Real Player. University of Florida. Haniph A. Latchman-- Th

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Online Laboratories and Interactive Simulations
in ALNs
Haniph A. Latchman, University of Florida Denis
Gillet, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Jim
Henry, University of Tennessee at
Chattanooga Oscar Crisalle, University of Florida
Laboratory for Systems and Telecommunications
University of Florida
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Introduction

• Traditional Classes are reinforced by practical
  experimentation
• Make experimental activities available to REMOTE
  students
• Why?
• How?
• Current status Internet not deterministic, nor
  have reserved bandwidth

Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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ALN (Asynchronous Learning Network)
UF
Global
UF
MS media
SUCCEED
Live Demos
Lecture on Demand
WEBCT Umbrella
NFS
Shared resources - labs
Education
Real Media
Sloan Grant
Bell South
Interactive simulations
Remote Lectures - Virtual Professor
Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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The Net Effect on the Business of Education in
the Cyberage
Live Demos
Virtual Experiments
Real Experiments
Lecture
Individual Readings
Written Exercises
Practical Projects
Student involvement
Teacher Involvement
Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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EEL6507 (Queueing Theory) Synchronized Lecture
Fall 98
Sync-PowerPoint with video
Real Player
INFO
Menu
Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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The Inverted Pendulum
Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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The Model Helicopter
Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Traditional Motor Control
Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Motivation(Why the INTERNET?)

• The Internet is not designed to handle real-time
• traffic, BUT

Global Infrastructure
Hardware software in broadcast A/V
Interactivity to bandwidth
Telepresence
Telepresence Interaction with real equipment
from a distant location
Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Why emphasis On Experiments in Engineering?

• Best approach to learning NOT traditional
  classroom
• Teachers realize, and implement
• Laboratory scale processes
• CAI(Computer Aided Instruction) tools
• Especially useful in automatic control classes
• Abstract concepts become real
• Dynamic phenomena can be observed
• Student Motivated to learn by solving real
  problems

Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Distance learning

• Increasingly popular
• Increasing number of Students
• Decreasing allocated resources
• Demand for more flexible hours
• Changing life styles
• History
• Written materials by mail
• Videotapes
• WWW
• ALN - Complete courses

Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Learning models enhanced by Remote Experimentation

• Students on campus presence not required.
• Anytime experiments, whenever student curiosity
  dictates, enhances learning.
• Existence of distance learning facilities fosters
  competition among institutions.
• Remote experimentation beneficial to research
  industry share expensive equipment.

Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Goals of Remote experimentation

• High level of interactivity allowed
• Fast system responsiveness to user inputs
• User must be able to use senses of vision
  hearing to perceive local system responses
• Even touch remote process
• Timely feedback of System response(actual
  responses may be fractions of second)
• Low cost and high availability (use Internet)

Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Requirements of real time control over the
Internet

• Basic Components of the pendulum system
• Physical system, AD/DA Cards, Server,
  Identical display screen for ClientsServer,
  Network

Figure 1. Physical system
Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Requirements of real time control over the
Internet(cont.)

• User Interface
• GUI developed with LabVIEW
• Oscilloscope window - real process measurements
  are displayed

Figure 2. Graphic User Interface

• Sliders(4) - representing user defined parameters
• Hand button, for invoking perturbations
  analogous to local user
• Additional window - sampling period connection
  state, etc

Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Requirements of real time control over the
Internet(cont.)

• Operation of the Remote experimentation system
• Client-Server Configuration
• Server Local machine, Runs algorithm to control
  the experiment in real time, May use GUI like
  clients, Digital camera and microphone connected
• Client Network module, GUI module, Two modes of
  operation(Standard client or Master client)

Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Requirements of real time control over the
Internet(cont.)

• Managing client requests
• Server waits for client access 24hours/day
• Point-to-Point sessions granted according to
  hierarchy of client requests
• User must launch client software request
  connection to server
• First, client connects as STANDARD client
• Audio, Video and data streams only
• Commands to physical system not allowed
• If no client connections, server my initiate idle
  state

Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Requirements of real time control over the
Internet(cont.)

• Assigning MASTER Mode
• Standard client can request Master Mode
• If user permission OK, request placed in queue.
• MASTER client status is assigned to only one
  client at a time.
• MASTER client status valid for a pre-defined
  period of time
• USER can quit Master client status relinquish
  control of the experiment at any time,
• Multi client session also possible
• Instructor Master client.

Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Requirements of real time control over the
Internet(cont.)

• Classes of Information Streams
• The Parameter Stream
• The Data Stream
• The Administrative Stream
• The Audio/Video Stream

Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Hierarchy of Information streams
Server
Client
Parameter stream
G U I
Data stream
Lower priority
Audio/Video stream
Administrative stream
Client section
compression and packet loss is allowed
compression and packet loss is not allowed
Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Requirements of real time control over the
Internet(cont.)

• Other Requirements
• Available 24 hours/day
• Minimal local maintenance
• Resetable to known safe state
• Robust precautions to prevent physical system
  damages
• Allow user to operate close to undesirable states
• User ability to perturb the physical process

Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Overall system operation(cont.)
Figure 7. Optimal control solution.
Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Overall system operation(cont.)

• Bandwidth adaptation
• Same aggressiveness as TCP
• Based on three network states Unloaded, Loaded,
  Congested
• Maximum and Minimum values defined by sender
  application
• Maximum flow constrained only by speed at which
  video grabber can supply compressed images
• Highly flexible
• Receiver can request lower limit for max flow
• Flow is a function of packet size, packet rate

Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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• Content and Priority

Figure 8. Streams priority
Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Overall system operation(cont.)

• Content and Priority(cont.)
• Streams transmitted through single channel
• Next packet defined by priority user factor
• Available bandwidth shared between Video and Data
• User can adjust
• Image quality
• Image rate
• Ration split between data and video stream

Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Overall system operation(cont.)

• Packet recovery and reordering
• Lost of late packets must be recovered locally
• Data If system model is known, reconstruction
  by simulation or discarded, depending on display
  progression
• Video Discarded, depending on display
  progression
• Optional User decides to record data - no
  packet discarded

Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Client-Server architecture
Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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A Hybrid Virtual Reality/ Measurement-based system
Video and virtual reality image
Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida
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Online Laboratories and Interactive Simulations
in ALNs Haniph A. Latchman, University of
Florida Denis Gillet, Swiss Federal Institute of
Technology Jim Henry University of Tennessee at
Chattanooga Oscar Crisalle, University of
Florida
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Since 1995 Controls
Engineering Chemical Engineering Mechanical
Engineering
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Since 1995 REAL EXPERIMENTS
Controls, Data Retrieval Live Video,
Live Audio
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Distant students Asynchronous Experiments
Since 1995 REAL
EXPERIMENTS Controls, Data Retrieval, Live
Video, Live Audio
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Since 1995 REAL
EXPERIMENTS Controls, Data Retrieval, Live
Video, Live Audio
More Distant students Asynchronous Experiments
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Pool of typical plants of process engineering at
UTC
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International cooperation in control engineering
education using online experiments Enabling
technology and learning systems
Prof. Dr. H. M Schaedel
Prof. Dr. Jim Henry
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
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Online Workshop in the practical control course
at FHK
Students of the 4th semester of the Faculty IME

• SS 2000 2 groups of 10 students
• SS 2001 2 groups of 10 students
• SS 2002 4 groups of 10 students

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Experiment via internet and theoretical
investigations
From data via internet

• Process Modeling
• Parameter Estimation
• Controller Tuning

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Test of the controlled circuit at UTC via the
internet

• Transfer of the controller tuning to the Plant at
  UTC
• Test of the control circuit behaviour
• Data transfer of the results for the controlled
  cicuit to FHK

Setpoint change
Disturbance change
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Results

• Students were fascinated by the opportunities of
  this type of education
• they showed up very motivated
• most of them repeated some of the experiments for
  the evaluation of the test results
• way of cooperation will be extended

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Conclusions

• The internet provides new and challenging ways
  for international cooperation in engineering
  education where distances do not play any role.
• Common resources can be used for the benefit of
  students in countries around the world.
• This is an excellent way of meeting the demands
  of a growing globalization in the fields of
  engineering education.

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Water Level in a Tank Control

Classic Control Experiments
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Water Level in a Tank Control

Watch it LIVE!
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Pressure Swing Adsorption
Modern Process Experiments
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Distillation
Complex System Experiments
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Continuously Updated Graphs of results --sharable
on the web
Distillation
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Complete data files --sharable on the web
Distillation
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Comments

• Asynchronous learning breeds students autonomy
  -- Fogler
• REAL engineering experiments are available 24x7
• Provides students access to practical experiences
  in the subject of their study

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Comments

• Asynchronous learning breeds students autonomy
  -- Fogler
• REAL engineering experiments are available 24x7
• Provides students access to practical experiences
  in the subject of their study

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Introducing Flexibility in Traditional
Engineering Education by Providing Dedicated
On-line Experimentation and Tutoring Resources

• Dr. Denis Gillet
• Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne
  (EPFL)
• Oscar Crisalle
• Chemical Engineering Department
• University of Florida

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Flexibility in Traditional Academic Education

• More
• active learning autonomy
• choice for time place
• customized content environment
• personalized assistance tutoring

• Less
• classroom lectures
• conflicting course schedules

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Web-Based Supporting Resources

• Lectures on demand
• Online course material
• Online experimentation facilities
• Simulation tools Web-based simulation
• Laboratory setups Remote experimentation
• Asynchronous and synchronous assistance
• Collaborative work environments

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Ongoing Deployment Projectshttp//eMersion.epfl.c
h

• Flexible access to experimentation resources
• Hands-on practice and autonomous learning
• Immersion environment dedicatedto Web-based
  experimentation
• The cockpit metaphor
• Planning
• Observation
• Action Reaction
• Analysis Synthesis

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Ongoing Deployment Projectshttp//Mentors.epfl.ch

• Education modules for tutors students
• Autonomy and collaborative work
• Mentoring environmentand tutoring services
• The eJournal metaphor
• Annotation
• Collaboration
• Assistance
• Assignment submission

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Pilot Course in Automatic Control
Traditional laboratory activities carried outin
team
More flexibility is needed for logisticaland
pedagogical reasons
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Planning facility
Annotation and collaboration space eJournal
Interaction console
Analysis toolkit
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Deployment Scenario

• Preliminary training 3-hours workshops
• TA How to carry out flexible assistance
  tutoring ?
• Students How to get organized and handle
  autonomy ?
• Laboratory course Interactive 2-hours Web-based
  experimentation modules
• Prelab Mandatory preparatory activities
• Labwork Remote access to laboratory resources
• Grading Lab-test and discussions

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Assistance Tutoring

• Kick-off
• Introduction to pedagogical objectives
• Learning approach and evaluation scheme
• Cockpit functionalities and usage
• Best practices and hints
• On-demand
• Office hours or on-line support (FAQ, email or
  phone)
• Close to immediate feedback from peers or TA
• Contractual
• Evaluation and annotation of the prelab

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Pilot Course Assessment

• Two pilot groups
• 2001 Mechanical engineering students 8 / 27
• 2002 Micro-engineering students 20 / 82
• Motivation of the volunteers
• Management of the workload
• Possibility to carry out more experiments
• Access to the TA
• Assessment trough questionnaires and collective
  interviews (debriefing)

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Pilot Course Assessment

• Collaboration between peers
• Quick substitute to the TA
• Interaction between TA and students
• Combined technical, organizational and
  educational requests - Asynchronous assistance to
  handle
• Learning process
• Sustained acquisition of auto-evaluation skills
• Grading scheme
• Individual schedule compete with regular courses

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Concluding Remarks

• Assistance and tutoring in flexible education
• Trained students and TA
• Decoupled formative and normative feedback
• Distributed roles between peers, TA and
  instructor
• Experimentation resources sharing
• Access Partnerships or subsidiary companies
• Resources Web-based simulation tools, generic
  lab equipment and open environments
• Support Responsibility of the students
  institutions

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Lab Resources Sharing

• Distributed Laboratory
• International and European networks
• Enrichment by integrating new resources
• Level of contribution according to the partner
  expertise
• Lab experiments Neutral resources
• Modules, interactive exercises, lab setups,
• Same setup can be used in various contexts
• Focus on environment instead of content
• Support for high-level cognitive activities

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For Further Informanton
http//worldwidecontrols.org
Contact Information

• latchman_at_list.ufl.edu
• jim-henry_at_utc.edu
• denis.gillet_at_epfl.ch
• crisalle_at_che.ufl.edu

Thank you!
Haniph A. Latchman--
University of Florida