IoT Explorer Program - 2024 Edition

IoT Explorer Program – 2024 Edition

In 2024, we proudly launched the inaugural edition of the IoT Explorer Program—an immersive educational initiative aimed at introducing students from the Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technology (ETTI), within POLITEHNICA University of Bucharest, to the dynamic world of the Internet of Things (IoT) through exploration, experimentation, and collaboration.

Throughout the program, participants engaged in a comprehensive, hands-on learning experience, bridging theoretical foundations with practical implementation:

• The journey began with in-depth research and technical documentation, enabling students to understand the core principles of IoT systems, including sensors and microcontrollers.

• Progressively, they moved on to hardware-level experimentation—connecting and calibrating real-world sensors (e.g., pulse, galvanic skin response, temperature) to development boards such as the ESP32 and Portenta H7.

• Leveraging embedded C/C++, Arduino, and MicroPython libraries, students developed functional data acquisition pipelines, managing sensor inputs, serial communication, and signal processing.

Beyond hardware, the curriculum extended into the realm of connectivity, covering wireless communication protocols, MQTT messaging, and cloud integration. This allowed students to comprehend how IoT devices operate within a broader connected ecosystem. The program culminated in a collaborative team project, where theoretical knowledge was applied in practical, meaningful ways.

This initiative demonstrated that IoT is not merely about connecting devices—it is about connecting people to technology through purposeful and inspiring learning experiences.