Spring | Undergraduate | 9 Units | Prereq: Calculus I (GIR) and Physics I (GIR)
Student teams formulate and complete space/earth/ocean exploration-based design projects with weekly milestones. Introduces core engineering themes, principles, and modes of thinking. Specialized learning modules enable teams to focus on the knowledge required to complete their projects, such as machine elements, electronics, design process, visualization and communication. Includes exercises in written and oral communication and team building. Examples of projects include surveying a lake for millfoil, from a remote controlled aircraft, and then sending out robotic harvesters to clear the invasive growth; and exploration to search for the evidence of life on a moon of Jupiter, with scientists participating through teleoperation and supervisory control of robots. Enrollment limited; preference to freshmen.
Class 2.00a, Fundamentals of Engineering Design: Explore Space, Sea and Earth, empowers first-year students to build machines early in their academic careers at MIT.