Using Augmented Reality in Remote Laboratories
Keywords:
Augmented reality, Virtual-labs, Remote-labs, Engineering educationAbstract
This paper introduces the concept of “augmented reality” as a novel way to enhance visualization in remote laboratories for engineering education. In a typical remote experimentation session, students get access to a remote real plant located at the laboratory to carry out their assignments. Usually, the graphical user interface allows users to watch the equipment by video stream in live. However, in some cases, visual feedback by video stream could be enhanced by means of augmented reality techniques, which mix together in one image, the video stream and computer generated data. Such mixture produces an added value to remote experimentation, increasing the sense of presence and reality, and helping to understand much better the concepts under study. In this work, a Java-based approach to be used in the remote experimentation context for pedagogical purposes is presented. Firstly, a pure Java example is given to readers (including the source code) and then, a more sophisticated example using a Java-based open source tool known as Easy Java Simulations is introduced. This latter option takes advantage of a new developed component, called camimage, which is an easy-to-use visual element that allows authors to capture video stream from IP cameras in order to mix real images with computer generated graphics.References
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Kalkofen, D. et al. (2007); Interactive Focus and Context Visualization for Augmented Reality, Proceedings of the 2007 6th IEEE and ACM International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality, ISBN 978-1-4244-1749-0, pp. 1-10.
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Farias, G. et al. (2010); Java Simulations of Embedded Control Systems, Sensors, 9(10): 8585-8603.
Vargas, H. et al. (2009); Web-enabled Remote Scientific Environments, Computing in Science and Engineering, 11(3): 36-46.
Vargas, H. (2010); An Integral Web-based Environment for Control Engineering Education, Ph.D. Thesis from Department of Computer Science and Automatic Control.
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Aliane, N. (2010); Limitations of Remote Laboratories in Control Engineering Education, International Journal Online Engineering, 6(1): 31-33.
Casini, M. (2003); The Automatic Control Telelab: A User-Friendly Interface for Distance Learning, IEEE Transactions on Education, 46(2): 252-257.
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Dormido, S. el al. (2005); Adding Interactivity to Existing Simulink Models Using Easy Java Simulations, Proc. 44th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control and the European Control, Sevilla, Spain.
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Restivo M.T. and Silva M.G. (2009); Portuguese Universities Sharing Remote Laboratories, Int’l J. Online Eng., 5: 16-19.
Dormido, R. et al. (2008); Development of a Collaborative Web-Based Control Laboratory for Automation Technicians: The Three-Tank System, IEEE Transactions on Education, 51(1): 35-44.
Vargas, H. et al. (2011); A Network of Automatic Control Web-based Laboratories, IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 4(3): 197-208.Azuma, R. (1997); A Survey of Augmented Reality, Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments, 6(4): 355-385.
Azuma, R. et al. (2001); Recent advances in augmented reality, IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, ISSN 0272-1716, 21(6): 34-47.
Feiner, S. et al. (1997); A touring machine: Prototyping 3D mobile augmented reality systems for exploring the urban environment, Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, ISSN 1617-4909, 21(6): 208-217.
Kalkofen, D. et al. (2007); Interactive Focus and Context Visualization for Augmented Reality, Proceedings of the 2007 6th IEEE and ACM International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality, ISBN 978-1-4244-1749-0, pp. 1-10.
Interactive Focus and Context Visualization for Augmented Reality, Proceedings of the 2007 6th IEEE and ACM International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality, ISBN 978-1-4244-1749-0, pp. 1-10.
Klopfer, E. and Squire, K. (2008); Environmental Detectives the development of an augmented reality platform for environmental simulations, Educational Technology Research and Development, ISSN 1042-1629, 56: 203-228.
Esquembre, F. (2004); Easy Java Simulations: a software tool to create scientific simulations in Java, Computer Physics Communications, ISSN 0010-4655, 156(2): 199-204.
Ejs Java Simulations home page, http://www.um.es/fem/EjsWiki.
Dormido, S. (2002); Control learning: Present and future, IFAC Annual Control Reviews, 28: 115-136.
Dormido, S. et al. (2005); The role of interactivity in control learning, The International Journal of Engineering Education, 21(6): 1122-1133.
Sanchez, J. et al. (2005); The learning of control concepts using interactive tools, Computer Applications in Engineering Education, 13(1): 84-98.
The learning of control concepts using interactive tools, Computer Applications in Engineering Education, 13(1): 84-98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cae.20033
Farias, G. (2010); Adding Interactive Human Interface to Engineering Software, Ph.D. Thesis from Department of Computer Science and Automatic Control.
Farias, G. et al. (2010); Java Simulations of Embedded Control Systems, Sensors, 9(10): 8585-8603. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/s100908585
Vargas, H. et al. (2009); Web-enabled Remote Scientific Environments, Computing in Science and Engineering, 11(3): 36-46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/MCSE.2009.61
Vargas, H. (2010); An Integral Web-based Environment for Control Engineering Education, Ph.D. Thesis from Department of Computer Science and Automatic Control.
Farias, G. et al. (2010); Developing Networked Control Labs: A Matlab and Easy Java Simulations Approach, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 57(10): 3266-3275. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TIE.2010.2041130
Aliane, N. (2010); Limitations of Remote Laboratories in Control Engineering Education, International Journal Online Engineering, 6(1): 31-33.
Casini, M. (2003); The Automatic Control Telelab: A User-Friendly Interface for Distance Learning, IEEE Transactions on Education, 46(2): 252-257. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TE.2002.808224
Casini, M. (2007); Web-Based Control and Robotics Education, Publisher Springer, pp. 127-151.
Martin, C. (2007); Web-Based Control and Robotics Education, Publisher Springer, pp. 103-125.
Internet Remote Experimentation from NUS (2011); http://vlab.ee.nus.edu.sg/vlab.
Dormido, S. el al. (2005); Adding Interactivity to Existing Simulink Models Using Easy Java Simulations, Proc. 44th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control and the European Control, Sevilla, Spain.
Adding Interactivity to Existing Simulink Models Using Easy Java Simulations, Proc. 44th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control and the European Control, Sevilla, Spain.
Nguyen, A.V. (2006); Iterative Design and Evaluation of a Web-Based Experimentation Environment, User-Centered Design of Online Learning Communities, pp. 286-313.
Nguyen, A.V. (2007); Activity Theoretical Analysis and Design Model for Web-Based Experimentation, Proc. Int'l Conf. Human-Computer Interaction.
Restivo M.T. and Silva M.G. (2009); Portuguese Universities Sharing Remote Laboratories, Int'l J. Online Eng., 5: 16-19.
Dormido, R. et al. (2008); Development of a Collaborative Web-Based Control Laboratory for Automation Technicians: The Three-Tank System, IEEE Transactions on Education, 51(1): 35-44.
Development of a Collaborative Web-Based Control Laboratory for Automation Technicians: The Three-Tank System, IEEE Transactions on Education, 51(1): 35-44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TE.2007.893356
Vargas, H. et al. (2011); A Network of Automatic Control Web-based Laboratories, IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 4(3): 197-208. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TLT.2010.35
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