PROJECT-BASED LEARNING IN MECHATRONICS ENGINEERING: MODELLING AND DEVELOPMENT OF AN AUTONOMOUS WHEELED MOBILE ROBOT FOR FIREFIGHTING

Year 2016, Volume: 4 , 198 - 204, 01.09.2016

Atef A. Ata

Abstract

The mechatronics
engineering education has advanced rapidly since the introduction of
mechatronics as a new discipline in engineering education. The project-based
learning becomes also one of the most effective approaches in teaching
mechatronics subjects such as robotics and mechatronics system design. The main objective of this paper is to
present the role of project-based learning in the mechatronics engineering
education. An autonomous wheeled mobile robot that scans a rectangular area
looking for a heat source (simulated by a burning candle) extinguishes it and
returns back to its home position is designed. The project was developed
successfully and the students got the second position in a robotic competition
organized by the university. The design details as well as the performance
analysis of the mobile robot will be presented here. Also, the milestones of
the project will be discussed and analyzed.

Keywords

Mobile robot, firefighting, competition, project-based, mechatronics education

References

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