ACE-Lab

Automatic Control Engineering (ACE) Lab

Application-led learning. Rig-based experimentation. Real understanding. Real control.

Real hardware Real-time control Real understanding Real capability

ACE-Lab Base and Sense and Actuate rigs without the separate motor

ACE-Lab learning journey

Closed-loop learning journey

Select and define the application

Start with an authentic engineering challenge, capture its requirements and define evidence of successful performance.

Requirements guide the learning

Learn, test and refine

Build the required fundamentals through structured physical experimentation, reflection and progressive problem solving.

Evidence drives refinement

Return to the same application

The application selected in Stage 01 becomes the focus again. Apply the fundamentals, validate performance against its original requirements and refine the solution with greater confidence and efficiency.

Same application selected in Stage 01 Application performance informs the next iteration

Learning closes the loop. Evidence from the application feeds back into the requirements, experimentation and the next design iteration.

Flexible by design: the ACE-Lab rig and ACE-CORE methodology highlighted in Stage 02 can also be used independently to teach, explore or practise control-engineering fundamentals without beginning from a specific application.

ACE-Lab Updates

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CPD Webinar July 2026

Recording available for CPD-certified webinar

Access the ACE-Lab and Authentic AI invited talk recording and related information from the CPD-certified webinar delivered in collaboration with the Engineering Professors Council.

ACE-Lab March 2026

ACE-Lab (Base + Sense) activities added

New ACE-Lab (Base + Sense) activities support hands-on work with sensing, data capture and practical control-engineering concepts.

Invited Talk January 2026

Recording available for IFAC invited talk

Watch the recording from the January IFAC invited talk and revisit the ACE-Lab discussion.

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