Playful Learning: Robotics and Mechatronics Projects for Innovative Engineering Education

Abstract

The knowledge in the field of engineering is growing at an exponential rate.With only four years available for studying undergraduate engineering disciplines, this leaves many emerging and even established sub-fields and courses beyond the reach of students.This is particularly the case with universities offering predominantly undergraduate programs in engineering with a limited number of faculty.Robotics and mechatronics are among the frontier areas of electrical, mechanical, and computer engineering.Project-based learning experiences for undergraduate students in these disciplines can provide valuable real-world problem solving experience, expose them to new or established courses that students are not formally being taught, serve community outreach, and potentially produce innovative technologies and products for entrepreneurship by graduates.This paper discusses the project-based learning experiences of the author's undergraduate engineering students at the University of Michigan-Flint, in the fields of robotics and mechatronics.