FROM PROTOTYPE TO INDUSTRY: REMOTE UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH WITH ESP32 AND OPENPLC IN COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION
Keywords:
Undergraduate Research, Microcontroller, OpenPLC, Open Education, Inustrial Automation, Remote Supervision, Engineering EducationAbstract
This paper presents the results of a remotely conducted undergraduate research project in which an engineering student from rural São Paulo, supervised online by a professor in Curitiba, designed, programmed, and validated a star-delta starting system for a three-phase motor using ESP32 and OpenPLC. Initially planned as a prototype, the project was later implemented and tested in an actual industrial environment, with technical support from the company’s maintenance team. The methodology, grounded in Open Education principles and aligned with Brazil’s National Curriculum Guidelines (DCNs), integrated theory, practice, and local context, emphasizing competency-based learning. Throughout the process, the student developed key skills such as problem-solving, fluency in open technologies, hands-on experimentation, technical communication, and professional autonomy. The results confirm the feasibility of low-cost, high-impact educational solutions and highlight the potential of undergraduate research to foster innovation and strengthen the relationship between university, industry, and local communities.
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