Exploring Engineering: Interactive Demos in Electronics and Mechatronics
By Blythe Armstrong
On Saturday, November 16th Carleton University’s Faculty of Engineering and Design had the great opportunity to host an event for high school students interested in pursuing engineering. The Department of Electronics started the day with two seminar presentations, followed by hands-on lab sessions split between Electronics and the new Mechatronics program. Parents also had the chance to participate, making it an enjoyable and interactive experience for all.
First Demonstration
The first demo illustrates white light twisting and separating into different colours as it passes through sugar water.
Second Demonstration
The second demo highlights how stresses in plastic cause birefringence.
The students got the chance to work with some of the state-of-the-art lab equipment here on campus, including the oscilloscope and function generator. Their enthusiasm as they navigated the resistor-capacitor lab, driving the bread-boarded circuit with a square waveform and measuring the transient output of the low-pass filter was inspiring. The students were able to get a taste of what it would be like to study Electronics at Carleton.
Following the Electronics lab, Mohammad Biglar Begian, the new Director of the Mechatronics program, shared insights on robotics and soft manipulators, offering an exciting perspective on the vast possibilities within mechatronics and the integration of electronics, mechanics and robotics.
To finish the day, Riley Cameron-Rogers, featured on the Department of Electronics webpage, provided an engaging live demonstration of an articulated robot arm that was designed by first-year students in the Faculty of Engineering and Design.
Overall, the event provided an exciting hands-on introduction to the world of engineering for high school students (and their parents), highlighting the innovative work being done here at Carleton University. From exploring electronics and mechatronics through interactive labs to experiencing cutting-edge projects like the articulated robot arm, attendees gained valuable insight into the intersection of electronics, mechanics, and robotics.
The day was a resounding success, sparking curiosity and inspiration for future careers in engineering. The collaboration between the Department of Electronics and the Mechatronics program promises even more exciting opportunities ahead.
