Abstract The article describes the development of a simple laboratory apparatus for teaching some basic ideas associated with intelligent control systems, especially those encountered in pattern recognition and robotic movement. The specific aim is to meet the emerging need for laboratory teaching aids which take the student of control engineering beyond the traditional scope of activities. In particular, we see scope for laboratory training which deals with the area where smart sensors, intelligent control algorithms and actuators may be used. Robotics is a topical example of this application, however other applications exist. Indeed they are proliferating as it becomes more common to embed microcomputers within control systems components. In this spirit, the aim of this article is to describe the development of a laboratory apparatus which allows a wide range of intelligent control applications to be investigated. These range from object classification, through maze solving, to control algorithms for terrain following aircraft. The equipment is physically compact, flexible in its range of application and readily controlled by a personal computer.