MIX Autonomous Robotics and Sensor Integration
The newly established MIX Robot Prototyping Short Course Series will launch its third session in Spring 2026 with the Autonomous Robotics and Sensor Integration Short Course, where students will master robotics fundamentals—microcontroller programming, sensor integration, and hardware assembly—through hands-on projects that include maze navigation, obstacle avoidance, line tracking, and object manipulation.
This semester, participants will design and build multifunctional navigating robots using an array of sensors and actuators to perform diverse tasks in sequence while utilizing MIX resources. Working in teams of two, Sessions 1–3 introduce the Arduino IDE, embedded coding, automation, and obstacle avoidance, with a responsive robot assembled by Session 3. Sessions 4–6 cover servo motor control and response sequencing, and Sessions 7–8 focus on mini-challenge testing. The final Session 9 features a science fair-style demo showcasing the robots’ abilities. Open to students from all majors, the course previously hosted 18 students from various disciplines, and successful completion earns a GMU digital micro-credential.
Workshops begin February 18th, from 4:30–6:30PM and run weekly for 9 weeks. Applications are due by midnight February 12th, with acceptances sent February 14th. Waitlisted students must attend the first session to maintain eligibility. (Meeting day and schedule still tentative, but should be finalized soon)
For this Spring ‘26 semester session, GMU’s MIX Makerspace & Events Manager, Dr. Max Kazemzadeh, will instruct the course.
Questions? Contact mkazemza@gmu.edu or visit the MIX in Horizon Hall 1408.
“The MIX is very excited to offer our Autonomous Robotics and Sensor Integration Short Course to the GMU Community. We look forward every semester to the final presentations and the Arena Challenge.”
Spring 2025 9 WEEK COURSE OUTLINE:
* Meets Wednesdays, 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM (2 hour sessions)
(Meeting day and schedule still tentative, but should be finalized soon)
February 18 - Week 1:
-Introduction to the LAFVIN 2WD Robot Car, all the Challenges/Lessons in the course, -Arduino Uno, Arduino IDE
-Arduino Blink script test
-Arduino Analog Serial Read script test
-Robot Car Assembly
-Robot Car Basic Demo script test
February 25- Week 2:
-Motor Speed and Direction Control Lesson/Intro
-Challenge: Program the Robot Car to continuously move in a square
-Infrared Sensor & Obstacle Avoidance Lesson/Intro
-Challenge: Modify continuously moving in a square code to stop if an obstacle is detected and continue if the obstacle is removed
March 4 - Week 3:
-Ultrasonic Sensor & Arduino Libraries Lesson/Intro
-Challenge: Read distance from the ultrasonic sensor using sample code
-Challenge: Read distance from the ultrasonic sensor using a library
-Challenge: Modify continuously moving in a square code to stop if an obstacle is detected and continue if the obstacle is removed
-Servo Motor Control Lesson/Intro
-Challenge: Read distance from the ultrasonic sensor at 10-degree intervals by moving the servo motor
March 9-15 - Spring Recess
March 18 - Week 4
-Introduction to FlowChart & Decision making in robotics
-Challenge: Ultrasonic & Infrared Obstacle Avoidance
-Continue practice of creating a flowchart
-Challenge: Ultrasonic Follow Me Robot
March 18 - Week 5
-Introduction to Infrared Receiver/Transmitter
-Challenge: Infrared Remote Control Robot Car
-Introduction to Photoelectric Sensor
-Challenge: Light Seeking 2WD Robot Car
March 25- Week 6:
-Introduction to Line Tracking Sensor
-Challenge: Line Tracking Smart Car
-Introduction to Bluetooth Module and APP controller (Android Only)
-Challenge: Bluetooth Control Robot Car (Possibly figure out a way to do controls using PC/Mac)
April 1 - Week 7:
-Challenge: Fastest Time to clear the arena from all obstacles/trash
-Challenge: Fastest Time to solve the maze
April 8 - Week 8:
-Open Challenge: i.e. Make an arm mechanism to pop the balloon, Heat detection sensor, Camera, etc.
April 15 - Week 9:
-Final Technical Presentations and demo to judging panel