Remotely accessible laboratory model for enabling improved understanding of robot simultaneous localisation and mapping

Abstract

The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) remotely accessible laboratory system started in 2001, and allows staff and students to access apparatus including microcontrollers, programmable logic controllers, FPGAs, coupled water tanks and loaded beams. This article describes the preliminary stages of the development of a new remotely accessible component that is specifically tailored for UTS students of robotics. Remotely accessible robots will be used by students of at least two subjects, Mechatronics 2 and Advanced Robotics. New learning activities are being designed to introduce students to the laser range finder and camera, enable students to gain an understanding of how instrumentation data is logged and used to create and compare maps, and to facilitate experiments with localisation and path planning. It is envisaged that by using the remotely accessible robotics laboratories, students will be able to devote a greater proportion of their time to furthering their understanding of key robotics concepts. It is proposed that remotely accessible laboratories have a potential role in enabling student's understanding of such key concepts. © 2009 WIETE.