Enhancing Vibration And Controls Teaching With Remote Laboratory Experiments

This paper describes the remote laboratory experiments and demonstrations developed in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Houston to enhance students’ learning of vibrations control and their knowledge of smart materials. Two intelligent vibrating structures utilizing smart materials to control and damp structural vibrations have been integrated into an internet based virtual laboratory. The students are now able to control the experimental variables through a virtual instrument, created through the commercial virtual lab software LabView, from places and times convenient to them. By using a remote laboratory students are able to take turns sharing a single experimental set-up and their educational experience is enriched while reducing the costs to the student and to the university. Student survey responses following remote demonstrations of the experiments are very positive. Over 90% of all responses indicated that the experiments and demonstration were either “Effective” or “Very Effective.” Additionally, the students expressed the unanimous desire for more remote laboratories. Based on this positive experience, a remote laboratory based course has been proposed in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.