2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This study examines student perceptions and use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in an upper-level technical elective mechatronics course for mechanical engineering students, as well as their broader engagement with AI in other courses. Students are allowed to use AI technologies, while still being required to physically implement hardware systems and verbally explain their code to verify comprehension. A key assignment directs all students to use AI to translate their code from one programming language to another, followed by reflection on the accuracy, usability, and reliability of the AI-generated output. Data collection is ongoing in Fall 2025 through surveys, reflections, and performance assessments to evaluate how students perceive the effectiveness, limitations, and trustworthiness of AI in technical problem-solving. The study aims to evaluate how effectively students apply AI, where it falls short, and how AI integration influences learning and problem-solving in hands-on engineering contexts.