Development of Robotics Projects to Introduce the Applied Research Culture in the Engineering Undergraduate Programs

Development of Robotics Projects to Introduce the Applied Research Culture in the Engineering Undergraduate Programs

&nbsp;&nbsp;This paper describes an initiative to introduce mechanisms oriented to create motivational attitudes for developing applied research in the undergraduate level, instead of focusing such efforts only in the graduate level. An important part of these efforts are carried out under the framework of several robotics projects, in particular walking robots and simulated and real soccer robots. Along with this, a curriculum to assure long term technical goals has been specially designed. Thus, the projects should provide the necessary ingredients to encourage the students to develop autonomous behaviors and maintain persistent motivational attitudes by interacting with attractive technical challenges.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;We have adopted formal learning models that help to develop cognitive skills for solving problems, such as Problem Based Learning (PBL). In a first step, during four semesters of the years 2002 and 2003, the PBL model, along with projects in soccer robots, has been applied in the undergraduate and graduate level. Since 2004 these efforts have been focused on the undergraduate level. And, we have already witnessed some key results; the students have acquired interesting motivational attitudes in applied research projects in robotics; they have developed cognitive skills for solving problems; and they have got successful participations in international robotics competitions.