Teaching Introduction to Controls with MATLAB and Control 101 Toolbox

Modern technology and software have opened new doors for academic staff, empowering us to create interactive learning resources that are not only quick and easy to develop but also incredibly cost-effective. These resources are invaluable for our students, offering them a platform to learn through hands-on experimentation, visualize complex engineering concepts, and dive deep into detailed problem analysis. What’s more, these resources seamlessly complement laboratory activities, providing students with the freedom to experiment and iterate rapidly, both before and after their lab sessions.

Dr. Anthony Rossiter (University of Sheffield), MathWorks, and others collaborated in the development of a “community toolbox for a first course on control.” In this demonstration, educators can learn how to integrate the Control 101 toolbox into their curriculum and better engage students with hands-on examples and apps. In order to maximize accessibility to worldwide users, the toolbox is available through File Exchange and GitHub^®.