Development of Virtual Laboratory for Mechatronic Systems

Laboratory experimentation is one of the key issues for the successful education and research. This applies particularly to engineering sciences, where experimental setups provide a deeper understanding of theoretical principles. If we consider this, as well as the fact that e-learning and distance learning became widespread in the last decade, it is not surprising that virtual laboratories appeared as a new experimentation concept. In this paper we will present the Virtual Laboratory for Mechatronic Systems (VLMS). VLMS currently consists out of two parts - robotics module and hydraulics module. Detailed description of each one will be provided in the paper. Dynamics of each particular laboratory device is mathematically modeled and simulated. Realistic virtual user interfaces are provided and finally 3D CAD graphics is used to provide an appropriate visualization.