Paper:
The Challenge of Micro Robot Creation at the Nippon Institute of Technology
Yuichi Nakazato
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nippon Institute of Technology, 4-1, Gakuendai, Miyasiro-Machi, Minamisaitama-Gun, Saitama Pref. 345-8501, Japan
Robot contests are attracting much attention as a tool for encouraging students to familiarize themselves with mechatronics and manufacturing skills. In this respect, robot researchers are revaluating robot contests in a new light. The Japan Society of Precision Engineering (JSPE) has thus hosted microrobot contests with miniature robots 2 × 2 × 2 cm. These contests have proven that students exhibit original concepts, some of which have developed into academic work, and further advantages are anticipated. The Nippon Institute of Technology selected fabrication of microrobots based on specifications prepared by the JSPE for microrobot contests as part of its curriculum. This paper reports the effectiveness of microrobot contests on mechatronics education and manufacturing skills. The implementation of such a prudently prepared curriculum in work to manufacture microrobots by students of the Nippon Institute of Technology has produced valuable results.
This article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationa License.
Copyright© 2003 by Fuji Technology Press Ltd. and Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers. All right reserved.