A Hybrid Simulation and Hands-On Experimentation for Electric Machines Laboratory

In this paper, we presented a hybrid approach to integrate hands-on experimentation with virtual simulation environment in an Electric Machines course. This was achieved by using Lab-Volt’s LVSIM-EMS software as a platform for the virtual simulation environment. The use of this simulation software allowed students to freely experiment and test various circuit designs before they actually conduct any physical experimentations. This hybrid approach helped promote lab safety and also avoid damaging the equipment due to random testing. In addition, it allowed for more student-centric experiments with less hazardous lab environment. A new experiment to derive the equivalent-circuits of a transformer was developed to implement and assess this new approach. We qualitatively assessed the impact of this laboratory setup using a survey questionnaire. Furthermore, pre and post assessments were used to quantitatively assess the impact of this hybrid approach. Results indicated that using this virtual simulation environment coupled with physical experimentation increased the students’ level of understanding of topics taught and also reduced equipment damage and maintenance cost. This conclusion was inferred as a result of our statistical analysis conducted for both cases

Implementation and Assessment of a Virtual Reality Experiment in the Undergraduate Themo-Fluids Laboratory

Results are presented from an NSF supported project that is geared towards advancing the development and use of virtual reality (VR) laboratories, designed to emulate the learning environment of physical laboratories. As part of this project, an experiment in the undergraduate thermo-fluids laboratory course titled Jet Impact Force was transformed into a 3-D virtual reality experiment using the widely used MAYA R and VIRTOOLS R software. In order to facilitate students\u27 interactions with the newly created 3-D interactive, immersive and stereoscopic virtual laboratory environment, the human computer interfaces (HCI) were programmed and incorporated in the simulation software. Two immersion levels were included in the VR experiment to assess their impact on student learning. The first one namely the desktop virtual reality (DTVR) used a computer and a 3-D TV for display while the CAVE virtual reality (CVR) employed a computer in conjunction with a three-wall CAVE (acronym for Cave Automatic Virtual Environment) for visualizing the simulation. The above said VR experiment was embedded in the thermo-fluids laboratory course in the mechanical engineering curriculum at Old Dominion University (ODU) so that it could be used in the supplementation mode for the pre-lab practice sessions prior to the physical experiment sessions. To test the efficacy of this supplementation pedagogy for enhancement of student learning, both quantitative (quiz) as well as qualitative (direct observation and student survey) assessment instruments were used. Of the three objectives set for this study two, namely the development and implementation of VR experiment and the assessment of impact of immersion levels on student learning were fully achieved. Assessment results also showed that the CVR module resulted in a higher level of student learning when compared with the DTVR module. The third objective, namely the assessment of the VR experiment in enhancing student learning in the supplementation mode was met only partially since the quantitative and qualitative assessments produced divergent results. The statistical analysis of the quiz scores of the experimental group, consisting of students who used the VR experiment for supplementation, and the control group (without supplementation) showed that the supplementation produced improvements in student learning that were statistically insignificant. In contrast the direct observation of both the experimental and the control groups during the physical experiment pointed to student learning gains for the experimental group. Student surveys showed generally positive disposition of students towards the newly introduced VR experiment

Virtual interactive musculoskeletal system (VIMS) in orthopaedic research, education and clinical patient care

The ability to combine physiology and engineering analyses with computer sciences has opened the door to the possibility of creating the "Virtual Human" reality. This paper presents a broad foundation for a full-featured biomechanical simulator for the human musculoskeletal system physiology. This simulation technology unites the expertise in biomechanical analysis and graphic modeling to investigate joint and connective tissue mechanics at the structural level and to visualize the results in both static and animated forms together with the model. Adaptable anatomical models including prosthetic implants and fracture fixation devices and a robust computational infrastructure for static, kinematic, kinetic, and stress analyses under varying boundary and loading conditions are incorporated on a common platform, the VIMS (Virtual Interactive Musculoskeletal System). Within this software system, a manageable database containing long bone dimensions, connective tissue material properties and a library of skeletal joint system functional activities and loading conditions are also available and they can easily be modified, updated and expanded. Application software is also available to allow end-users to perform biomechanical analyses interactively. Examples using these models and the computational algorithms in a virtual laboratory environment are used to demonstrate the utility of these unique database and simulation technology. This integrated system, model library and database will impact on orthopaedic education, basic research, device development and application, and clinical patient care related to musculoskeletal joint system reconstruction, trauma management, and rehabilitation

Systematic mapping study: Application of augmented reality in marketing

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to provide an overview and analysis of literature dealing with the possibilities for applying augmented reality (AR) in marketing and the impact of AR on marketing in the era of digital transformation of business. Though attractive, this topic is still insufficiently explored. Methodology: The paper uses a bibliometric method - citation and co-citation analysis in the Web of Science and Scopus citation databases. Data analysis was performed using the VOSviewer software tool for information construction, analysis and visualization. Results: The conducted research revealed that there is an increasing trend in the number of research papers dealing with the AR and marketing topics. The specific topics dealt with in the papers are primarily related to the impact of AR on business, creating customer loyalty, sales increase and other marketing activities. Conclusion: AR is a powerful and influential tool the use of which improves communication with customers and, at the same time, sales strategies and processes. AR is based on immersing customers into a new experience, by showing virtual objects in the users’ real-world environment and creating harmony between the digital and the real-world environment so that the boundaries between them disappear. It is manifested as a form of experiential marketing, since it focuses both on a product and a service, and on the entire experience created for customers

Virtual conference design: features and obstacles

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced a change in the way people work, and the location that they work from. The impact has caused significant disruption to education, the work environment and how social interactions take place. Online user habits have also changed due to lockdown restrictions and virtual conferencing software has become a vital cog in team communication. In result, a spate in software solutions have emerged in order to support the challenges of remote learning and working. The conferencing software landscape is now a core communication solution for company-wide interaction, team discussions, screen sharing and face-to-face contact. Yet the number of existing platforms is diverse. In this article, a systematic literature review investigation on virtual conferencing is presented. As output from the analysis, 67 key features and 74 obstacles users experience when interacting with virtual conferencing technologies are identified from 60 related open-source journal articles from 5 digital library repositories

Educational inclusion and new technologies

The development of new technologies creates affordances with the potential to remove barriers to learning faced by young people. New technologies have therefore been seen as both a panacea for problems in developing inclusive education, and as a way of allowing a diverse range of learners to access and engage with the curriculum in its broadest sense. This chapter critically considers these views by drawing on a range of selected research. This research uses different methodologies and educational contexts to sample different levels of use, and different aspects of new technology. The case studies included here illustrate particular issues in developing and using technology. The cases studies cover: using Tablet PCs in schools, and developing educational robotics as an inclusive curriculum activity, developing pedagogic practice with morphing software and interactive software designed for dyslexic learners and Schome Park, an interactive virtual environment. The chapter considers how technology is used in these cases and the degree to which is has supported, educational inclusion. This offers an insight into innovative educational practice and research and supports an analysis of the factors which influence the impact of potentially inclusive technolog

Bringing Global Sourcing into the Classroom: Experiential Learning via Software Development Project

Global sourcing of software development has imposed new skill requirements on Information Technology (IT) personnel. In the U.S., this has resulted in a paradigm shift from technical to softer skills such as communications and virtual team management. Higher education institutions must, consequently, initiate innovative curriculum transformations to better prepare students for these emerging workforce needs. This paper describes one such venture between Marquette University (MU), U.S.A. and Management Development Institute (MDI), India, wherein IT students at MU collaborated with Management Information Systems (MIS) students at MDI on an offshore software development project. The class environment replicated an offshore client/vendor relationship in a fully virtual setting while integrating communications and virtual team management with traditional IT project management principles. Course measures indicated that students benefited from this project, gained first-hand experience in the process of software offshoring, and learned skills critical for conduct of global business. For faculty considering such initiatives, we describe the design and administration of this class over two semesters, lessons learned from our engagement, and factors critical to success of such initiatives and those detrimental to their sustenance

The future of technology enhanced active learning – a roadmap

The notion of active learning refers to the active involvement of learner in the learning process, capturing ideas of learning-by-doing and the fact that active participation and knowledge construction leads to deeper and more sustained learning. Interactivity, in particular learnercontent interaction, is a central aspect of technology-enhanced active learning. In this roadmap, the pedagogical background is discussed, the essential dimensions of technology-enhanced active learning systems are outlined and the factors that are expected to influence these systems currently and in the future are identified. A central aim is to address this promising field from a best practices perspective, clarifying central issues and formulating an agenda for future developments in the form of a roadmap

Flexible Global Software Development (GSD): Antecedents of Success in Requirements Analysis

Globalization of software development has resulted in a rapid shift away from the traditional collocated, on-site development model, to the offshoring model. Emerging trends indicate an increasing interest in offshoring even in early phases like requirements analysis. Additionally, the flexibility offered by the agile development approach makes it attractive for adaptation in globally distributed software work. A question of significance then is what impacts the success of offshoring earlier phases, like requirements analysis, in a flexible and globally distributed environment? This article incorporates the stance of control theory to posit a research model that examines antecedent factors such as requirements change, facilitation by vendor and client site-coordinators, control, and computer-mediated communication. The impact of these factors on success of requirements analysis projects in a “flexible” global setting is tested using two quasi-experiments involving students from Management Development Institute, India and Marquette University, USA. Results indicate that formal modes of control significantly influence project success during requirements analysis. Further, facilitation by both client and vendor site coordinators positively impacts requirements analysis success

Design, Field Evaluation, and Traffic Analysis of a Competitive Autonomous Driving Model in a Congested Environment

Recently, numerous studies have investigated cooperative traffic systems using the communication among vehicle-to-everything (V2X). Unfortunately, when multiple autonomous vehicles are deployed while exposed to communication failure, there might be a conflict of ideal conditions between various autonomous vehicles leading to adversarial situation on the roads. In South Korea, virtual and real-world urban autonomous multi-vehicle races were held in March and November of 2021, respectively. During the competition, multiple vehicles were involved simultaneously, which required maneuvers such as overtaking low-speed vehicles, negotiating intersections, and obeying traffic laws. In this study, we introduce a fully autonomous driving software stack to deploy a competitive driving model, which enabled us to win the urban autonomous multi-vehicle races. We evaluate module-based systems such as navigation, perception, and planning in real and virtual environments. Additionally, an analysis of traffic is performed after collecting multiple vehicle position data over communication to gain additional insight into a multi-agent autonomous driving scenario. Finally, we propose a method for analyzing traffic in order to compare the spatial distribution of multiple autonomous vehicles. We study the similarity distribution between each team's driving log data to determine the impact of competitive autonomous driving on the traffic environment