Courses
5 different levels of robotics and programming courses are offered within the RACECAR Neo ecosystem.
BWSI Courses are classes hosted by MIT BWSI staff, year-round. Students of grades 9th through 11th may apply for these courses
Public Courses are a list of free, open-source material that students or teachers can use for independent study.
Course Resources
RACECAR Neo Oneshot Course
A collection of four demos meant to introduce newcomers to programming and robotics. Students explore what RACECAR has to offer in terms of sensors and autonomous capabilities through manual driving, visual servoing, safety stop, and object detection utilities. No prerequisites are required for students to learn and enjoy the workshop!
BWSI Courses offered:
- Winter: MIT IAP Autonomous RACECAR
- (January) 2 weeks for 9 hours/week: MIT Community
RACECAR Neo Outreach Course
A 10-chapter course that introduces students to the world of robotics and programming using the RACECAR Neo Simulator. Topics include programming logic, sensor data analysis, code integration, and basic control systems.
BWSI Courses offered:
- Fall: Girls Who Can Program Autonomous Cars!
- (October) 8 weeks for 3 hours/week: 10th – 11th grade
- Spring: Yes, You Can Program Autonomous Cars!
- (March) 12 weeks for 3 hours/week: 9th – 10th grade
RACECAR Neo Fundamentals Course
A follow-on course to the RACECAR Neo Outreach Course that introduces fundamental math, physics, and statistics concepts to prepare students for research and automation development with a physical robot. Topics include discrete calculus, Newtonian physics, numerical processing techniques, and introduction to statistical models.
BWSI Courses offered:
- BWSI Autonomous RACECAR Prerequisite Course
- (February) 8-12 weeks, asynchronous course, 11th grade
RACECAR Neo Advanced Course
Students in the Advanced Course utilize a pre-built 1:14 scale autonomous RACECAR to test and verify high-speed driving algorithms. Using the techniques developed from prior courses, students may implement advanced controllers, sensor fusion, data filters, and object detection models to complete the Grand Prix as quickly and smoothly as possible.
BWSI Courses offered:
- Summer: BWSI Autonomous RACECAR
- (July) 4 weeks, 40 hours/week, flagship course
RACECAR Neo Research Capstone
The final course within the RACECAR Neo course ecosystem, where students have the opportunity to use the RACECAR Neo physical robot platform to investigate problem statements, perform literature review, design experiments, analyze data, and generate conclusions. BWSI Course offers interactive seminars with the guidance and mentorship necessary to write and revise a technical paper.
See “BWSI RACECAR Journal” for a history of student work related to this capstone.