On the fully automation of the vibrating string experiment

Abstract

This work explains how to develop a fully functional virtual and remote laboratory (VRL) for a vibrating string of length L with both ends fixed. This laboratory is common in undergraduate studies of vibrations and waves. We propose the construction of a virtual laboratory built with Easy Java/Javascript Simulations. This virtual lab allows to explore the dependence between the frequency of the vibrating string and the physical parameters of the experiment. This work also explains how to build a remote laboratory using LEGO Mindstorms TM , Arduino, and a LabVIEW specific software to control all the components. The remote laboratory exhibits the same behavior of a classical hands-on lab, allowing the user to measure different physical quantities and their dependence with the fundamental frequency of the vibration. Both the virtual and the remote labs are accessible through UNILabs: A Content Manager System created to host VRL on the cloud.