UviSpace — A multidisciplinary PBL system based on mobile robots

Education in industrial electronics-related subjects is very challenging because of the many different technological topics and application domains to be addressed. Mobile robotics is a very interesting area in this context, because it requires a wide coverage of many diverse topics and, at the same time, it is typically very appealing for engineering students. Therefore, mobile robot systems are very suitable platforms for the development of Project Based Learning solutions. This paper presents UviSpace, a modular, open-source intelligent space with Unmanned Ground Vehicles, which is being successfully applied for hands-on training of students in real-world problem solving in industrial electronics-related subjects. The hardware and software modules of the system are described, and student projects are discussed to demonstrate the usefulness and versatility of UviSpace as educational platform.