Remote lab access using wireless sensor technology

Abstract

This study aims at implementing a prototype of remote lab to carry out various real time electronic experiments using Wireless Technology as technology is ever growing and there is always a scope for future advancements. The ongoing integration of telecommunications with the learning and collaboration process has enabled many of the engineering projects to take advantage of the remote access to laboratories that it allows. Remote laboratories allow users to perform experiments and laboratory tasks without being near the actual equipment. Remote learning has matured over the number of years to provide a realistic and important support mechanism in which practical laboratory based experimentation work can be undertaken by remote learners, who are provided with access to facilities that they would not otherwise necessarily be able to utilize. To complement the theoretical learning process, many universities want their students to study in the lab, as lab work has great significance in the faculty of Engineering. It is also more important for the students to 'apply' learnt theoretical concepts in the lab and observe the cause-effect relationship to grasp any topic. This prototype of Remote lab was implemented using PIC microcontroller and MPLAB IDE. The signal generated at the source was transmitted to the distant remote node using Zigbee. The wirelessly received signal was subjected to some signal conditioning techniques and after processing was displayed on the CRO. Several test cases were carried out by varying the characteristics of the signal at the source, like amplitude, frequency, phase and the response was observed with the corresponding changes being updated at the receiver of the remote lab, displayed on CRO in real time. © Maxwell Scientific Organization, 2014.