The minor Adaptive Robotics (AR) is an innovative minor in terms of content, teaching form and the related assessment method. The minor is talent-based and has a considerable focus on multidisciplinary collaboration. The minor will be taught in English.

The minor starts with an inspirational kick-off, that addresses elementary questions as “What is an engineer” and “What is a robot?” to make students aware of the starting point of their learning process. After that hands-on challenges and theoretical modules are parallel offered. The challenges aim for learning-by-doing and social interaction, so the participants (from a divers set of programs) get to know each other both personally and professionally. The modules offer theoretical knowledge in a diversity of subjects:

• Principles of Robotics: General principles and knowledge from mathematics and physics.
• Robot Operating Systems: How to make a robot move (manually or autonomously)
• Hardware Abstraction & Embedded Hardware:
• Vision, Sensors & Perception: How to make a robot aware of it’s environment
• Norms, Standards & Safety: How to create safe interaction between the robot and it’s environment
• Professional Development: Exploring your talents and contribute to a multidisciplinairy team

 

Four hands-on challenges (2 weeks each)  trigger experiences and questions that students can take to the modules, so ‘class’ is a lively discussion platform rather than a place of traditional information transfer. Also in the modules, students will be given assignments (individually and in groups) to practice.

 

The knowledge acquired will then be applied and expanded within a multidisciplinary group project with a focus on innovation. During 12 weeks, students will spend 4 days a week on their project and 1 day a week on acquiring in-depth knowledge via workshops, company visits, guest-lectures and/or robotic events/fairs (like Vision,Robotics&Motion or PrecisionFair). Projects are offered by companies (preferably at the Brainport Industries Campus), the Mechatronics Lectorate or teams that participate in robotic contests (like RoboCup). Within specified frameworks, the students will have the opportunity to define their own project, in close consultation with relevant subject lecturers and preferably connected to a relevant company for a professional perspective. These projects will be coached by lecturers (both in terms of process and technical content).

The minor is concluded by final presentations and reflection.

Students create a conclusive portfolio that contains there self-chosen learning goals, learning experiences, defintions of an engineer and a robot, attended modules and levels reached, project results and attended inspirational events.

It can be a digital document or website, as long as it can be shown to interested stakeholders.

 

The minor strives to introduce participants to the latest of developments in robotics, that are not yet introduced into the regular program of mechatronics.

Also a part of the activities take place at the Fontys Pavilion at the Brainport Industries Campus, where large scale robotic equipment can be used that is not available on Nexus, and close corporation with specialized companies is possible.

Inspiration is offered by guest-speakers, workshops and company-visits. In both rounds of the minor (september and february) it is possible to visit a national fair in the field of robotics.

 

More than the regular studyprograms, the minor stimulates students to identify their talents and participate with those in a multidisciplinary setting. This is important since developing robotic systems is by nature a multidisciplinary matter and the minor therefore attracts a diversity of technical backgrounds. In terms of content, after this minor the participants are ahead in actual developments in the field of robotics and have worked in multidisciplinary environments that regular students don’t visit (Brainport Industries Campus and Mechatronics Lectorate).

 

The minor is offered twice per year (september and february) and open for students from Fontys and other universities. In both rounds a minimum of 18 students is required.

The minor is suitable for students with an technical/engineering background (specifically mechanical engineering, mechatronics, electronics and ICT) and students who demonstrate sufficient prior technical knowledge (automotive, physics, applied mathematics). These programs have a large overlap in competences (like analysing, calculating, designing, programming and modelling), but might differ in specific tools, languages or topics.

In terms of personal attitude, the minor is suitable for pro-active students who are open to self-development and multidisciplinary collaboration.

 

To participate the student must have obtained the propedeutic exam (60ECTS).

Students from outside Fontys must deliver a declaration of permission from their local examboard.

Subscription requires a letter of interest, thst explains the student’s ambitions, expectations and fitness of technical background.

There are no hard requirements in terms of knwoledge or skills, although it might be wise to contact the coordinator when there are doubts about the present level of competence in programming, physics or mathematics.

The minor is not accessible for non-technical students.

 

Minor regulation

You can download the minor regulation minor regulation. The purpose of the minor regulations is to inform you about what you will learn as a student in the minor, what the assessment looks like and when you will have completed the minor. Students can derive rights from the minor regulations.