QUESTNET2010 Talk on iLabs
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The document discusses online laboratories, specifically the ilab project, which provides access to real experimental hardware remotely, allowing users to perform experiments at any time from anywhere. It outlines the architecture, requirements, and functionalities of the ilab system, emphasizing its accessibility and scalability while also noting specific scenarios where remote labs may not be suitable. Additionally, the document lists various universities worldwide that utilize ilabs and provides links to related resources.
QUESTNET2010 Talk on iLabs
- 1. ONLINE LABORATORIES: WE BRING THE LAB TO YOU Mark Schulz Centre for Educational Innovation & Technology The University of Queensland http://ceit.uq.edu.au m.schulz@uq.edu.au
- 2. “If You Can’t Come to the Lab… the Lab Will Come to You!” Jesús del Alamo – MIT, Professor Department of EECS (Earth at 89 GHz; courtesy of J. Grahn, Chalmers U.)
- 3. DEFINITIONS • Physical Laboratory • Online Laboratory • Virtual Laboratory • Remote Laboratory
- 4. REMOTE LABORATORY • Two basic types of experiment: • Batch • Interactive
- 5. ILAB PROJECT AIM Shared access to real experimental hardware 24 hours a day/7 days a week from anywhere on the planet
- 6. Heat exchanger (Chem. Microelectronics device Eng., deployed 2001) characterization (EECS, deployed 1998) Dynamic signal analyzer ELVIS (EECS, deployed 2006) ILABS AT (EECS, deployed 2004) Spectrometer (Nuclear Eng., deployed 2008) MIT Shake Table (Civil Eng., deployed 2004) Polymer Crystallization Force on a Dipole (Chem. E., (Physics, deployed 2008) deployed 2003)
- 8. REQUIREMENTS • Experiment must (be able to) be computerised • Must have access to the Internet • Minimal software requirement at the user end • Minimal use of consumables
- 9. WHY USE A REMOTE LABORATORY? • Time Accessibility • Physical Accessibility • Resource Accessibility • OH&S Issues • Location Accessibility • Scalability
- 10. WHEN NOT TO USE A REMOTE LABORATORY? • To replace laboratory experiments • Cheap, commonly available equipment • Replaceable consumables requiring human intervention • Continuous human intervention required • Experiment requires proximity and haptic interface • Experiment can’t be computerised
- 11. HOW TO FIND AN EXPERIMENT http://openilabs.ilab.uq.edu.au/
- 12. UQ ILABS
- 14. HIGH SCHOOL LABS www.ilabcentral.org
- 17. WHAT’S “UNDER THE HOOD”? • Only look at Batch Architecture
- 19. iLab Batched Architecture Lab Server Campus network Internet Lab Server Client Service Broker University #1 Databases University #2 Databases
- 20. WHAT DOES ILAB PROVIDE? • SERVICE BROKER (web services): • user and access management (single sign-on coming) • local (institutional) management of data storage • scheduler/booking system for access management • LAB SERVER: • access given to each Service Broker • focus on running experiments
- 21. iLab Batched Architecture • Special purpose system specific to an experiment • Developed by domain specialist • No user management here • Verifies experiment before execution Campus network Internet Lab Server Client Service Broker University Databases
- 22. iLab Batched Architecture • GUI to lab • Embodies pedagogical experience • Developed by domain specialist • Contains generic modules that are recycled: i.e. graphing, collaboration Campus network Internet Lab Server Client Service Broker University Databases
- 23. iLab Batched Architecture Campus network Internet Lab Server Client Service Broker • Serves client to student’s computer • Mediates between Client and Lab Server • Performs generic functions: user management, data storage • Single signon access to many labs University Databases • Managed by and located at end user University
- 24. iLab Architecture: development responsibilities Lab provider: + develops Lab Server Lab provider: + can customise modules developed at UQ • develops Lab Client + registers this with the Service Broker • registers this with Service Brokers Campus network Internet Lab Server Client Service Broker • provides generic functionality • developed by MIT, open source • has well defined web services interfaces University Databases
- 25. Lab provider: • manages Lab Server • sets lab policy • manages groups, not individual users iLab Architecture: management responsibilities Campus network Internet Lab Server Client Service Broker End-user institution: • manages Service Broker • manages users (registration, authentication) University Databases responsible for user data (storage, archiving) •
- 26. iLabs Use Around the World Chalmers NWU Pavia Deusto Carinthia Portland MIT Parma NTU DLUT CMU AUB Cairo CCU Taipei ITESM OAU Makerere UDSM NUS Mauritius Queensland RMIT iLabs has been used by 22 universities on five continents.
- 27. ILAB IN SECOND LIFE
- 28. USEFUL LINKS • 7 Things You Should Know About Remote Instrumentation http://www.educause.edu/ELI/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAboutRemot/156816 • iLabCentral http://www.ilabcentral.org/ • Lab2Go http://www.lab2go.net • MIT Openilabs http://openilabs.mit.edu/ • UQ OpeniLabs ServiceBroker http://openilabs.ilab.uq.edu.au/ServiceBroker/ • Global Online Laboratory Consortium http://www.online-lab.org/
- 29. THANK YOU • Questions?
Editor's Notes
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- #4: Physical = proximate access to physical equipment and materials; may even be computerised; still essential for training students\nOnline = access via a network (web in our case); must be computerised\nVirtual = simulated; run a simulation or perform in a simulated space (eg, Second Life).\nRemote = accessing a physical lab via the internet\n
- #5: Focus of this talk, as this is what we do in CEIT.\nBATCH: set up parameters, send to experiment, wait for a turn to run experiment, results sent back.\nExample: read the radiation count of a radioactive sample for a fixed time at three different distances from the source. \nNO NEED FOR PHYSICAL PROXIMITY; ACTIVITY is PROGRAMMABLE SET OF STEPS\nINTERACTIVE: Book a slot to run an experiment, have complete control of inputs over that time (just like a real expt.).\nExample: download a program into an instrumented embedded computer system and interact with the physical interfaces.\nNO NEED FOR PHYSICAL PROXIMITY, BUT MUST RESPOND TO A SEQUENCE OF INPUTS; difficult to fit to BATCH model.\n
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- #9: Access: uses port 80 for all communication. Interactive may require other ports (e.g., LabView)\nMinimal Software: download time for UI - mention Africa. Aim is no local Installation of software\nMinimal need for humans at experiment end (fluid replacement, MIT Reactor and human to open port).\n
- #10: Time: scheduled classes rarely exceed 9-5 limitations; 24/7 access is the aim. Time to tinker!\nResource: limited set of equipment, places difficulty on access at relevant time in the course. Cost limits provision here too.\nLocation: USQ telescope accessed from US in their daytime teaching time slot, and v.v.\nPhysical: MIT neutron beam port is inside reactor; hard for Australian students to attend on regular basis. \nOH&S: no high school student in QLD can do a school based radiation experiment due to lack of on-site certified radiation officer and facilities.\nScalability: Handle large numbers of users in a manageable fashion.\n\n
- #11: Replace: Meant to supplement use of lab\nCheap: measure the potential drop across a resistor with a multimeter (NOT the case in Africa though).\nconsumables: chemicals that are consumed during the experiment; new ones needed and disposal of used ones.\nPointless to pay someone to set up each experiment manually, then turn over control. Won’t scale.\nHaptics: If touching real knobs is part of the learning objective, then must be there. Exploding electrolytics story here.\nMust be able to computerized and be intelligible after this process. Some biological processes may not fit this,e.g., dissect a frog.\n
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- #13: 2nd time of day - use of farms of experiments\nAccess to experiments at MIT.\nlast entry - Flex client is a copy of NWU iLabCentral client to save bandwidth\n
- #14: Searchable repository of experiments - not just iLab\nUses semantic web technologies\nAllows more precise searching\n
- #15: Note the two photos: UQ and MIT\n\n
- #16: Note radiation in list - UQ\n\n
- #17: Experiments for UG and high school students\n
- #18: Interactive is more complex\n
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