Teaching robotics and virtual reality in a synergistic approach

This paper presents a successful implementation of an undergraduate robotics and virtual reality course that builds upon the synergies existing between these two areas in order to introduce computers and information technology students to some fundamental concepts, through the use of simulation, experiments on real robots and design of robotic creatures in virtual environments. Course objectives, methodological aspects and the main technical solutions are presented in detail. A survey has been proposed in order to evaluate the impact of this course, and parts of it are presented and commented.