The objective of this project is to create a Mechatronics Laboratory that supports two undergraduate courses. The courses are (1) an Introduction to Mechatronics, a required undergraduate course for mechanical engineers with an ultimate enrollment of approximately 400 students per year, and (2) Advanced Mechatronics, an elective course for engineers with an expected enrollment of 80 students per year. Although most students in both courses are mechanical engineers, approximately 100 students are expected to be electrical engineers who have an interest in microcomputer-controlled electrical-mechanical systems. All laboratory experiences are scheduled for 3 hours per week per section. The new requirement for mechatronics in the mechanical engineering curriculum is a more modern version of the previous electric power conversion and motors laboratory. The new Mechatronics Laboratory is located in the School of Mechanical Engineering. The equipment consists of instrumentation to make measurement, program embedded microcomputers, control experiments, and display result; microcomputer kits for building embedded control devices for smart machines; actuator kits to provide motion; sensor kits to make measurements in smart machines; and a two-example mechatronic systems, e.g. robots. A Mechatronics in Engineering Education workshop is being held to promote the adoption of similar mechatronics courses as part of the mechanical engineering curriculum. *
