Course VPP 501 - Robotics Prototyping: Design, Integration, and Strategy
Course Description
This hands-on robotics workshop introduces mechanical design, electronics, and programming through the development of ground robots for object-retrieval tasks. Working in teams of three, participants will design, build, program, test, and refine modular robotic systems while gaining practical experience in system integration and troubleshooting. Short lessons and guided activities will support rapid prototyping and iterative improvement as teams develop both individual components and complete systems. The workshop culminates in a team-based robotics competition featuring hidden information and opportunities for deceptive play. An after-action discussion will examine how engineering decisions, system design, and strategic choices influenced the performance.
Course Objectives/Key Competencies
By the end of the 30-hour workshop, participants will have progressed through the complete development and experimentation cycle:
Understand → Build → Integrate → Program → Test → Strategize → Adapt → Compete → Analyze
Participants leave with both practical experience building and operating a mobile robot and a conceptual understanding of how autonomous and multi-agent robotic systems make decisions and interact within complex environments.
Key Competencies: Critical technology advancement: Resource management; Strategic readiness; Critical thinking