Assignment 1
Due: Apr 5 Wednesday, 11:59pm | Canvas link (rubric & submission) | Points: 8
In this assignment you will do an initial exploration of potential project topics for the capstone. You will identify a user group and problem specific to that group, propose a robot-based solution, and argue for the appropriateness and feasibility of the solution. We recommend focusing on user groups whose challenges are related to physical interaction with their environment (including themselves and other people), which will make it more likely that a robot might be an appropriate solution. You should answer all of the following questions.
Who is the primary user? Describe the target user group as specifically as possible; e.g., "patients recovering from major surgery at home."
What is the problem? State specific problems or challenges that the target user group faces, with the supporting evidence. Provide pictures, quotes, and citations as much as possible.
What are current solutions to the stated problem? What are issues associated with those solutions?; e.g., "inefficient", "costly", "labor shortage."
How will the Stretch mobile manipulator address the problem? Is the robot-based solution feasible? Is the robot-based solution appropriate (or are there other simpler solutions)?
You can obtain ideas for potential user groups and supporting evidence for your answers in several ways.
You might already have prior personal experience with the target user group as a member of that group yourself or as a caregiver.
You can do a contextual inquiry or interview with one or more people from the target user group. The course staff can get you in contact with people from certain groups.
You can obtain information from publicly available documentation, including research papers, reports, discussion forums, and/or video blogs about challenges faced by the user group.
You can propose more than one idea (for different user groups or for different problems faced by the same user group); just be sure to answer all questions for each idea.
Submit your response on Canvas as a link to a Google Doc that includes your answers (with access set to "Commenter" for "Anyone with the link").
