This project improves the Control Instrumentation, Control Systems and Robotics laboratory which plays a fundamental role in the new engineering technology program. New courses are impacted and novel experiments are being developed, involving transducing techniques, data acquisition, various controller structures and responses for processes and systems, as well as robot arm programming and robot applications in a simulated factory environment. The experiments and software are being produced in workbooks, reports and laboratory manuals. An innovative new format is being given to the procedures for assigning experimental projects as the experiments are based on practical problems solicited from industry. The problems are assigned and progress monitored in such a way as to emulate the conditions encountered by engineering technologists in the industrial workplace. The award is being matched by an equal amount from the principal investigator's institution.
