Methodology of Designing and Modeling Projects for Robotics and Mechatronics Course of Intelligent Robotics Master Program

Intelligent robots are employed in a variety of sectors due to their capability to carry out tasks autonomously. As a response to the growing importance of intelligent robots, a new master’s program in intelligent robotics was introduced by Kazan Federal University, Russia in 2017. It was created by analyzing the curricula of leading robotics universities worldwide. The main objective of this master’s program is to provide in-depth knowledge to students regarding intelligent robots’ development and applications. Classes of the program were conducted by combining theoretical lectures with applications of robotics software and hardware tools. Computer-aided design (CAD) software and Robotic Operating System (ROS) libraries were practiced by students in courses. We present an approach for designing and modeling projects within the Robotics and Mechatronics course for first-year students using SOLIDWORKS and ROS. Educational methodologies adopted by a student are presented in this article as a case study of an elevator-operating robot.

I. Introduction

To meet the growing demand for roboticists in the Russian job market, the Russian Federation initiated a program focusing on the digital economy to address cybersecurity, research competencies, IT infrastructure, and others [1]. In 2017, Kazan Federal University started a new master’s degree program in Intelligent robotics. A program curriculum concentrates on software development for robotic systems and emphasizes practical tasks and research skills [2].