Predictable interactive control of experiments in a service-based remote laboratory

ABSTRACT

Remote and virtual laboratories are commonly used in electronic engineering and computer science to provide hands-on experience for students. Web services have lately emerged as a standardized interfaces to remote laboratory experiments and simulators. One drawback of direct Web service interfaces to experiments is that the connected hardware could be damaged due to missed deadlines of the remotely executed control applications.

Within this paper, we suggest an architecture for predictable and interactive control of remote laboratory experiments accessed over Web service protocols. We present this concept as an extension of our existing Distributed Control Lab infrastructure. Using our architecture, students can conduct complex control experiments on physical experiments remotely without harming hardware installations.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.3 Group and Organization Interfaces
          Subjects: Computer-supported cooperative work

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.2 User Interfaces (D.2.2, H.1.2, I.3.6)
          Subjects: Interaction styles (e.g., commands, menus, forms, direct manipulation)

General Terms:
Design, Performance, Reliability