Preparing Students for the Advanced Manufacturing Environment Through Robotics, Mechatronics, and Automation Training

Automation is one of the key areas for modern manufacturing systems. It requires coordination of different machines to support manufacturing operations in a company. Recent studies show that there is a gap in the STEM workforce preparation in regards to highly automated production environments. Industrial robots have become an essential part of these semi-automated and automated manufacturing systems. Their control and programming requires adequate education and training in robotics theory and applications. Various engineering technology departments offer different courses related to the application of robotics. These courses are a great way to inspire students to learn about science, math, engineering, and technology while providing them with workforce skills. However, some challenges are present in the delivery of such courses. One of these challenges includes the enrollment of students who come from different engineering departments and backgrounds. Such a multidisciplinary group of students can pose a challenge for the instructor to successfully develop the courses and match the content to different learning styles and math levels. To overcome that challenge, and to spark students\u27 interest, the certified education robot training can greatly support the teaching of basic and advanced topics in robotics, kinematics, dynamics, control, modeling, design, CAD/CAM, vision, manufacturing systems, simulation, automation, and mechatronics. This paper will explain how effective this course can be in unifying different engineering disciplines when using problem solving related to various important manufacturing automaton problems. These courses are focused on educational innovations related to the development of student competency in the use of equipment and tools common to the discipline, and associated curriculum development at three public institutions, in three different departments of mechanical engineering technology. Through these courses students make connections between the theory and real industrial applications. This aspect is especially important for tactile or kinesthetic learners who learn through experiencing and doing things. They apply real mathematical models and understand physical implications through labs on industrial grade robotic equipment and mobile robots

Integration of Mechatronics Design Approach into Teaching of Modeling Practices

Engineering design has transformed significantly due to advances in embedded system design and computer technologies. Almost every mechanical design today has some electrical and electronic components. Many products manufactured today contain both electrical and mechanical components and systems. Mechatronics is a design process that is multi-disciplinary in nature and integrates principles of many engineering disciplines including, but not limited to, mechanical engineering and mechanical engineering technology, electrical engineering and electrical engineering technology, and controls engineering. Mechatronic systems can be found in many different places today. These range from computer hard drives and robotic assembly systems, to washing machines, coffee makers, printers, and medical devices, as well as to various advanced manufacturing machines and devices that are numerically controlled, such as additive manufacturing machines, rapid prototyping machines and multi-axis CNC machines. The main purpose for integrating a mechatronics themed activity into a computer-modeling course is to engage students in project-based learning through hands-on activities related to modeling a mechatronic device. Students learn the basics of electromechanical systems, the integration of machine elements (gear reducer) and the basics of actuators (electrical motor), all of which are fundamental to understanding mechatronic systems through activities related to the mechatronic design principles. Hence, engineering design for mechanical engineers and mechanical engineering technologists have to involve embedded multi-disciplinary knowledge with the understanding of both mechanical and electrical systems. This paper will focus on presenting the use of modeling as a vehicle to teaching more complex engineering concepts, such as gears, linkage analysis, animation and the solid modelling course content

Thermal Perceptual Thresholds are typical in Autism Spectrum Disorder but Strongly Related to Intra-individual Response Variability

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often reported to exhibit an apparent indifference to pain or temperature. Leading models suggest that this behavior is the result of elevated perceptual thresholds for thermal stimuli, but data to support these assertions are inconclusive. An alternative proposal suggests that the sensory features of ASD arise from increased intra-individual perceptual variability. In this study, we measured method-of-limits warm and cool detection thresholds in 142 individuals (83 with ASD, 59 with typical development [TD], aged 7–54 years), testing relationships with diagnostic group, demographics, and clinical measures. We also investigated the relationship between detection thresholds and a novel measure of intra-individual (trial-to-trial) threshold variability, a putative index of “perceptual noise.” This investigation found no differences in thermal detection thresholds between individuals with ASD and typical controls, despite large differences between groups in sensory reactivity questionnaires and modest group differences in intra-individual variability. Lower performance IQ, male sex, and higher intra-individual variability in threshold estimates were the most significant predictors of elevated detection thresholds. Although no psychophysical measure was significantly correlated with questionnaire measures of sensory hyporeactivity, large intra-individual variability may partially explain the elevated psychophysical thresholds seen in a subset of the ASD population

Analysis of misconceptions of Engineering Technology students about electricity and circuits: A mixed methods study

Effective instruction in Engineering and Technology requires knowledge of how students understand or misunderstand key concepts in these disciplines. This dissertation focuses on the analysis of students\u27 misconceptions about electricity and circuits. It presents a synthesis of methods from educational research and cognitive psychology applied to a population of Electrical Engineering Technology students. Incorrect mental models, deeply rooted in everyday experience, can significantly affect student learning. Evidence suggests that students who learn new material may already have some understanding and preconceptions about presented-in-classroom concepts. Misconceptions about electricity of freshmen and sophomores were analyzed and compared to the misconceptions of seniors. The goals of this dissertation targeted: (1) investigating the correlation between student academic success (grades) and their misconceptions, and (2) understanding how student mental models and misconceptions change with increasing levels of competency and expertise during the students\u27 progression from the freshman to senior level. Twenty two seniors and twenty novices (freshmen and first-semester sophomores) enrolled in the Electrical Engineering Technology program at Purdue University participated in the present study. The study design employed a mixed-methods methodology, including quantitative and qualitative phases. The quantitative phase conducted a correlational investigation; the qualitative phase was built on grounded theory principles. In the quantitative stage, all 42 participants responded to 29 questions from the DIRECT version 1.0 Concept Inventory (see Engelhardt & Beichner, 2004). In the qualitative stage 16 out of 42 students (8 novices and 8 seniors) explained aloud their incorrect responses to the DIRECT CI, and responded to four open-ended questions about general understanding of electricity. Students\u27 interviews were analyzed using open coding. The findings showed that correlation between grades and misconceptions was statistically significant for both novice and senior groups. The two most interesting and unexpected results were: (1) in the novice group correlation between grades and misconceptions was stronger than in the senior group. Incorrect understanding of electricity in the senior group can apparently be disguised by a well-developed technical vocabulary. Notably, even the brightest high-GPA students evidenced numerous mistaken beliefs; (2) despite the improvement in understanding of electricity; seniors had more misconceptions (and were more confused) than novices about physical and fundamental electrical concepts, such as `charge\u27 or `electrical field\u27. Also, two widespread among the students\u27 analogies were detected: (1) water flow and electrical current, and (2) electricity is a substance-that-can-be-used-up. These analogies were identified as the most popular mental models, and they continued to be frequently used as novices progressed to senior level

Common Misunderstandings of Electricity: Analysis of Interview- Responses of Electrical Engineering Technology Students

In the recent decade the wide body of research on misconceptions focused on establishing understandable schemes of why some scientific concepts are so difficult to understand for students in various Engineering Technology majors. The present interview-based, qualitative study of two student groups opened some interesting insides and explains common struggling of learning the basic electrical concepts. It had been observed that progressing from a freshman to a senior level, students developed strong technical/terminological vocabulary, but often they were unable to clear explain what those terms mean. Both student cohorts (from freshmen to seniors) continuously applied incorrect “water-analogy” to the concepts of current flow. Also, in majority of cases, they perceive electricity ontologically incorrect as a “Substance-that-can-be-used-up”

Evaluating STEM Education in the U.S. Secondary Schools: Pros and Cons of the «Project Lead the Way» Platform

Starting in 1990-s, the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) program became one of the most known and favorable interdisciplinary STEM platforms in K-12 education in the United States. Moving away from the traditional classroom, PLTW focuses on the integration of several subjects into one. It includes various hands-on-activities that, according to PLTW mission, help to develop deeper practical hands-on skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). In nowadays, PLTW is a nationally recognized curriculum, which offers many opportunities for teachers, as well as students, developing engineering skills and preparing the youth for college and upcoming STEM-oriented carriers. However, despite of its popularity, various factors (such as the cost of PLTW equipment, supplies, and software, as well as support of school administration) might signif-icantly influence quality of PLTW teaching

Evaluating STEM Education in the U.S. Secondary Schools: Pros and Cons of the «Project Lead the Way» Platform

Starting in 1990-s, the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) program became one of the most known and favorable interdisciplinary STEM platforms in K-12 education in the United States. Moving away from the traditional classroom, PLTW focuses on the integration of several subjects into one. It includes various hands-on-activities that, according to PLTW mission, help to develop deeper practical hands-on skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). In nowadays, PLTW is a nationally recognized curriculum, which offers many opportunities for teachers, as well as students, developing engineering skills and preparing the youth for college and upcoming STEM-oriented carriers. However, despite of its popularity, various factors (such as the cost of PLTW equipment, supplies, and software, as well as support of school administration) might signif-icantly influence quality of PLTW teaching