Development of a mechatronics and intelligent systems laboratory for teaching and research

This paper reports the development of a laboratory for undergraduate and graduate level teaching and research in the areas of Mechatronics and Intelligent Systems in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Southern University. The laboratory covers mechatronic instrumentation, control and mobile robotics. The broad topics include sensors, actuators, data acquisition, modeling, simulation, analysis, design and implementation of controllers, and swarm robotics. The laboratory provides an integrated hardware and software environment from basic instrumentation to rapid control prototyping, hardware-in-the-loop investigations, and intelligent robotic systems.