A Study on Teaching Cyber-Physical Systems with a Customized Branded Mobile Robot for Industry 4.0

Abstract

Teaching Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) can be challenging due to the involvement of diverse, complex, and expensive devices. During the past year, Tecnologico de Monterrey together with Manchester Robotics Ltd. successfully implemented a teaching strategy for CPS under its model TEC21 on the way to graduate high-level students, and ready to join the workforce. Theoretical lectures combined with hands-on practices allowed students to solve a real problem using off-the-shelf mobile robots and ROS as the software platform. After implementing this teaching-learning strategy, significant improvements have been observed in students' learning outcomes. They have had the opportunity to work collaboratively in teams, develop their research skills, enhance their programming abilities, and gain a deeper understanding of mobile and manipulator arm robotics through practical implementation in the laboratory. The planning, methodology, and solutions performed by students are used to showcase the results of the teaching strategy and its outcomes.