Computing and Robotics Lab
The Diamond has over 1000 computers available for students to use in open-access areas and four computer labs designed specifically for teaching.
This hi-spec lab has workstations that utilise sophisticated graphics cards and 3D-capable monitors. The largest of the computer labs features a purpose-built robot arena, enabling students to use several different robots to study artificial intelligence, and write Java, Python and C++ programs to drive them or manipulate them via visual programming tools.
There are several different types of robot available for use in The Diamond within a purpose-built robot arena.
NAO humanoid robots
The NAO robots are extremely useful for teaching artificial intelligence, as they have a wide range of sensors and motors. They can be controlled using visual programming tools or more sophisticated coding with languages such as Python, C++ or Java. They can be programmed to do simple tasks such as walking, standing up and sitting down, but they can also do more complicated interactive functions such as face and voice recognition.
Lego Mindstorm robots
Made into basic vehicles, the Lego Mindstorm robots are used as a platform to learn Object-Oriented programming languages, such as Java. Due to the variety of sensors available, it is possible to get them to detect objects, follow lines and measure distances, all of which are good ways of learning a programming language.
Who uses this lab?
- Aerospace Engineering
- Automatic Control & Systems Engineering
- Computer Science
- Mechanical Engineering
What equipment is in the lab?
- 80 Lego Mindstorm robots
- 14 NAO humanoid robots
International Merit Scholarships
We offer a generous package of financial support for international students including 75 undergraduate scholarships worth £10,000 towards the annual tuition fee and 125 postgraduate taught scholarships worth £5,000 towards the tuition fee. Applications are now open for existing offer holders.