The technology of Electronic Design Automation is fundamental to the global development of electronic industry. This study concerns our first experience to introduce EDA tools in the Laboratories of the Polytechnic Institute of PUCMINAS. Initially, the courses taught in the various programmes of the Institute and their contents will be presented, as well as development and research works carried out by the students as practical activity, incorporating new technologies in the area of Power Electronics, Solar Energy and Robotics & Automation. The hardware and software used in the Laboratories of the Polytechnic Institute of PUCMINAS will be then presented, with the inter-relationship of use of those tools. The Laboratories of Power Electronics, Solar Energy and Robotics from the Polytechnic Institute PUCMINAS, integrates the programmes of Electronic Engineering and Telecommunication, Electrical Engineering and Mechatronics Engineering in what concerns Power Electronics and Industrial Electronics, Solar Energy and Robotics. Each academic semester offers a set of disciplines with the focus determined by the different aims of the many programmes in which they are taught, with about 200 students. The final version of the paper will presents the main topics of the theoretical disciplines, practical disciplines and their respective programmes.

Bio

Prof. Lauro de Vilhena Brando Machado Neto (M'97 IEEE), was born in Parnaiba, Brazil, on November 4, 1960. He received his B.S.E.E. and M.S.E.E. degrees from Federal University of Minas Gerais(UFMG-Brazil), in 1985 and 1989, respectively. In 1986, he joined the staff of the Electronic Engineering Department, Ponthifice University Catholic of Minas Gerais (PUCMINAS-Brazil), where he is a professor of Power Electronics and Energy Systems and Coordinator of the Power Electronics Laboratory (LABEP-PUCMINAS). In 1996, he works at FIAT Automobiles's Research Centre in Turim, Italy, in projects connected with the Agreement FIAT-PUCMINAS, Cooperation for Development. His current research projects are in the area of PV systems and dc/dc converters for automotive applications.