Getting started for Duckietown Instructors

Vision

The Duckietown platform contains everything you need to teach an undergraduate or graduate level class on AI and robotics; from the off-the-shelf hardware plans, open source software, to the weekly lecture materials.

The materials can be used in two ways:

  1. Class materials – you use the platform and associated education materials to teach a class on robot autonomy. 
  2. As an experimental platform – where the hardware and software are used as the laboratory component of another class.

Development of the “class-in-a-box”

What the “class-in-a-box” will include:

  • Slides, lecture videos (for inspiration or flipped classroom), Python notebooks.
  • Lecture notes;
  • Exercises;
  • Robot-centered activities and demos;
  • An instructor’s guide;

About the community

  • If you bring Duckietown to your institution, your students will be joining a fun, global community, which includes worldwide collaboration and competition!

Current status

Already 735 students in 10 countries have used Duckietown in university classes to prepare themselves for careers in AI and robotics. (Read more statistics.)

We are now in the process of polishing the experience for students and instructors.

Below, you can find the timeline of releases.

“Duckietown was much more than just a class, it was a hands-on deep dive into hardware, software, and systems integration, and, most of all, it was a blast!”

Teddy Ort

Teddy OrtStudent at MIT

“The Duckietown class is the autonomous driving pie: the filling is hardcore robotics, the casing is artificial intelligence, and as a plus you get some funny ducks on top!”

Manfred Diaz

Manfred DiazStudent at Université de Montréal

“Teaching the Duckietown class was a wonderful experience for me and my students. The materials are great and the hands-on experience with the robot really helps reinforce the curriculum.”

Matthew Walter

Matthew WalterProfessor at TTI Chicago

Timeline of releases 

September-December 2018

Maturity: The “Class-in-a-box” versions are in preparatory phase. It’s ready for the adventurous instructors!

During Fall 2018:

  • The graduate class “Introduction to Autonomy” is taught at select universities (ETH Zürich, Université de Montréal, and TTI Chicago).
  • The undergraduate class will be taught at NCTU.
  • Students will participate in the AI-DO I competition, which will take place at NIPS 2018 in Montreal.

January 2019

Maturity: The materials are ready and semi-polished.

The official “class-in-a-box” versions of the following classes will be available:

  • Introduction to Autonomy (graduate level).
  • Control Systems with Duckietown (graduate level).

During Spring 2019:

  • Students are encouraged to participate in the AI-DO II as part of the class. Competition will take place at ICRA 2019 in Montréal (students do not need to physically present at ICRA).

During Fall 2019:

  • Students are encouraged to participate in the AI-DO III (in a conference to be confirmed).

September 2019

Maturity: Software refactoring and documentation overhaul. Materials being streamlined.

September 2020

Maturity: Ready for everybody in polished form!

Official “class-in-a-box” versions of the following classes available:

  • Introduction to Autonomy (graduate level).
  • Control Systems with Duckietown (graduate level).
  • Introduction to Robotics (undergraduate level).

During Fall 2019:

  • Students are encouraged to participate in the AI-DO III (in a conference to be confirmed).

2020 and beyond

More courses will be developed and the materials for the existing courses will continue to evolve and be refined and improved by the community.

Next steps

  • Take a look at all the resources that we have available to make building your class as smooth as possible
  • You can order hardware kits.

Frequently asked questions

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