| Class_Session | |
| Week 1 | |
| Tuesday | What is mechatronics? Example systems and architecture. Introduction to the e-puck mobile robot and the PIC microcontroller. |
| Wednesday | Lab 1: The e-puck mobile robot and the PIC microcontroller. |
| Thursday | Basic nonlinear elements: diodes and transistors. Prep reading: basic electronics on the mechatronics wiki. |
| Week 2 | |
| Tuesday | Programming the PIC 18F4520. |
| Wednesday | Lab 2: Putting together the PIC board and programming. |
| Thursday | Nonlinear circuit elements (cont). |
| Week 3 | |
| Tuesday | Nonlinear circuit elements (cont), operational amplifiers, signal conditioning, and PID control. |
| Wednesday | Lab 3: Op amps and sensors with the 18F4520. |
| Thursday | DC motor theory, controlling a DC motor, relays, pulse-width modulation, H-bridges. Closed-loop control with an encoder or tachometer. |
| Week 4 | |
| Tuesday | DC motor control (cont.). |
| Wednesday | Lab 4: DC motor control with an encoder and a tachometer, with the PIC and op amps. Understanding the motor. |
| Thursday | DC motor control (cont). |
| Week 5 | |
| Tuesday | Stepper motors, servo motors, and other actuators. |
| Wednesday | Lab 5: Driving steppers and servos with the 18F4520. Sensor smorgasbord. |
| Thursday | Sensor gallery: emitter-detector pairs (photoresistors, photodiodes, phototransistors), limit switches and debouncing, Hall effect sensors, inductive coils, potentiometers, tachometers, absolute and incremental encoders, mercury tilt switches, etc. |
| Week 6 | |
| Tuesday | Motor sizing. Power transmission: gears (rack and pinion, spur, planetary, worm, bevel, crown, harmonic) and belt drives; torque, speed, and power equations, efficiency, inertia, reflected inertia, inertia matching. |
| Wednesday | Lab time: Project consultation. |
| Thursday | Power transmission (cont). |
| Week 7 | |
| Tuesday | Power transmission (cont). Linkages, cams, bearings. |
| Wednesday | Lab time: Project consultation. |
| Thursday | Digital design and integrated circuits. Combinational and sequential. A/D, D/A, counters, timers. |
| Week 8 | |
| Tuesday | Student project presentations. |
| Wednesday | Lab time: Project consultation. |
| Thursday | Digital circuits (cont). |
| Week 9 | |
| Tuesday | Electrical noise, isolation, grounding, shielding. |
| Wednesday | Lab time: Project consultation. |
| Thursday | Special topic. |
| Week 10 | |
| Tuesday | Special topic. |
| Wednesday | Lab time: Project consultation. |
| Thursday | Project review. |