Applications With Autonomous Mobile Platforms and Robotic Arms for Experiential Learning and Research in Indoor and Outdoor Settings

Abstract Automation and robotics have been a dominant theme in the funded project efforts with acronyms ECPA (Environmentally Conscious Precision Agriculture), AIRSPACES (Autonomous Instrumented Robotic Sensory Platforms to Advance Creativity and Engage Students), and more recently DREAM (Developing Robotic Explorations with Agrobots and Moonbots). These projects have engaged undergraduate and graduate students from STEM disciplines. Robotic applications within and outside the laboratory have played a pivotal role in engaging the students and driving the educational and research objectives of the proposed projects. This paper will highlight some of the efforts undertaken by the project team for developing and utilizing mobile robots and fixed-base robotic arms.