A remote lab for experiments with a team of mobile robots

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Control Systems
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Mobile robotics education often requires specialized hardware and complex programming.
• Validating control laws in real-world scenarios can be challenging and resource-intensive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a versatile remote laboratory for mobile robotics experimentation.
• To facilitate the teaching and research of mobile robot control and coordination.

Main Methods:

• Utilized LEGO Mindstorms for robot construction.
• Integrated Matlab for user-defined control law coding and validation.
• Developed a remote lab environment with customizable virtual obstacles and simulated sensors.

Main Results:

• Successfully demonstrated a platform for real-world testing of mobile robotics control laws.
• Enabled easy implementation and testing of decentralized control and motion coordination algorithms.
• Provided a versatile environment for both educational and research purposes in mobile robotics.

Conclusions:

• The remote lab effectively supports the development and validation of mobile robotics control strategies.
• The system lowers the barrier for students and researchers to engage with complex robotics experiments.
• The platform is well-suited for testing various control laws and coordination algorithms in simulated and real-world conditions.