Web-Based Scalable Intelligent Multimedia Virtual Laboratory for Power Engineering

A laboratory practicum is considered a key component of engineering education. However a hands-on approach is often ignored for courses involving electrical machines because of safety issues, expenses, and lack of qualified teaching assistants. This paper presents the planning and development of a web-based application that can simulate a virtual laboratory for electric machines. This Virtual Power Laboratory 1 (VPL) is developed on a universal web-based platform that can be accessed anywhere by most mobile devices and modern computers. As a proof of concept, nine virtual experiments have been developed for DC motors and generators. Machine concepts are summarized using text, 2D and 3D graphics as well as multimedia animation. The animated graphical user interface (GUI) plays an important role as it enables students to review and retain basic concepts by building a bridge from the virtual environment to the real laboratory. Multimedia is employed in order to provide visual guidance to the students for better understanding of machines. Once completed, students will be guided and supervised by an intelligent tutor as they learn basic concepts, answer pre-laboratory questions, practice in virtual experiments and compose laboratory reports.