This week we became familiar with the theory of PID control and took a closer look at how control systems work, specifically through analysis of a mechanical engineering lab activity which uses PD control to control a dc servo motor using an app. Jared is working on developing an app aimed at helping undergraduate engineering students studying the motor dynamics and control systems. Using the app, the students can observe the system dynamics, observe how the dynamics change when you make changes to the controller, and how they can interpret the results that come from the app. On Thursday, we met with Ken Gracey, the Parallax CEO, who showcased some of the latest projects using the company’s robots designed for education such as: Propeller, Boe-Bot with Basic Stamp and Arduino.