Keeping in mind the fast-changing world and technological advancements altering all facets of our lives, a short term course on "Mechatronics and Robotics" is being organized by the Department of Electrical Engineering, Punjab Engineering College (Deemed to be University) from 16th to 20th July, 2018. The main objective of the course is to enable the participants to identify design components, learn to interface these components mentally and physically, and build their confidence so that they can create smart systems and products.
The 5 day course commenced today and is intended for faculty and practicing engineers, and for students pursuing B. Tech, M. Tech, PhD, and has drawn participants from revered institutions all over the nation. The contents being covered aim to improve an understating of mechatronics, intelligent systems and their design, familiarization of software used in developing and interfacing with related systems and products amongst others. Expert lectures on plethora of topics shall be delivered by faculty/scientists from esteemed institutions such as PEC, IITs, NITTTR, CSIO, and by subject-matter experts currently employed in industries.
The inauguration ceremony of the Short Term Course was held in the New Academic Block, PEC and began with a traditional lighting of the lamp by the dignitaries. The welcome address was given by Dr.Puneet Arora, co-ordinator of the course, followed by a brief introduction to the Short Term Course by Dr. Tilak Thakur, Head, EED, PEC.
Dr.ManojK. Arora, Director, PEC enlightened the assembled participants regarding the evolving curriculum for different courses at PEC and the significance of incorporating latest digital study materials, research papers and case studies in the classroom for the holistic development of the students. This will prepare them for the real-life challenges faced by the industry they will enter after graduation.
The respected keynote speaker, Mr. Manish Jindal, CEO, Quality Council of India, New Delhi then talked at length on the changing nature of the Indian economic system and the need for industry and academia to accommodate these changes. This will prepare the next generation of engineers to handle the resulting problems effectively and proactively.
The course began with a lecture on understanding mechatronics, mechanistic systems and their intelligence by Dr. Tilak Thakur. This instructive session equipped the participants with the basic knowledge of key concepts of mechatronics. Filled with helpful real-life examples like the smart washing machines and TVs in our homes to the GPS in our cars, Dr. Thakur's lecture was a highly informative start to the learning experience.
An engaging session on sensors and transducers was held by Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, Scientist, CSIO. He elucidated the role of these measuring devices in intelligent systems. He emphasized that measurement is an important subsystem of a mechatronics system as it gathers the necessary information that forms the base for all calculations and controls. His years of experience in the industry and exposure to ever-evolving technologies helped give the participants a special insight into the imaginative methods of integrating concepts from different disciplines to create the most efficient smart systems.
Dr. Amod Kumar, Chief Scientist, CSIO then gave an engaging lecture on Signal Conditioning Devices. This fact-filled session presented the students with a holistic overview of the function of these devices in automated systems, their types, their working and how they act as a bridge between sensors and the brain of the system so that it can adapt to the changing environment and conditions.
The final session of the day was focused on Robotic Soccer. This educational and inventive lecture by Dr. A.K. Deb, Professor, IIT-Kharagpur roused all the participants as it explored the fun side of innovation. Given the recent football-fever, this topic was especially timely and reminded the participants of how technological advancement can be explored in all spheres of our lives. Dr. Deb demonstrated everything from the genesis, conceptualization, creation and finally implementation of the autonomous robots that are now gaining popularity in tech tournaments throughout the world.
All in all, the first day of the short term course was a resounding success with all the participants having gained insight into an exemplary field of engineering with great room for growth and innovation.
