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From a three-phase experiential learning experience at Michigan Technological University (Michigan Tech) to develop the Mechatronics workforce, the authors aim to describe here the impacts and lessons learned. Mechatronics is the science of developing, interfacing, and operating automation in industrial environments. Though a mechatronics-educated workforce is highly sought by companies, due to advancements in biotechnology, manufacturing, and artificial intelligence (AI), the required experiential learning opportunities to create such a workforce are limited. In this study, the authors conducted an accessible experiential learning program aimed at educating and promoting the mechatronics workforce at Michigan Tech. Specifically, the program consisted of three phases: (1) an online Mechatronics Education Portal (MEP), (2) in-person Mechatronics Practice (MP) labs, and (3) a Mechatronics Industry Pathways Rotation (MIPR). The proposed experience was conducted with a cohort of nine participants in its first year and resulted in significant improvement in technical test scores of 2.56 out of 10 and with at least 75% of the participants rating the MEP, MP, and MIPR as good or better. 

Michigan Tech, West Shore Community College (WSCC), and Gogebic Community College (GCC) collaborate on the NSF ExLENT project aims to provide experiential learning opportunities in Mechatronics for a diverse STEM workforce. The program and its impacts are aligned with the regional economic needs of the Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan areas. The emerging technology field of Mechatronics focuses on developing and implementing advanced automation for industrial applications. Thus, Mechatronics encompasses advanced fields, including robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and cybersecurity. Though the demand for mechatronics expertise is growing, experiential workforce development opportunities in mechatronics are limited. This project will provide ExLENT participants with experiential opportunities through an online Mechatronics Education Portal (MEP), experiential Mechatronics Practice initiatives at Michigan Tech, and a Mechatronics Industry Pathways Rotation organized at WSCC and GCC. The MEP and MP modules will be focused on the five Mechatronics pillars of Robotics, Mechanics, Electronics/Controls, Cybersecurity, and Artificial Intelligence. This project will leverage partnerships among three universities, three nonprofit organizations, and nine regional industry collaborators. Comprehensive program evaluation will ensure that the project meets its objectives in improving interdisciplinary Mechatronics training through experiential learning opportunities, developing a flexible and comprehensive program to promote a diverse and inclusive STEM workforce, and facilitating sustainable collaboration amongst project partners centered around Mechatronic workforce preparation and placement. 

Accuracy and speed are pivotal when it comes to typing. Mixed reality headsets offer users the groundbreaking ability to project virtual objects into the physical world. However, when typing on a virtual keyboard in mixed reality space, users lose the tactile feedback that comes with a physical keyboard, making typing much more difficult. Our goal was to explore the capability of users to type using all ten fingers on a virtual key in mixed reality. We measured user performance when typing with index fingers versus all ten fingers. We also examined the usage of eye-tracking to disable all keys the user wasn’t looking at, and the effect it had on improving speed and accuracy. Our findings so far indicate that, while eyetracking seems to help accuracy, it is not enough to bring 10 finger typing up to the same level of performance as index finger typing. 

Typing on a midair keyboard in mixed reality can be difficult due to the lack of tactile feedback when virtual keys are tapped. Locating the keyboard over a real-world surface offers a potential way to mitigate this issue. We measured user performance and preference when a virtual keyboard was located on a table, on a wall, or in midair. Despite the additional tactile feedback offered by the table and wall locations, we found the midair location had a significantly higher entry rate with a similar error rate compared to the other locations. Participants also preferred the midair location over the other locations.