9451995 Doty An undergraduate Intelligent Machines Laboratory (IML) course includes one hour lecture, two hours of tutorial and three hours of laboratory per week. The lectures include topics on machine intelligence related to the laboratory work. The tutorial sessions provide guided instruction in computer-aided engineering software, electronic circuit design, fabrication and assembly, trouble- shooting techniques and documentation development. The IML project addresses the need for practical electrical engineering training at a broader level than normally possible in a single undergraduate course. Students are required to define, analyze, synthesize and construct solutions to a variety of interacting requirements and integrate them into a functioning system--a simple, microcomputer controlled, autonomous robot with electronic sensors; a robot that can exhibit "interesting", intentional behavior. Effectively, the IML serves as a capstone laboratory that provides undergraduates realistic engineering experience in design, simulation, fabrication, assembly, integration, testing, and operations of a relatively complex system that requires the integration of various subdisciplines in electrical engineering. The Intelligent Machines Laboratory (IML) enables Seniors or second semester Juniors to integrate most of their undergraduate EE knowledge base into a practical computer engineering experience. Miniature, autonomous mobile robots have been chosen as the vehicle for conveying that experience. It is expected the student response to the broad spectrum demands placed on them in the IML will partially back-drive the entire EE curriculum in a meaningful and substantive manner.
