Distance and Self-Paced Laboratories based on Internet Remote Experimentation C. C. Ko, B. M. Chen and K. C. Tan Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering National University of Singapore Singapore URL:

Coupled Tank Frequency Modulation Oscilloscope Helicopter Control Robotic Soccer Topics Hardware & Software Experiments Feedback and Impact Objectives

Purpose and Objectives Create a family of physical experiments accessible via the Internet Explore new paradigms in distance and self-paced learning Complete learning in science and engineering requires a mixture of theoretical and practical sessions Internet based learning in science and engineering is not complete without experimentation which, in its conventional from, cannot be accessed from a distance

Conventional and Internet Experimentation Some advantages of Internet remote experimentation Time restricted - difficult to organize for evening part-time students Resource intensive - equipment, space, manpower, safety Time limited - difficult to organize a course around an experiment “Driver-passenger” syndrome - when equipment is shared Solve most of above problems Anytime anywhere access by standard web browser Manual, procedures, etc, accessible at the same time Some problems with conventional experimental sessions

Design Features Use real instruments in laboratories instead of simulation Use standard Java-enabled browser such as IE & Netscape Video/audio streamed in real time to give realistic feedback Control knobs and buttons designed to operate like real instruments On-line procedures and manuals Interactive learning tool to teach functions of knobs and buttons

Hardware Architecture

Software Architecture and Tools

Oscilloscope Experiment Learn how to measure frequency and time responses of circuits Learn how to operate an oscilloscope

Coupled Tank Experiment Test how various controllers perform when used to maintain water levels of two tanks coupled at the bottom Capable of manual, PID, general state space and fuzzy logic controls Useful for both research and teaching

Frequency Modulation Experiment Learn spectra of FM signals Learn how to use an expensive spectrum analyzer Include a version allowing students to view how an existing session is being conducted

Helicopter Control Experiment Learn and test design of helicopter control system Capable of manual, PID, decoupled PID and state space controls Overcome safety issue of operating expensive helicopter setup in laboratory unattended

Robotic Soccer Experiment Learn robot control principles

Oscilloscope experiment - launched in 1999, and has been serving over 2500 first-year engineering students Coupled tank experiment - launched in 2000, and has been serving 1000 third-year engineering students Frequency modulation experiment - launched in 2000, and has been serving 1000 second-year engineering students Usage Helicopter and robotic soccer experiments - launched recently and currently used in course demonstration Total of over visits to website hosting experiments, including many from other institutions

University of Virginia Delft University of Technology Strathclyde University Purdue University University of Plymouth Oxford University Nanyang Technology University NgeeAnn Polytechnic University Of Malaya Massachusetts Institute of Technology Universidad Nacional de Ingenieria The University of Hong Kong Universidad del Biobio Anna University, India University of Adelaide University of Warwick University of Regina, Canada South China Normal University Sir Syed University Of Engineering & Technology Polytechnic Zagreb Monash University Madras University Loughborough University Institute of Experimental Physics Hugh Baird College BTH, Sweden Ajman University Adelaide University Hokkaido Tokai University American University of Sharjah Indian Institute of Technology delhi Narvik university college Kathmandu University University of Adelaide Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland Access from Other Universities

Impact - Coupled Tank Experiment as An Example - 1 Laboratory session for undergraduates consists of identifying a physical model for the coupled-tank system based on input-output data, as well as designing a PID controller and different fuzzy logic controllers for the system With the Internet remote experiment, each student is now able to carry out the laboratory according to his/her own pace and schedule Manual control is especially useful as it allows students to collect real-time coupled-tank input-output data for model identification and see that good model identification is essential for good control Students can interplay or fine-tune the controller parameters and the resulted control performance could be visualised and compared easily Due to the complexity in tuning the PID controller parameters, the membership functions, and the rule-bases of the fuzzy controller, students are often short of time in implementing their controllers within the scheduled laboratory session of 3 hour

Impact - Coupled Tank Experiment as An Example - 2 A graduate course on optimal control systems uses the remote experiment in its formal teaching, where students are taught linear quadratic regulator (LQR), linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG), H2 optimal and H-infinity control The remote experiment, available 24 hours a day, enables the course to introduce a new teaching element on actual experimentation The remote experiment is now used throughout the course homework assignments - students have to solve an actual problem on the control of the flow levels in the coupled-tank system using techniques learned in the class, and implement their designs on the actual system through the Internet Many students feel that it is superb to see that the controllers they have designed actually work in the real system Half the class consists of part-time students from industry, classes are conducted in 3-hour sessions in evenings once a week, and it is impractical to hold regular 3-hour laboratory sessions

Conclusions Experimentation is an essential component of technical education Internet remote experimentation, available anytime anywhere, provides a possible solution to these problems It complements actual experimentation, and can give students a deeper self-paced unrestricted learning experience It also allows a new teaching paradigm, where one teaches around an experiment so that students can visualize almost immediately how the principles taught can be applied to real systems Conventional experimentation is time-limited, resource intensive, difficult to organize for part-time evening students, and lead to “driver-passenger” syndrome