Improving Laboratories with Internet Controlled Equipment and Internet Student Support Jim Henry, Ph.D., P.E. Charles Knight, Ph.D., P.E. College of Engineering and Computer Science University of Tennessee at Chattanooga SouthEast ASEE, 2000 Roanoke, VA

Chattanooga, Tennessee

What is “ Improving Laboratories ”? More stations More reliability More experiments More accessibility More easily used

What is " Internet Controlled Equipment "? Lab experiments offered via the WEB

What is " Internet Controlled Equipment "? Lab experiments offered via the WEB WHY ? Accommodates Scheduling Problems Can serve equipment-challenged campuses It's all the go to get on the Web We enjoy doing this stuff

What is " Internet Student Support "? Student support offered via the WEB Team mailing lists Discussion Forums FAQ Intelligent Agent responder

Good News- Bad News Hardware experiments It works It's free Managing "distant" students

Mechanical Engineering Laboratory Details 5 - Stations Piston and Cam Kinematics Heat Exchanger Refrigeration Trainer Linear Vibrations Engine-Generator Set...more to come

Controls Laboratory Equipment Details 8 - Stations All S.I.S.O., “Stable” Pressure Level Position* Speed Flow Temperature Pendulum* Voltage

Process Laboratory Equipment Details 9 - Stations Distillation Filter Absorber Dehumidifier Heat Pump Drying Oven Combustion Heat Exchanger Cooling Tower

Laboratory Experiment Details System Identification Steady-State Step Ramp Sine Pulse "Custom" Feedback Control Proportional w/ bias Proportional Integral

The Connections WWW based Netscape or Internet Explorer Familiar & accessible & friendly Direct via Internet Custom LabVIEW programs Other software to use MATLAB, e.g.

WWW Protocol INTERNET..... Document Server LabSERVER LabCLIENTs File Sharing

Direct Connection INTERNET..... Your Computer LabCLIENTs TCP/IP

The Connections WWW based Netscape or Internet Explorer Familiar & accessible & friendly Direct via Internet Custom LabVIEW programs Other software to use MATLAB, e.g.

Step Input Results Input = 50%, t < 5 sec Input = 90%, t > 5 sec 40K t o 

Step Input Results 40K t o  h

Step Input Results

Input = 50%, t < 5 sec Input = 90%, t > 5 sec 40K t o 

Step Input Results 40K t o 

Step Input Results 40K t o 

Step Input Results 40K t o 

Step Input Results 40K t o 

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The Connections WWW based Netscape or Internet Explorer Familiar & accessible & friendly Direct via Internet Custom LabVIEW programs Other software to use MATLAB, e.g.

Web Sites chem. engr. utc. edu link to all Web-Labs: www. engineering-labs. net

Vision & Plans Expanded learning opportunities R emote E ngineering A synchronous L aboratories University Partners Industry Partners

Vision & Plans -- Students will have access to on-line labs with a variety of experimental systems in mechanical and chemical engineering

Vision & Plans -- Students will be able to easily design and conduct experiments from home, dorm, computer lab or office

Vision & Plans -- Students will be able to compare local lab experimental results with on-line lab results

Vision & Plans -- Faculty will have materials to implement remote laboratory experiments in their own institutions

Vision & Plans -- Faculty will have more diverse laboratory offerings

Vision & Plans -- Faculty will be able to easily use on-line labs in classroom demonstrations

Acknowledgements Tennessee Taxpayers National Science Foundation UTC's Center for Excellence in Computer Applications National Instruments Microsoft Corporation

Acknowledgements Tennessee Taxpayers National Science Foundation UTC's Center for Excellence in Computer Applications National Instruments Microsoft Corporation