Instructors
Y. Sungtaek Ju, PhD, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, UCLA
Mitchell Spearrin, PhD, Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, UCLA
Coursework Prerequisites
- AP Calculus AB or equivalent.
- AP Science courses (physics and/or chemistry) or equivalents highly recommended.
- Experience in coding with text-based programming language (for example, C/C++, Python, JS, Java, Swift, Julia, Rust, etc.) is required.
Computer Requirements
Students need a laptop (Windows or Mac) with at least 4 GB memory and 10 GB of free disk space where they can install apps. Please contact the COSMOS staff if a suitable one is not available for you to bring to the camp. If you have a relatively new laptop with only USB-C ports, you will also need a USB-A to USB-C adapter (dongle) to connect to an Arduino board.
Course Description
In this cluster, the students will explore mechanical and aerospace engineering through a series of lectures and hands-on projects.
Sensing and Actuation: Mechatronics, which is a combination of mechanics and electronics, is everywhere, from toasters to sophisticated robots. Fueled in part by continual advances in computing software and hardware, mechatronic devices make our lives more convenient, safer, and more efficient. Mechatronic devices are also essential in performing modern engineering experiments necessary to develop, test, and validate engineering models and designs.
Two of the foundational operations of every mechatronic device are sensing and actuation. This part of the cluster will focus on the basics of electronics and coding, with a particular emphasis on interfacing micro-controllers with various sensors and actuators. We start by teaching the basics of electrical circuits, sensors/actuators, PID control, and micro-controllers, and then moves to programming to build various systems (from multi-tasking LED blinkers to self-balancing mini robot cars). The students will work with their teammates to refine, extend, and apply the acquired skills through a series of hands-on mini projects. Along the way, the students will also learn to design engineering experiments, acquire physical data using micro-controllers and sensors, and interpret the data using fundamental engineering principles and statistical analysis methods.
Rockets: In this part of the cluster, the students will learn the fundamentals of rocket engineering through lectures and hands-on experiments. We will discuss the fundamentals of trajectory, propulsion, flight mechanics, and aerodynamics. The students will gain experience using computational engineering design and analysis tools, as well as understanding of common manufacturing and testing methods. The students will use a wind tunnel to measure drag and measure the thrust profile of model rocket engines using relevant instrumentation and data acquisition systems. And finally, we will build and test student-designed rockets, comparing the trajectories of the rockets of different designs with theoretical predictions.