Internet and virtual nuclear engineering laboratory

nuclear engineering;distance lab;virtual lab;internet lab;LabVIEW

Wu, Hsingtzu ; Uddin ; Rizwan

关键词: nuclear engineering;    distance lab;    virtual lab;    internet lab;    LabVIEW;   

Others  :  https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/24067/Wu_Hsingtzu.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

美国|英语

来源: The Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship

【 摘 要 】

Thisthesishastwoparts.FirstpartreportsthedevelopmentofanInternetlaboratory. Developmentofavirtualmodelofthelaboratoryisreportedinthesecondpart.The differencebetweenanInternetlaboratoryandavirtuallaboratoryisthattheformer involves live webcasting of a real-world laboratory while the latter is simply like a3D computer game that students can ―play.‖ The game can be used to familiarize the students withthesetupofthelab.TheInternetandvirtuallabsaredevelopedfortheNuclear Engineering Laboratory, a lab course offered by the Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and RadiologicalEngineering(NPRE)attheUniversityofIllinoisatUrbana-Champaign (UIUC). Six, out of eight, labs offered in the course are modified and upgraded for the Internet lab (two were modified earlier). The Internet lab provides live two-way audio and video link between the students in the remote locations and the local laboratory. The experiments conducted in the local labcanbewebcasted.Inaddition,dataacquisitionprocessesaredigitizedusingthree LabVIEW applications. They can be controlled from the lab as well as from the remote sites.Localaswellasremotestudentsviewandrecordalltheexperimentaldatain identicalforms.Furthermore,thedigitizerandtheassociatedLabVIEWapplications simplify the experimental procedures and reduce tedious manual recording tasks. The lab experience for the remote students, though not the same as that for the students in the lab, is fairly realistic. Finally, a lab website is developed to provide lab relevant information. Inthesecondpartofthisthesis,a3Dandinteractivevirtualmodelofthe laboratoryisdeveloped.Studentsatremotesitescan―play‖andmakethemselves familiarwiththelaboratorysetupbeforethelabsareconducted.Thevirtualmodelis builtusingasoftwarepackagecalledUnrealEngineII.ExistingfeaturesinUnreal Engine II are manipulated to enhance interactivity. 3D models in the virtual lab are made using a software package called Maya 2008.TheInternetandvirtuallabshavenotyetbeentestedwithactualstudentsat remote sites. However, it is hoped that features made available for student at remote sites willmakeiteasiertoofferthelabcoursetothem.Digitizationoftheentirelabis however, very useful for students conducting the lab on site.