Mechatronics for robotics module assessment
The Mechatronics for robotics module assessment involves completing practical tasks using an Arduino, building and demonstrating a robot and writing a report on the robot and the demonstration.
Assessments and modules may change before you start your course. This is an example of the assessment for this module but tasks may change each year to improve your experience.
The Mechatronics for robotics module is a core module on the MSc Robotics degree where you’ll learn to design mechanical, electrical, computational systems and control and integrate them into mechatronic systems.
At the start of the module you’ll be provided with a mechatronics kit, which can be taken home and worked on in pairs. Your first assignment will be to create a video of you completing practical tasks using an Arduino platform.
Following what you’ve learnt in your first assignment and in your lab practicals. Your second assignment is a group project to design and build a robot that could perform a inside-the-body surgical task.
The task for the robot is to go through a tunnel, touch a whiteboard with a marker demonstrating incision, and navigate back to its start position through the other tunnel.
As well as accuracy and ability to perform the tasks, robot devices are scored for speed and how many times the tasks were completed in a given time.
As well as the demonstration, students were expected to complete a final report on their robot. The report would justify the decisions the group took in designing their robot and describe the final specifications with respect to the mechanical and electronic design, the control algorithms programmed to perform the tasks, how reliable and accurate the robot performed and a reflection on what they would have done differently.
As well as technical engineering skills, students needed to show excellent project management skills to plan, design and purchase the components needed to build their robot, and collaborate efficiently.
Students said that the module assignment put into practice what they've learnt from other modules. That the challenges faced to build and control the robots for the challenge enabled them to experience what real-world robotic and control engineering is like.
The Mechatronics for robotics module is led by Dr Shuhei Miyashita and Dr Dana Damian. Both these staff carry out ground-breaking biomedical robotics and microrobotic research.
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.