Simple mobile robots for introduction into engineering

Abstract

The demand for qualified engineering professionals in the modern world is far exceeding their supply by higher educational institutions and this gap continues to grow. It is important to attract new students into the area of engineering in order to redress the situation. To address the problem, the universities and institutions of tertiary technical education have to embark on energetic outreach programs aiming to develop interest amongst secondary and high school students to study engineering. Staff-guided student activities leading to design, implementation and application of entry-level robotic devices and systems has proven to be amongst the most efficient elements of such programs.