An easy-to-build remote laboratory with data transfer using the Internet School Experimental System

Abstract

The present state of information communication technology makes it possible to devise and run computer-based e-laboratories accessible to any user with a connection to the Internet, equipped with very simple technical means and making full use of web services. Thus, the way is open for a new strategy of physics education with strongly global features, based on experiment and experimentation. We name this strategy integrated e-learning, and remote experiments across the Internet are the foundation for this strategy. We present both pedagogical and technical reasoning for the remote experiments and outline a simple system based on a server–client approach, and on web services and Java applets. We give here an outline of the prospective remote laboratory system with data transfer using the Internet School Experimental System (ISES) as hardware and ISES WEB Control kit as software. This approach enables the simple construction of remote experiments without building any hardware and virtually no programming, using a paste and copy approach with typical prebuilt blocks such as a camera view, controls, graphs, displays, etc. We have set up and operate at present seven experiments, running round the clock, with more than 12 000 connections since 2005. The experiments are widely used in practical teaching of both university and secondary level physics. The recording of the detailed steps the experimentor takes during the measurement enables detailed study of the psychological aspects of running the experiments. The system is ready for a network of universities to start covering the basic set of physics experiments. In conclusion we summarize the results achieved and experiences of using remote experiments built on the ISES hardware system.

Joule's Experiment as a Probe into Micro World

“…1, based on the components of Phywe. The adjustable friction force by the weight (8) and measured by the dynamometer (1) is exerted by the plastic belt, which is wound on the rotating cylindrical metallic body (3). The generated heat is increasing the temperature of the metallic body, measured by the ISES thermometer (5).…”

“…3) was accomplished using the modules of the ISES thermometer, the ISES optical gate, and the ISES relay for the supply of the driving motor. The ISES RE is based on the state machine principle with the .pds controlling file, and the controlling program in Javascript, compiled using the Easy Remote ISES (ER-ISES) environment [3] [4].…”

Archimedes' Principle - Internet Accessible Remote Experiment

“…Step 2 is arranging a conventional server-client connection, enabling data transfer to the client and in the opposite direction to control the experiment [5].…”

Possible Utilization of the Artificial Intelligence Elements in the Creation of Remote Experiments

“…Next we intend to describe the situation typical for universities; in other fields the situation is similar. A great deal of attention worldwide at universities and teaching institutions has been devoted to e-laboratories offering access to various real world remote experiments (REs) [1][2][3][4][5]. The ultimate goal in the creation of teaching support for a teacher are global grids of remote laboratories and their integration into a cloud-system with an easy data retrieving, processing and storing.…”