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New Autonomous and Robotic Systems Concentration in Mechanical Engineering beginning Fall 2022

The College of Engineering is now offering a new Autonomous and Robotic Systems Concentration in Mechanical Engineering to provide students the foundation, skills and knowledge in the areas of robotics, artificial intelligence, autonomy, sensing, actuation and control systems, machine learning and human-machine interaction.

Robotics and Automation is disrupting every major industry ranging from manufacturing, transportation, energy to service industries. Companies are adopting automation to improve productivity and efficiency in many sectors, and adoption of robots has been growing exponentially across many sectors. Today’s mechanical engineers will work in Industry 4.0 where they will deal with technologies that are automatized, connected and digitized. They need working understanding of technologies such as internet of things, machine learning, and human machine interaction that complement traditional mechanical engineering subjects such as dynamics, and advanced controls.

“Our lives are being transformed by robotics and automation, this concentration in Robotics and Automation in Mechanical Engineering will give our students unparalleled hands-on skills giving them the upper hand in leveraging breakthrough technologies,” said Dean Ahmed Khattab, Dean of the College of Engineering.

Students will have access to world-class laboratories such as the robotics and automation laboratory, the cyber-physical system laboratory that has funded research in the area of autonomous boats, drones, human robot collaboration, human-centered intelligent systems, and multi-modal sensing and learning systems.

A concentration in autonomous and robotic systems will prepare you to meet the challenge of building high performance machines that are safe no matter the environment, can interact with humans and efficiently use data, local embedded control platforms and cloud computing. You will be immersed in the design and application of advanced controls systems in applications such as roboboats, drones, and robotics for manufacturing to name just a few.

“The program offers a wide range of topics such as engineering design and mechatronics, kinematics of machines, control systems, robotic technologies, applied machine learning, internet of things and robot dynamics,” said Dr. Alan Barhorst, Department Head for Mechanical Engineering.  “Engineers with robotics and automation experience are highly sought after by top companies,” continued Dr. Barhorst.

For more information or questions about Autonomous and Robotic Systems Concentration, please email Dr. Alan Barhorst, Department Head of Mechanical Engineering at alan.barhorst@louisiana.edu.

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