Building an undergraduate robotics laboratory serving the STEM curriculum

Abstract

Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) Software Engineering program has developed over recent years a sophisticated undergraduate software engineering lab for use in embedded and cyberphysical systems and related project courses. A number of teaching modules have been put in place, with emphasis on security, complex systems, and web-based access. The objective of the current project is the development of a lab specific to robotics applications that can be used across the undergraduate STEM curricula. Developing such a lab has an impact on the advancement of teaching in STEM disciplines by connecting the lab to multiple STEM related courses. This paper outlines the major concepts and presents first results.