Lars Håkansson - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Lars Håkansson

International Journal of Online Engineering - iJOE, 2008

IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 2000

ABSTRACT This paper reports on a state-of-the-art remote laboratory project called Virtual Instru... more ABSTRACT This paper reports on a state-of-the-art remote laboratory project called Virtual Instrument Systems in Reality (VISIR). VISIR allows wiring and measuring of electronic circuits remotely on a virtual workbench that replicates physical circuit breadboards. The wiring mechanism is developed by means of a relay switching matrix connected to a PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation (PXI) instrumentation platform. The entire equipment is controlled by LabVIEW server software, in addition to a measurement server software that protects the equipment from hazard connections by verifying input circuit designs, sent by students, before being executed. This paper addresses other approaches such as remote labs based on Data Acquisition Cards (DAQs), NetLab, and RemotElectLab, comparing them with VISIR in order to emphasize its singularity. Topics discussed are as follows: the technical description, software, operation cycle, features, and provided services. In addition, the feedback received by students at several universities and the encountered drawbacks along with the proposed solutions are highlighted. The paper finally addresses the ongoing and future challenges within the VISIR community including its integration with Learning Management Systems (LMSs) and iLab Shared Architecture (ISA), its new hardware version release that is based on LAN eXtensions for Instrumentation (LXI), and its new open platform version that supports federated access.

Nowadays, students want extended access to learning resources and increased freedom to organize t... more Nowadays, students want extended access to learning resources and increased freedom to organize their learning activities. Remote access to laboratories enables students to perform physical experiments on their own 24/7. It is easy to control most electronic instruments remotely but some kind of telemanipulator is often required. The Signal Processing Department (ASB) at Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) has created

Scalable E-Learning Tools for Engineering and Science Disciplines, 2012

ABSTRACT The VISIR Open Lab Platform is a client/server application enabling learners to perform ... more ABSTRACT The VISIR Open Lab Platform is a client/server application enabling learners to perform physical electrical experiments over the Internet using a web browser. Virtual front panels and a virtual breadboard displayed on the client PCs are used to control the physical equipment giving the learners the impression that they are working in a real laboratory.

International Journal of Online Engineering (iJOE), 2012

ABSTRACT This paper presents a novel and advanced remotely controlled laboratory for conducting A... more ABSTRACT This paper presents a novel and advanced remotely controlled laboratory for conducting Active Noise Control (ANC), acoustic and Digital Signal Processing (DSP) experiments. The laboratory facility, recently developed by Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) Sweden, supports remote learning through internet covering beginners level such as simple experimental measurements to advanced users and even researchers such as algorithm development and their performance evaluation on DSP. The required software development for ANC algorithms and equipment control are carried out anywhere in the world remotely from an internet-connected client PC using a standard web browser. The paper describes in detail how ANC, acoustic and DSP experiments can be performed remotely The necessary steps involved in an ANC experiment such as validity of ANC, forward path estimation and active control applied to a broad band random noise [0-200Hz] in a ventilation duct will be described in detail. The limitations and challenges such as the forward path and nonlinearities pertinent to the remote laboratory setup will be described for the guidance of the user. Based on the acoustic properties of the ventilation duct some of the possible acoustic experiments such as mode shapes analysis and standing waves analysis etc. will also be discussed in the paper.

2012 9th International Conference on Remote Engineering and Virtual Instrumentation (REV), 2012

ABSTRACT This paper presents a remotely controlled educational experiments setup for Active Noise... more ABSTRACT This paper presents a remotely controlled educational experiments setup for Active Noise Control (ANC) and acoustic experiments. The experiments setup is based on the Virtual Instruments Systems in Reality (VISIR) open source platform, National Instruments LabVIEW software and a Digital Signal Processor TMS320C6713 from Texas Instruments. The software development and equipment are controlled remotely form a client PC using a standard web browser. The proposed laboratory setup focuses on ANC experiments applied to noise in a ventilation duct. The laboratory setup will enable students to test and investigate properties and behaviour of adaptive algorithms in reality as compared to more confined simulations usually carried out in Matlab etc. The general steps in ANC, such as the feasibility of active control, designing, testing and debugging ANC algorithms, configuration and implementation of an active control system, are all covered. In addition students will be able to study the effect of analog to digital converters (ADC), anti-aliasing filters, digital to analog converters (DAC) and reconstruction filters using digital signal processing in reality, etc. The laboratory setup is suitable for a wide range of courses such as sound related experiments in upper secondary school physics, digital signal processing, adaptive signal processing, and acoustics at university level.

The Signal Processing Department (ASB) at Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) has created two ... more The Signal Processing Department (ASB) at Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) has created two online lab workbenches, one for electrical experiments and one for mechanical vibration experiments, mimicking and supplementing workbenches in traditional laboratories. Since some years, the workbenches are used concurrently with on-site ones in regular supervised lab sessions. The students are also free to use them on their own around the clock e.g. for preparation. The electronic workbench can be used simultaneously by many students. The aim of a project known as VISIR (Virtual Systems in Reality) founded by ASB at the end of 2006, is disseminating the online lab workbenches using open source technologies. The goal is to create a template for a grid laboratory where the nodes are workbenches for electrical experiments, located at different universities. This paper focuses on standards, pedagogical aspects, and measurement procedure requirements.

2014 11th International Conference on Remote Engineering and Virtual Instrumentation (REV), 2014

ABSTRACT Currently an advanced remotely controlled vibration laboratory is developed and implemen... more ABSTRACT Currently an advanced remotely controlled vibration laboratory is developed and implemented at Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden. The new developments in the laboratory setup will provide users to carry out vibration measurements on a cantilever beam system with remotely adjustable dynamic properties and to estimate dynamic characteristics of it. The dynamic properties of the cantilever beam are remotely modified by attaching structural parts such as a block of mass, a spring mass system and a non-linear spring. In the development of this remote-lab, a number of different approaches were adopted for the production of well-defined experiments. Also, the new prototype laboratory is designed based on finite elements modeling (FEM) and LABVIEW. The test object, attachment mechanism for sub structures, relevant experiments, and proper interface for managing the lab via Internet and many other things have been considered.

International Conference on E-Business and E-Government, 2000

- Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden has opened a local instructional laboratory for unde... more - Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden has opened a local instructional laboratory for undergraduate education in electrical and electronic engineering for remote operation and control 24/7 as a complement and a supplement to traditional laboratories. It is equipped with aunique virtual interface enabling students to recognize on their own computer screen the desktop instruments and the breadboard most

This is an author produced version of a conference paper. The paper has been peer-reviewed but ma... more This is an author produced version of a conference paper. The paper has been peer-reviewed but may not include the final publisher proof-corrections or pagination of the proceedings. ... Access to the published version may require subscription. Published with permission from:

International Journal of …, 2006

Abstract Physical experiments are indispensable for developing skills to deal with physical proc... more Abstract Physical experiments are indispensable for developing skills to deal with physical processes and instrumentation. The Internet provides new possibilities for universities and other teaching organizations to share laboratories and increase the number of lab sessions ...

Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) in Sweden has started a project known as VISIR (Virtual In... more Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) in Sweden has started a project known as VISIR (Virtual Instrument Systems in Reality) together with National Instruments in USA and Axiom EduTech in Sweden to disseminate an online laboratory concept created at BTH using open source technologies in collaboration with other universities and organizations. The concept is about adding a remote operation option to traditional instructional laboratories to make them more accessible, irrespective of whether the students are on campus or mainly off campus. The BTH option is equipped with a unique interface enabling students to recognize on their own computer screen the instruments and other equipment most of them have previously used in the local laboratory. The first remote control option implemented is for an electronics laboratory and the second one is for a signal processing laboratory with emphasis on mechanical vibration experiments. The electronics lab option features remote circuit wiring usi...