Decentralized Control Systems Laboratory Using Human Centered Robotic Actuators
This addresses the issue of equipment access for STEM students, but it is incremental as it applies existing remote lab concepts to a specific robotic actuator setup.
The paper tackled the problem of limited access to state-of-the-art equipment in STEM education by developing a remote laboratory using series elastic actuators for human-centered robotics, resulting in an end-to-end system that provides browser-based access for student experimentation in system identification and feedback control.
University laboratories deliver unique hands-on experimentation for STEM students but often lack state-of-the-art equipment and provide limited access to their equipment. The University of Texas Cloud Laboratory provides remote access to a cutting-edge series elastic actuators for student experimentation regarding human-centered robotics, dynamical systems, and controls. Through a browser-based interface, students are provided with various learning materials using the remote hardware-in-the-loop system for effective experiment-based education. This paper discusses the methods used to connect remote hardware to mobile browsers, the adaptation of textbook materials regarding system identification and feedback control, data processing to generate clean and useful results for student interpretation, and initial usage of the end-to-end system for individual and group learning.