Dirk Van Merode

Flexible technologies for smart campus

The article considers an example of the advertisement network based on the BLE 4.0, and its facilities for creating the infrastructure for a Smart Campus, where dynamic information is provided for the target audience. The authors provide an analysis of the characteristics and experimental implementation of this system. Moreover, the practical usage of a popular vendor and the needed back-end to provide dynamic usages of the network, both in appearance and content is described. In the paper different wireless technologies are compared in regards to their main feature and field of application. In general the characteristics of a Blue Tooth Low Energy, BLE, are highlighted. This is elaborated upon in the Smart Campus example. The Smart Campus is an indoor wireless network to deliver location and user based dynamic information to the different visitors, teacher or students of a university campus, both for day-to-day use as for specific events. To keep the system interesting and to augment ease-of-use for all kind of users and content providers, a dedicated content management system is developed within the Smart Campus case. The complete system consists of a set of beacons, an application on a smartphone, a database with the related CMS. All is developed in an international cooperation between different universities.

Remote experiments for reliability studies of embedded systems

This paper deals with the experience of developing and implementing remote laboratories in engineering studies. In the article authors describe the challenges in the development and reuse of remote laboratories. As reliability of embedded systems is an important issue in electronic engineering studies authors suggest key features which are important for the study of the reliability of embedded systems. New low-cost remote laboratories for the study of the reliability of embedded systems are considered in the article.

Interactive Platform for Embedded Software Development Study

This paper describes a didactional system which is aimed at supporting remote experiments in developing software for Embedded Systems. As basis for this system is used the Raspberry Pi which provides a variety of possibilities at low costs. Demo experiments and possibilities for learning software development for embedded systems are described.

Iterative pattern for the embedding of remote laboratories in the educational process

In the paper pattern for the embedding of remote experiments into study curricula are considered. Two case studies of remote laboratories development and maintenance are described. SWOT analysis is suggested as the start point for any remote laboratory and educational infrastructure for its development. The quality assessment plan for the courses based on remote laboratories is suggested.

Intellectual Flexible Platform for Smart Beacons

The Smart Beacon System, is a system with Bluetooth Low Energy devices, a back-end database with dedicated content management system (CMS), provides a low-entry, easy to use solution for all creative people to dedicate specific information to whatever object they desire, being paintings, statues, shopping windows, garbage bins,… themselves. The Internet of Everything for Everyone. A solution for dynamical maps storage, for usage in a mobile application, was investigated and an implementation suggested. There is also the idea of smart interfaces implemented, which displaying content based on the user’s preferences.

Project oriented teaching approaches for e-learning environment

Internet of Things is deeply integrated into all aspects of human life. This is also the case in higher education as well. Introduction of different e-learning tools requires from teachers and students deep knowledge in new emerging techniques. In the article we describe a project oriented approach in studying and 3 case studies on how new technology can improve the e-learning environment in HEIs.

How to improve professional competences of technical subject teachers

In the paper the authors briefly describe the aims and content of an international project focused on modernization of tertiary education in the target countries (the Ukraine, Armenia, and Georgia). The quality of teaching technical subjects is assured by providing practically oriented syllabi and modules in the embedded system environment and by creating remote laboratories in the target institutions.

Low-Cost, Open-Source Automation System for Education, with Node-RED and Raspberry Pi

In this article, the open-source Node-RED framework is considered as a low-cost, open-source automation system for education and research. It can be used not only to demonstrate and experiment with automation principles, but the open concept of the framework also allows customizations of the different components of the automation system.

Professional training in embedded systems and its promotion

Tendency to eliminate mans intervention in the controlling processes in different hardware applications as much as possible supports implementation of embedded systems in a broad scale of industry sectors. Consequently this leads to an increased demand for embedded system specialists at the labour market and at the same time to increased requirements on their competences. Issues related to curricula topics and professional training methodology in embedded systems at higher education institutions have been investigated in the international European Tempus project with a consortium of partners from the European Economy Area and target partners in Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia (DesIRE — Development of Embedded System Courses with implementation of Innovative Virtual approaches for integration of Research, Education and Production in UA, GE and AM, 2013–2016). In the paper there is presented a description of the project content together with an overview of the carried out activities and achieved main results.

Risk management in multi-national projects

This article is the result of the inter-project coaching process for international projects with a multinational team. The challenging task for the Project manager to deal with different types of risks and to predict the consequences of this risks for the projects. The experience of two tempus projects managing is described by the authors.