Board # 54: Design of Remotely Accessible Automated Systems to Enhance Industrial Automation Education

Industrial scale automated systems can be used to provide authentic learning experiences for students. Skillsets needed to design and build automated systems are essential to our national economy. However, students often have limited access to equipment due to limitations in available lab time and available equipment. This paper describes the design of three web-based automated systems (material sorting system, pick-and-place automated system, and remotecontrol of robot system) and preliminary evaluation of the systems. Preliminary findings include 1) students seemed interested and intrigued by the set up; 2) there is a time-delay between the control action and the image being presented over the webcam; and 3) students want more time to use the system. Future directions include evaluating instructional effectiveness, identifying which aspects of the experience help students learn, and determining optimal time frames for completing assignments.