This paper integrates LEGO Mindstorms EV3 robots into undergraduate control systems course to improve students’ learning experiences using Matlab as a development tool. This platform facilitates the students throughout teaching the course in learning the essential concepts of control systems such as modeling, stability analysis, and skill of designing controllers for the dynamic systems. The participants of the course identify the transfer function of the robot and compare it with the transfer function developed by using laws of physics. The students, then compare the identified model with the mathematical model by using stability analysis techniques, finding out that the stability range is much smaller for the experimental model than the mathematical model. After that, several types of controllers are designed and tested on the experimental model and EV3 robots, which demonstrates that there exists discrepancies between conceptual and practical designs. Finally, a comparison of students’ apprehension of a set of capabilities before and after taking the course shows the value of using EV3 robots on improving students’ learning experiences of control systems course.

本文将LEGO Mindstorms EV3机器人集成到了本科控制系统课程中，以使用Matlab作为开发工具来改善学生的学习体验。该平台可帮助学生在整个课程教学中学习控制系统的基本概念，例如建模，稳定性分析以及为动态系统设计控制器的技能。该课程的参与者识别机器人的传递函数，并将其与通过物理定律开发的传递函数进行比较。学生们然后使用稳定性分析技术将识别出的模型与数学模型进行比较，发现实验模型的稳定性范围比数学模型小得多。之后，在实验模型和EV3机器人上设计并测试了多种类型的控制器，这表明概念设计与实际设计之间存在差异。最后，通过对学生在学习本课程之前和之后对一组功能的理解的比较，可以看出使用EV3机器人对改善学生对控制系统课程的学习体验的价值。