RLS recently participated in an educational engagement with the New Model Institute for Technology & Engineering (NMITE) in Hereford, UK. Mathew Favell, RLS Sales Manager for the UK & Ireland, delivered a hands-on session for second-year students on the BEng Integrated Engineering degree, focusing on real-world control and feedback challenges.
The session introduced students to encoder technology and its role in modern motion control systems. Using the AM4096 IC on the RMK4 development board, students integrated absolute encoder technology into their own projects with the Raspberry Pi Pico, applying it directly to their ongoing stabilisation gimbal challenge. Around 40 students joined this session, working in teams to explore how high-resolution absolute position feedback can improve performance in practical applications.
Reflecting on the visit, Mathew highlighted the value of working directly with students at this stage of their studies, noting that the session offered a strong opportunity to demonstrate how absolute encoders enable meaningful, real-world devices rather than purely theoretical solutions.
The engagement aligned closely with NMITE’s educational model, which emphasises close collaboration with industry partners through practical demonstrations and co-led learning activities. For RLS, the visit reinforced the importance of connecting engineering education with real industrial technologies and use cases, helping students bridge the gap between academic learning and professional practice.
About NMITE
The New Model Institute for Technology & Engineering (NMITE) is a pioneering UK higher-education institution built from the ground up to deliver a new model of engineering and technology education. Designed around hands-on, challenge-led learning, NMITE works closely with industry partners to ensure students tackle real-world problems and graduate career-ready. Its mission is to develop work-ready, world-conscious engineers through an interdisciplinary approach that emphasises creativity, responsibility, and practical experience, positioning NMITE as a leader of change in modern engineering education.
About RLS
RLS is a renowned manufacturer of high-performance magnetic encoders and linear encoder systems. With a strong focus on innovation and quality, RLS products are used worldwide in robotics, industrial automation and other demanding motion control applications.