The Future Is Now: North Campus To Unveil New Artificial Intelligence Center
Following a $20 million investment and two years of development, the new Artificial Intelligence Center has arrived at Miami Dade College.
The 14,000-square feet facility, located on the second floor of building 1000 at North Campus, will open on Sept. 20 after a nearly year-long delay caused by supply shortages.
Students who utilize the center will be taught about AI, engineering, coding, architecture and finance.
“Artificial Intelligence is the wave of the future,” said Anselm Knights, the chairperson of engineering, technology and architecture at North Campus. “We wanted to make sure to try to be ahead of the curve by creating this space.”
The center’s reception area features a blue box stand that hosts Skye, a 3D AI hologram that answers general questions about the college.
Skye operates through the IBM Watson cloud. It works by sending audio cues to a database.
The right side of the reception space leads to the design room, which features three seating areas in varying sizes that represent the three levels of thinking.
Inside the design room, there is a retractable wall with windows that open into the robotics lab. It contains a projector, computer stations and four tables for students to perform hands-on work.
Each table contains a Quanser Kobuki robot that teaches students programming through Simulink—a programming software used to model, simulate and analyze dynamic systems.
The robotics lab features a state-of-the-art Quanser QArm manipulator arm. The robotic arm, which has four degrees of movement, features a camera that allows for object identification.
Students in the Robotics Club or those taking robotics courses will use the QArm to learn about mechatronics, kinematics and programming through coding software like Simulink and MATLAB.
“This is a really big opportunity,” said Fernando Guillen, a second-year electrical engineering student who recently joined the Robotics Club. “You get to experiment while you’re in college and get hands-on experience.”
Next to the robotics space is a dedicated Makers Lab for engineering and architecture students. The space features laser cutting and engraving tools, 3D printers, saws, a milling machine and oscilloscopes that are used to measure waveforms of electric signals.
Students will use a milling and laser machine to engrave. The laser tool adapts its strength to cut out vectors of materials such as glass, wood and steel.
Electrical engineering students will have the opportunity to use four oscilloscopes that allow them to measure voltage and resistance and conduct experiments on electronics.
The two industry-level 3D printers, valued at $70,000 each, use two lineaments to create a support mold for printing jobs. Also featured in the space are four mini 3D printers for smaller designs.
Accessible to visitors is a presentation room that contains two 75’’ TVs and a team meeting area. Both rooms and each office feature smart glass technology that allows the windows to take on a private frosted look at the flip of a switch.
The east wing of the AI Center features instructional space. A separate high-tech computer room features 26 computers with dual monitors that will be used to teach students cybersecurity, AI and other technology-based courses.
In the quantum room, the Bloomberg terminal will allow business students to access real-time market data.
For more in-depth AI training, the center created the AI Command Center. The space will be used to teach students AI courses and to further develop Skye.
“This space will be dedicated not only to technology, but all disciplines,” Knights said. “Artificial Intelligence exists everywhere.”
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