Paper Info
Title
Development of a System for Teaching C/C++ Using Robots and Open Source Software in a CS1 Course
Abstract
This paper describes the development of a system for teaching C/C++ using Lego™ RCX Robots in a CS1 college course on introductory programming. The system has been implemented using an integrated development environment (IDE) developed by the open source community (Code::Blocks). We have modified the IDE so that it can call a C/C++ cross-compiler for the RCX whose standard firmware has been replaced by the BrickOS open source operating system. An open source emulator (BrickEMU) has also been integrated within the Code::Blocks environment. The IDE and robotic software executes on a virtual machine running under the freely available software, Sun™ VirtualBox. This allows for a uniform programming platform for Windows, MacOS, and Unix/Linux. The use of robots in CS1 affords science and engineering students the opportunity to learn sensory-motor based control, to work with an IDE early in their careers, and to gain experience with development and debugging tools that can be utilized throughout the students' academic and professional careers.
Year
Venue
Keywords
2009
FECS
cs 1.,introductory programming,college,robotics,science,virtual machine,operating system
Field
DocType
Citations 
System programming,Open platform,Virtual machine,Software engineering,Computer science,Unix,Software,Software development,Operating system,Firmware,Debugging
Conference
2
PageRank 
References 
Authors
0.51
8
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Amy Delman130.88
Lawrence Goetz230.88
Yedidyah Langsam3134.93
Theodore Raphan4356.58