IREP: An Interactive Robotics Education Program for Undergraduate Students

In this paper we present IREP, an Interactive Robotics Education Program that aims to integrate basic concepts of mechatronics, electronics and computer science for undergraduate engineering students in an interactive manner. Our methodology is inspired in the process in which project management techniques are used in order to define goals, milestone planning is used to guide the implementation, scheduling techniques are used to monitor project advances, and resource management guidelines are used to assign human and monetary resources. Initially, we present a case of study that describes the current state of the robotics program at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, then we identify key problems using surveys with current undergraduate students, and finally we propose potential solutions to each problem and integrate them into a new comprehensive education program. Using our new approach, students will enhance their hands-on experience with real robotics projects while performing preliminary research, documentation and oral presentations that will help them to develop their intellectual and communication skills.