T. ZimmerMinerva Coordinators Meeting – June 2001 Brussels (Belgium) RETWINE Virtual Labs Tele-instrumentation through the WWW T. Zimmer, D. Geoffroy,

T. Zimmer Minerva Coordinators Meeting – June 2001 Brussels (Belgium)

RETWINERETWINE Virtual Labs Virtual Labs

Tele-instrumentation through the WWW Tele-instrumentation through the WWW

T. Zimmer, D. Geoffroy, M. Billaud, Y. Danto

J. Martinez, F. Gomez

H. Effinger, W. Seifert

University Bordeaux 1

University Madrid

Fachhochschule Münster


OutlineOutline

• Introduction

• Overview of the RETWINE project

• Implementation of the practical course

• Evaluation

• Conclusion and perspectives


IntroductionIntroduction


IntroductionIntroduction

• Who : University - Science,(electrical engineering)

• What : e-Learning in practical courses

• How : RETWINE (REmoTe Worldwide

Instrumentation NEtwork)


Overview of the RETWINEOverview of the RETWINE

projectproject


What is RETWINEWhat is RETWINE• integrating training of advanced measurement

equipment in education at University level


RETWINERETWINEhttp://www.retwine.net

• Instrument description

• Tutorial

• Remote access

• Measured curve plot

• Measured data acquisition

• Webcam


ImplementationImplementation

GPIB bus

Ethernet LAN

Lab 1 WWWserver

IP router

World Wide Web

GPIBinstruments

server

1. HTML requests

2. GPIB requests

GPIB instrument

Remote training class

PCi PCi+1


How does it look likeHow does it look like


Some highlightsSome highlights

• CeBIT Hannover 2000Das Internet Testlabor

• TV reportVisionäre Ausbildungsmethoden

• Campus numériqueProject Leader


ApplicationApplication

ImplementationImplementation of a of a practical coursepractical course


The practical course on-lineThe practical course on-line

• Curriculum of electrical engineers

• IUP second year, (6th semester)

• Familiarise the students with electrical device characteristics


The virtual labThe virtual lab

AtlanticOcean

FranceBordeaux

Madrid

Münster


Summary of the practical course - 1Summary of the practical course - 1• Electrical Measurements

– analysis of the curve

– characterisation of the device material

2,0E-11

3,0E-11

4,0E-11

5,0E-11

6,0E-11

7,0E-11

8,0E-11

9,0E-11

1,0E-10

1,1E-10

1,2E-10

1,3E-10

1,4E-10

-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5

VGB (V)

CG

B (F

)

• Measures from Bordeaux

• Instrument and device in Madrid.


Summary of the practical course - 2Summary of the practical course - 2• Electrical Measurements

– analysis of the curve

– understanding of the device principles

• Measures from Bordeaux

• Instrument and device in Münster, Germany.

0,0E+00

5,0E-04

1,0E-03

1,5E-03

2,0E-03

2,5E-03

3,0E-03

3,5E-03

0 1 2 3 4 5 6VG

ID

VSUB = 0 V

VSUB = -1 V

VSUB = -2 V

VSUB = -3 V

VSUB = -4 V

VGS = 2 V

0,0E+0

5,0E-5

1,0E-4

1,5E-4

2,0E-4

2,5E-4

3,0E-4

3,5E-4

4,0E-4

0 1 2 3 4 5VDS (V)i D

(A

)


EvaluationEvaluation


1: Nevertheless do you have the impression that you are doing a practical course in electronics?

2: Is the fact that the instruments are abroad motivating or without interest for you?

3: Would you wish that other practical courses are put on line?

A = very well, B = well, C = no idea, D = unsatisfactorily, E = insufficiently

0%20%40%60%80%

100%

A B C D E

0%20%40%60%80%

100%

A B C D E

0%20%40%60%80%

100%

A B C D E


Evaluation - 2Evaluation - 2

4: Is the Internet interface measurement user-friendly?

5: The instruments are quite complex. Would you like to take a preliminary course about the use of each instrument?

A = very well, B = well, C = no idea, D = unsatisfactorily, E = insufficiently

0%20%40%60%80%

100%

A B C D E

0%20%40%60%80%

100%

Yes ??? No


Evaluation - 3Evaluation - 36: Would you like to make contact with the person in charge of instruments abroad?

Yes41%

No59%

7: Do you feel ready to start a discussion in a foreign language? (which one)

8: Do you think that to make remote measurements adds a "European dimension" to the practical course?

Yes72%

No28%

Yes72%

No28%

92%

8%

0%

50%

100%

english spanish


Reliability aspectsReliability aspects

• During 20 sessions the Retwine tool was in use

• It failed 4 times

► (3 times with the same professor !!!)

► WWW = World Wide Wait, be patient

► 1 time: Intranet network problems


Conclusion and Conclusion and perspectivesperspectives


ConclusionConclusionThe realisation is possibleSome teachers have more problems than students in

using the new toolInternet connection problems occur sometimes,

be patientThe students seem to appreciate the new approachThey are satisfied and enthusiasticThe students could attend to “most modern practical

courses” with high tech instruments


PerspectivesPerspectives

• Horizontal– RETWINE: adding new instruments and the corresponding tutorials to

the instrumentation pool

• Vertical– Use the RETWINE opportunity to perform practical courses in a virtual

Lab

– Integrated course concept in scientific fields for e-Learning

A new Minerva project ?


Integrated course concept Integrated course concept

• All levels of learning are available on the WEB

Practical course module

Circuit simulation module

Exercise module

Course module


AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

We would like to thank the European Commission for financial support via the Socrates – Open and Distance Learning program.

Documents

T. ZimmerMinerva Coordinators Meeting – June 2001 Brussels (Belgium) RETWINE Virtual Labs Tele-instrumentation through the WWW T. Zimmer, D. Geoffroy,