FORGE: An eLearning Framework for Remote Laboratory Experimentation on FIRE Testbed Infrastructure

The Forging Online Education through FIRE (FORGE) initiative provides educators and learners in higher education with access to world-class FIRE testbed infrastructure. FORGE supports experimentally driven research in an eLearning environment by complementing traditional classroom and online courses with interactive remote laboratory experiments. The project has achieved its objectives by defining and implementing a framework called FORGEBox. This framework offers the methodology, environment, tools and resources to support the creation of HTML-based online educational material capable accessing virtualized and physical FIRE testbed infrastruc- ture easily. FORGEBox also captures valuable quantitative and qualitative learning analytic information using questionnaires and Learning Analytics that can help optimise and support student learning. To date, FORGE has produced courses covering a wide range of networking and communication domains. These are freely available from FORGEBox.eu and have resulted in over 24,000 experiments undertaken by more than 1,800 students across 10 countries worldwide. This work has shown that the use of remote high- performance testbed facilities for hands-on remote experimentation can have a valuable impact on the learning experience for both educators and learners. Additionally, certain challenges in developing FIRE-based courseware have been identified, which has led to a set of recommendations in order to support the use of FIRE facilities for teaching and learning purposes

Ontology: a support structure for a V-Labs Network, the Euronet - Lab

This paper presents work on the establishment of a virtual laboratories network, based on the concept of Virtual Closet that will contain all the elements and parts required to build the different experiences available in a vlabs network (that we call Euronet-Lab). To build this complex network it is necessary to find an adequate support. The large database of v-labs and independent elements that can integrate this structure allows the “recycling” of elements for purposes diverse from those they were originally created. This means to “re-use” the same element several times in different scenarios. In order to do this, it is necessary to have a structure that allows multiple instances of the same component. This paper will discuss the ontology essential to the establishment of such a network in order to standardize concepts and create uniform components description that supports the interaction between heterogeneous systems using shared parts or circuits.Com o apoio RAADRI

A Low-Cost Educational Remotely Controlled Solar Energy Laboratory

This paper proposes the hardware and software implementation of the system required to establish a low-cost educational remotely controlled solar energy laboratory. The system consists of two main parts, a Solar Energy System and a Remotely Controlled Laboratory. The Solar Energy System is a Photovoltaic system, which consists of multiple photovoltaic cells that convert solar radiation (sunlight) or normal lights into usable direct current (DC) electricity, and then it either charges a backup battery or uses an inverter circuit that changes direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). The other part of the system is a Remotely Controlled Laboratory, aimed at enabling students to control solar energy experiments remotely

Design of a WSN Platform for Long-Term Environmental Monitoring for IoT Applications

The Internet of Things (IoT) provides a virtual view, via the Internet Protocol, to a huge variety of real life objects, ranging from a car, to a teacup, to a building, to trees in a forest. Its appeal is the ubiquitous generalized access to the status and location of any "thing" we may be interested in. Wireless sensor networks (WSN) are well suited for long-term environmental data acquisition for IoT representation. This paper presents the functional design and implementation of a complete WSN platform that can be used for a range of long-term environmental monitoring IoT applications. The application requirements for low cost, high number of sensors, fast deployment, long lifetime, low maintenance, and high quality of service are considered in the specification and design of the platform and of all its components. Low-effort platform reuse is also considered starting from the specifications and at all design levels for a wide array of related monitoring application

Space station needs, attributes, and architectural options. Volume 1. Executive summary

The initial space station should be manned, placed in 28.5 deg orbit, and provide substantial economic, performance, and social benefits. The most beneficial space station capabilities include: a space test facility; a transport harbor; satellite servicing and assembly; and an observatory. A space industrial park could be added once further development effort validates the cost and expanding commercial market for space processed materials. The potential accrued gross mission model benefit derived from these capabilities is $5.9B without the industrial park, and$9.3B with it. An unclassified overview of all phases of the study is presented

Japanese cooperative R&D projects in software technology

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 50-55).Michael A. Cusumano

The remote experimentation as the practical-oriented basis of inclusive engineering education

The challenges and solutions for inclusive engineering education are discussed in this paper. We propose remote experimentation as the practical-oriented basis to train engineers with disabilities in the fields of Computer Science and Information Technologies. The structure and the functionality of international GOLDi network that unites partner universities from Germany, Australia, Ukraine, Armenia and Georgia is given. The possibilities of REIoT complex for studying the features of embedded systems design and Internet of Things technologies as well as an overview of ISRT laboratory for embedded software development and testing are given. The presented Remote Laboratories are successfully used to improve educational services quality and accessibility as well as to strengthen the practical component of the learning process

A Network and Repository for Online Laboratory based on Ontology

Our propose is to build a network of virtual laboratories and also use it as a global repository of online laboratory’s and experiences. This set of virtual and online laboratories can be “stored” in an “virtual closet”, and also the system will allow us to build new experiences and online laboratories, and store them is this “virtual closet”. With the drawing of this new standard we pretend define methods for storing and retrieving learning objects for remote laboratories. The objective of this standard is also define methods for linking learning objects to design and implement smart learning environments for remote online laboratories. The objects defined by this standard are, for example, interfaces for devices connected to user computers over computers networks and the devices themselves. They are also learning scenarios or collaboration tools for communications necessary to conduct an activity of practical online laboratory work, they will allow to design and implement mechanisms that make smart learning environment formed by the ad hoc aggregation of learning objects taking always into account the pedagogical context for their use. This will allow to easy design and implement the pedagogically driven remote laboratory environment and experiments as also is learning environments. The experiences and laboratories are build using the parts and separate components that we have in a separate “virtual closet” with parts, components, and already build experiences. To build this complex network we need to find a system that supports effectively this structure. This probably will be a enormous database of v-labs and independent elements, where will be possible sometimes to “recycle” some of the elements. For this structure we propose an Ontology because it allows to “re-use” the same element several times in many experiences, and provide a very detailed description of each kind of element through is classes and sub-classes.Com o apoio RAADRI