Implementation of a Robotics and IoT Laboratory for
Undergraduate Research in Computer Science Courses
Jorge Guerra Guerra
Laboratorio de Robótica e Internet de las Cosas
Facultad de Ingeniería de Sistemas e Informática
Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
jguerrag@unmsm.edu.pe
ABSTRACT
This poster presents the results of implementing a Robotics and
Internet of Things Laboratory to support the research activities of
undergraduate students at the Faculty of Engineering Systems and
Informatics in National University of San Marcos.
Keywords
Internet of Things, Robotics, Arduino, Computer Science Education
1. INTRODUCTION
Advances in technology have reduced the cost and increased the
quality of small single-board computers like Arduino,
communication shields, sensors, transducers and actuators [1]. This
has made it possible for computer science students to research and
develop more and better Robotics and Internet of Things
applications using data taken directly from the physical world.
Physical computing covers the design and implementation of
interactive objects that allows students to develop concrete,
tangible products of the real world [2]. Therefore, physical
computing can be useful in computer science education to motivate
students in constructionist and creative learning environments.
Furthermore, in computer science education, several strategies for
effective teaching have been identified [3] and active learning is
one of the ways to teach Computer Architecture topics, based on
the interaction of students through oral presentation and self-
preparation prior to addressing a topic of the subject. [4]
2. IMPLEMENTATION OF PROPOSAL
Based on initial achievements of “Big FISI Robotics” and “Internet
of Things” students groups, the Faculty has created the Robotics
and Internet of Things Lab, with following objectives:
- Improving the students’ abilities to develop applications of
Internet of Things and Robotics using open hardware and open
software, and improving the high-level concurrent
programming abilities of students using Arduino-based
systems.
- Promote active participation of students in events, exhibits,
conferences to showcase their projects and achievements.
To do this, the lab has several kits of Arduino, shields, sensors,
transducers and actuators, with which the students have developed
some initial projects, as follows:
- Drip irrigation with Arduino.
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ITiCSE’16, July 09–13, 2016, Arequipa, Peru.
ACM 978-1-4503-4231-5/16/07.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/2899415.2925494
  369
Armando Fermín Pérez
Laboratorio de Robótica e Internet de las Cosas Facultad de
Ingeniería de Sistemas e Informática
Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
fferminp@unmsm.edu.pe
- Car movement control by avatar using Arduino
- Domotics in the web, using Arduino, Processing and Android.
- Safety Home: Using remote sensors in the web
- Measurement of heart rate data via GPRS and the web
- Controlling movements of robot arm with Arduino
3. ACHIEVED RESULTS
The lab has helped to introduce physical computing topics into the
syllabus of several main courses at the Faculty: Digital Systems,
Computer Architecture, Distributed Systems and Control
Engineering, where the number of registered students attending these
classes has increased by about 15. The average number of registered
students was 40 and is now between 50 and 55. In addition, it has
increased the number of theses being developed using Internet of
Things by about 400%, from 1 per year to 4 per year.
The student teams’ projects have been showcased in some events,
exhibits and demonstrations, such as Arduino Day 2014, 2015 and
2016; in a national conference of engineering students in 2014; and
in a national science fair called “Perú con Ciencia”, by National
Council for Science and Technology (Concytec) in 2014 and 2015.
One of our articles about the Internet of Things was published in
“Perspectivas” magazine. [5]
4. CONCLUSIONS
The implementation of a Robotics and Internet of Things Lab has
been useful for teaching several aspects of computer science
curricula including physical computing with sensing technologies,
control mechanisms and the method of prototyping. Also, this way
of developing applications using data taken from physical world and
Arduino-based small computers is highly motivating for students.
5. REFERENCES
[1] Dopplick, R. 2015. Maker Movement and Innovation Labs. ACM
Inroads. 6, 4. (Dec. 2015), 108. DOI: 10.1145/2829975. 
[2] Przybylla, M. and Romeike, R. 2014. Physical Computing and its
Scope–Towards a Constructionist Computer Science Curriculum
with Physical Computing. Informatics in Education.13, 2. 241-
254. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15388/infedu.2014.05
[3] Barba, E. and Chancellor, S., 2015.Tangible Media Approaches to
Introductory Computer Science. Proceedings of the 2015 ACM
Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science
Education. (Jul 2015). 207-212. DOI: 10.1145/2729094.2742612
[4] Arbelaitz, O., Martin, J., Muguerza, J. 2015. Analysis of
Introducing Active Learning Methodologies in a Basic Computer
Architecture Course. IEEE Transactions on Education. 58, 2.
(May 2015). 110-116. DOI: 10.1109/TE.2014.2332448
[5] Fermin, F., Guerra, J. 2015. Internet de las Cosas. Perspectivas. Revista
de Tecnología e Información. 10, 11. 45-49. ISSN: 1996-1952.