IoT to Enable Remote Collaboration in Robotics Class of Mechanical Engineering Technology

Zhou Zhang, Yizhe Chang, Sven K. Esche, Andy S. Zhang

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

The distance/online robotics classes are currently implemented wildly all over the world due to the pandemic. Robotics classes are the ones that require intensive hands-on practices, especially at the colleges which provide mechanical engineering technology (MET) programs. MET programs mainly focus on hands-on skills instead of theoretical analysis. One of the educational goals in MET is to cultivate future technologists rather than researchers. Unfortunately, the remote classes prevent the students from implementing various experiments. As a result, the remote classes impair the students' deeper understanding of the advanced concepts and theories and make collaborative learning difficult. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance the students' collaboration on the hands-on projects in the remote robotics classes. To do this, the internet of things (IoT) based projects are devised and implemented. These projects are characterized by the usage of the internet, wireless sensor networks, remote control systems, remote collaboration among group members, modular design (modularity), and remote data exchanging protocols. The structures of the robots are designed by computer-aided design software based on modularity, and the designed modules are shared in class among different groups. The remote communication software and apps are provided to the students to facilitate their collaborations. The robots are equipped with sensors that are integrated into the wireless network to enable remote data exchanging. To introduce the proposed practice in detail, a project of a smart robot car based on IoT is taken as an instance. The project used the IoT-ready wireless sensor and actuator framework to enable remote collaboration. After the implementation of the projects, the students can increase the immersive feeling in the remote classes, and then, help them to master the theories, know the usage of the hardware and software, and gain rich experience in robotics.

Original languageEnglish
JournalASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings
StatePublished - 26 Jul 2021
Event2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference, ASEE 2021 - Virtual, Online
Duration: 26 Jul 202129 Jul 2021

Keywords

  • Framework
  • IoT
  • Mechanical engineering technology
  • Robotics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'IoT to Enable Remote Collaboration in Robotics Class of Mechanical Engineering Technology'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this