Karsten Henke

Fields of applications for hybrid online labs

Based on a grid concept of an interactive hybrid online laboratory we will describe different fields of applications in different learning scenarios. The infrastructure is based on a universal grid concept which guaranties a reliable, flexible as well as robust usage of this online lab. By using the REAL online lab, students are able to design control algorithms with different specification techniques to control electro-mechanical models in the online lab. Additionally, the reconfigurable rapid prototyping platform of the REAL system can be used to test all the taught topics of a given lectures in the field of digital system design. Finally, a special demonstration platform (a ball in a labyrinth on a balance plate) can be used to give the students a better feeling about the possibilities and limitations of remote control and observation via Internet and to evaluate these technologies critically. The implemented online lab infrastructure is based on the iLab architecture of the MIT, which allows to interconnect online labs and to exchange remote lab experiments among different universities worldwide.

An Online Lab to support a Master Program in Remote Engineering

Remote Engineering is one of the future directions for advanced teleworking/e-working environments not only in engineering and science (economics, informatics), but also in all other fields affecting society. In the last decade, considerable advances have been made regarding the design and development of remote and virtual laboratories, but it requires a lot of new specialists. As an attempt to improve the situation, several European universities started a joint Master Study Program in Remote Engineering (MARE) including in its curriculum a course of “Rapid Prototyping of Digital Systems” designed by the Ilmenau University of Technology in Germany. This course required an extensive use of laboratory equipment to carry out several exercises and therefore the implementation of an Online Lab turned out to be a good solution to ensure better learning outcomes.

A grid concept for reliable, flexible and robust remote engineering laboratories

Within this paper, we will describe a grid concept to realize a universal remote lab infrastructure as well as different operation modes based on this concept. This new infrastructure consists of three parts: an internal serial remote lab bus, a bus protection unit to interface the remote lab bus and to protect it from misuse and damage as well as a protection unit, which protects the physical systems (the electro-mechanical models in our remote lab) against deliberate damage or accidentally wrong control commands and which offers different access and control mechanisms. The interconnection between the Web-control units and the selected physical system during a remote lab work session (experiment) as well as the user management is done by the lab server, which also handles the webcams. The implemented remote lab infrastructure is based on the iLab architecture of the MIT, which allows to interconnect remote labs and to exchange remote lab experiments among different universities worldwide.

Using Interactive Hybrid Online Labs for rapid prototyping of digital systems

The Ilmenau Interactive Hybrid Online Lab offers several fields of application. In this article an enhancement of the existing Online Lab will be described to provide additional functionalities for a Web-based rapid prototyping of digital systems as well as the Web-based verification of such systems. For this new operation mode of the online lab a special rapid-prototyping board for digital systems was developed to fulfill the design tasks of digital systems. All the components of the rapid prototyping board will be described in detail. The implemented online lab infrastructure allows to interconnect online labs and to exchange remote lab experiments among different universities worldwide.

A Concept for a Flexible and Scalable Infrastructure for Remote Laboratories

This paper describes a universal remote lab infrastructure. This new extended infrastructure consists of three parts: a control unit for performing practical experiments with the physical systems, located in our remote lab, a bus protection unit to interface the remote lab bus and to protect it from misuse and damage, as well as a protection unit, which protects the physical systems against deliberate damage or accidentally wrong control commands. These units are for control, interface, surveillance and protection of the connected physical systems. The general concept and setup is presented in this paper, including the possibilities and limitations of such an approach. This concept is an extension of the remote lab architecture proposed in earlier papers.

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.

Remote and Virtual Laboratories in Problem-Based Learning Scenarios

The paper describes how remote and virtual laboratories can support problem-based learning scenarios. We actually change from a traditional way of teaching, including lectures, seminars and hands-on laboratories, to a new, problem-based teaching approach. Therefore we use a developed multimedia environment. This environment consists of a set of Java applets, desktop applications and of a web based access to the hardware equipment which can be used in the classroom, for learning at home, in laboratory research and training, or for carrying out testing of students during exams. These educational tools support university courses on digital electronics, computer hardware, VLSI design and architectures, testing and design for testability of digital hardware. The tools are used to support a new approach to bachelor courses following a problem based method and organized as full-day courses.

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.

The Augmented Functionality of the Physical Models of Objects of Study for Remote Laboratories

Remote laboratory is an important and rapidly growing component of distance learning systems for engineering specialty. The labs allow for remote users to enter the data of technical experiment that is transmitted to the server where it is converted into control signals of physical and (or) virtual model of the object of the experiment. The level of remote laboratories in engineering education largely depends on the level of models of objects of study that they use. The use of physical models in remote laboratories has identified a number of issues for the creators and operators: they have a limited range of experiments with the physical model, the complexity of modernization and the high cost of new models, and others. The aim of the present work: to improve, to extend the scope of existing physical models. The goal is to be achieved through increase/add functionality of the physical models through the use of augmented reality, augmented virtuality and augmented behavior of the object of study. The work describes the variety and the advantages of hybrid models and interfaces to enhance the functionality, lists examples of added functionality.

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.