contract FA8721-05-C-0002. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the United States Government.

Sponsor(s): Lincoln Laboratory, MIT-SUTD Collaboration
Contact: Scott Pudlewski, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, scott.pudlewski@ll.mit.edu

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Software Radio

	Jan/13	Tue	10:00AM-04:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/15	Thu	10:00AM-04:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/20	Tue	10:00AM-04:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center
	Jan/22	Thu	10:00AM-04:00PM	NE45-202, Beaverworks Center

Important:  All sessions will be held at Beaverworks (300 Technology Square - 2nd Floor)

Scott Pudlewski, Thomas Royster