Remote Control of a Robotic Unit: A Case Study for Control Engineering Formation

• Published in: IEEE transactions on education Vol. 63; no. 4; pp. 246 - 254
• Main Authors: Losada-Gutierrez, Cristina, Espinosa, Felipe, Santos-Perez, Carlos, Marron-Romera, Marta, Rodriguez-Ascariz, Jose Manuel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01.11.2020; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Angular velocity; CAD; Case Studies; Computer aided design; Computer Assisted Instruction; Computer Software; Computer-aided instruction; Control engineering; Control systems design; Curricula; Educational robots; Engineering; Engineering Education; Engineering training; Experimentation; Experiments; Foreign Countries; Grades (Scholastic); Higher Education; Interdisciplinary Approach; Laboratory Experiments; Physics; Problem Based Learning; Proposals; Remote control; Robot control; Robotics; Student Attitudes; Student Motivation; Students; Teacher Attitudes; Teachers; Teaching Methods; Training; Units of Study; Spain
• ISSN: 0018-9359; 1557-9638
• DOI: 10.1109/TE.2020.2975937

Hands-on experimentation has widely demonstrated its efficacy in engineering training, especially in control formation, since experimentation using computer-aided control system design (CACSD) tools is essential for future engineers. In this context, this article describes a case study for Control Engineering formation, based on a new lab practice for the linear and angular velocity control for a commercial P3-DX robot platform, to teach industrial control. This lab proposal includes all the stages involved in the design of a real control system, from plant identification from an open-loop test to real experimentation of the designed control system. The lab practices proposed have a twofold objective: First, it is an interdisciplinary approach that allows students to put into practice the skills from other subjects in the curriculum, facilitating the integration of knowledge. In addition, it allows increasing the motivation of the students by working with a complex and realistic plant. The proposal has been evaluated through the grades of the students, as well as the perception of both students and instructors, and the results obtained allow to confirm the benefits of the proposal.