On-line Engineering Laboratories: Real-Time Control Over the Internet

The advent of the Internet as a major communication channel has triggered a great deal of interest in real-time communication over packet-switched networks. While store and forward networks such as the Internet were not originally designed to handle real-time traffic, now that this global communication infrastructure exists and is becoming ubiquitous. Computer-based hardware and software subsystems are being designed to transport such real-time services as broadcast audio and video (live or via various streaming media technologies) and even interactive audio and video services. In this paper we propose another step ahead into the realm of remote real-time control over the Internet. We demonstrate the feasibility of using a distributed on-line laboratory to complement and enhance traditional and on-line courses in Control Engineering. It is shown that the distributed laboratory readily enables students to conduct real-time experimental studies and that it is also suitable for live in-class demonstrations. The proposed design is presented as a paradigm for analogous developments in other courses requiring a laboratory component.