Abstract
Microcontrollers to Teach Automation Basics Introducing students to the fundamentals of automation can be a massive undertaking for faculty. Scenic automation systems can be very complex in order to prepare students for this emerging area of technical theatre it behooves faculty to find innovative ways to fit the foundations and concepts into curriculum. Many automation solutions exist on the market, from plug and play to component level they are all in the thousands of dollar and take up significant space. It would be impractical for each student in an undergraduate program to have their own system. Arduino microcontrollers that incorporate motors, switches, LEDs, and potentiometers are readily available and cost effective. The open source environment has encouraged the many tutorials and project examples online. These embedded electronics allow the students to engage in basic programming that mimic the use of a PLC for a fraction of the cost and size. Microcontrollers facilitates scaled down automation which is approachable by students in all disciples of technical theatre. Bringing these exercises into the classroom allows the students to understand automation and electrical basics such as wiring schematics, feedback, speed reduction, circuit design and more.
Microcontrollers to Teach Automation Basics
Microcontrollers to Teach Automation Basics Introducing students to the fundamentals of automation can be a massive undertaking for faculty. Scenic automation systems can be very complex in order to prepare students for this emerging area of technical theatre it behooves faculty to find innovative ways to fit the foundations and concepts into curriculum. Many automation solutions exist on the market, from plug and play to component level they are all in the thousands of dollar and take up significant space. It would be impractical for each student in an undergraduate program to have their own system. Arduino microcontrollers that incorporate motors, switches, LEDs, and potentiometers are readily available and cost effective. The open source environment has encouraged the many tutorials and project examples online. These embedded electronics allow the students to engage in basic programming that mimic the use of a PLC for a fraction of the cost and size. Microcontrollers facilitates scaled down automation which is approachable by students in all disciples of technical theatre. Bringing these exercises into the classroom allows the students to understand automation and electrical basics such as wiring schematics, feedback, speed reduction, circuit design and more.