ENGINEERING ENGINEERING EDUCATION EDUCATION 21’2017 UDC 372.862 PARTICULARITIES OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES 21’2017

Virtual Labs in Engineering Education complexity, hence, its cost. This fact served and active components, such as diodes, as a starting point in wide application of transistors, operating amplifiers, micrologic Tver State University microcontrollers in the field of electronics. units, various sensors, and displays. In S.V. Sorokin, I.V. Sorokina, I.S. Soldatenko For example, even such a simple device addition, the interface of user’s operation as a lantern can be microprocessor- with components is fully supported, as The article deals with the use of virtual labs in engineering education. The programmes controlled. Therefore, the issue of learning one can turn a potentiometer during which allow simulation of electronic circuits and robotic systems have been considered. electronic circuit development is now simulated circuit operation, which results in The analysis is based on the use of virtual labs in the distant course "Practical closely connected with the problem of alteration of its resistance and is taken into engineering education" for pupils. The programme is designed by the authors. microprocessor application. consideration in model operation; change As far as the authors know, at present the temperature, which is measured by Key words: virtual laboratory, simulation, microcontrollers, circuits, robots. there is only one free system, i.e. virtual temperature sensor etc. S.V. Sorokin laboratory for simulating electronic circuits The primary mode of designing electronic controlled by microprocessor. This is an circuits is a breadboard mode, at which the online service circuits.io [2] (fig. 1). components are arranged and connected. time, with the playback option learning Introduction As this system functions on-line, its There is also a view mode (without editing) material repeatedly. Such courses enable to application does not imply installation of of principal electrical circuit, which is In spite of the growing labour market acquire the necessary skills at minimal cost demands for engineers of new generation, additional software – all operations are automatically composed with connection for the students simultaneously developing among the applicants' preferences there is performed directly in browser. It should also to breadboard. Besides, editor board is necessary competencies. However, with still a shift towards juridical, economic, and be noted that software is well compatible provided to trace printed circuit board and regard to the issue of engineering education, managerial specialities. Therefore, one of key with old computers (e,g., the software was export the result of the standard Gerber there is a problem of lack of necessary tasks nowadays is to promote engineering successfully tested by the authors using format supported by nearly all printed circuit equipment. Courses of engineering art, education. This task is necessary to be notebook with Intel Core i3 380M processor board equipment. particularly if it involves electrical engi- resolved even at school level at the time produced in 2010). Hence, one can say that However, the highlight of circuits.io neering and robot design, are senseless I.V. Sorokina when a pupil develops his/her preference for the software is highly accessible. environment is an emulation support for without practical classes, which, in their future profession. The virtual laboratory allows for microprocessor control. The environment has turn, require special laboratory equipment. Apart from programming taught as development of electronic circuits using a Arduino board and Atmel microcontrollers How, for example, to learn to design robots a part of informatics, there is a lack of wide set of components including current as well as restores their programming engineering subjects in the school curricula without necessary materials? and voltage sources, passive components instrument of Arduino board. Thus, students that causes the situation when applicants To solve this problem, one can use a (resistors, condensers, and inductors) have an opportunity to develop electronic are not prepared for engineering study at virtual laboratory. They allow emulation of university, which leads to the decrease in practical tasks to draw a circuit, programme Fig. 1. Virtual laboratory circuits.io students’ academic performance, growth a microcontroller, and even design and of expulsions and transfers to humanity programme robots with high degree of departments [1]. Therefore, low level of confidence. pupils’ engineering knowledge decreases The present article gives the review of popularity of engineering jobs, as the contemporary learning techniques and I.S. Soldatenko applicants do not want to enter and study at considers their application in full-time and engineering universities. distance courses on engineering design. The All these condition the urgency of review is based on the authors’ experience developing supplementary educational gained in designing the distance course programmes for practice-oriented research- “Bases of practical engineering modeling” engineering clubs of engineering art for intended for pupils in the course of the senior pupils and junior students aimed at state project of the RF Ministry of Science involvement of youth in the engineering to arrange practice-oriented research-engi- creativity, development of engineering neering communities of engineering art. thinking, and, as a consequence, motivation Simulating electronic microprocessor- of choosing engineering profession. controlled circuits Nowadays, diverse online courses have Using microcontrollers in electronic gained great popularity, as they provide circuits ensures the sufficient increase in an opportunity of learning at home, at any solution flexibility and decrease in its design

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circuit, microcontroller programme, and rotating on a motor or servodrive is rotating, Unfortunately, all programme versions unclear for students and refuse integrated model programme circuit interaction. but it does not provide simulation of their including educational one are commercial. design environment that makes system It should be noted that Arduino board is interaction with the physical environment. It Free evaluation license provides programme operation more complicated. often criticized in professional community is an exclusive province of other programmes only within a month, after which only Conclusion on robotic engineering [3]. The experts mainly criticize the intended for robotic system simulation. editing of two standard models is accessible, design systems programming style of Arduino environment, Based on the preliminary analysis the the rest can be opened in playback mode The combination of compatibility with which is not consistent with the industrial authors have distinguished three existing without modification. Such limitations make all common operating systems and free microcontroller software style and prevent systems that can be used in education as application of this system in online courses educational license makes V-REP the only from achieving maximum efficiency in using virtual laboratories: ROS, , and impossible. accessible system applicable for online available resources. V-REP. V-REP System courses as a virtual laboratory. Nevertheless, the authors suggest ROS system V-REP system [8] is a commercial version However, if the system is used in courses Arduino platform to be well suited for ROS (Robot Operation System) [4] is by Coppelia Robotics corporation, but its held in an education institution having learning fundamentals of embedded system a platform to design robots, which was license makes possible to use it in education special software, one can recommend using design, since comparatively low knowledge developed by the experts of Stanford for free without functional limitations. V-REP Webots system as an environment with large is required to obtain first practical results. University. It is the only fully free system system is accessible for Windows, Mac OS, potential and usability. This feature facilitates further study of more with open source software among the and . ROS environment can be recommended complicated development techniques. three mentioned above. ROS system was In spite of the fact that interface operability for using in university educational To specify the problems of Arduino developed as a core for implementing and documentation somewhat yield to programmes. Available open source codes programming and show the ways of its robotic software and, together with other Webots system, V-REP can be efficiently used allow application of this system in learning development are the tasks which have to be components developed in this environment, as a virtual robotic engineering laboratory. and developing algorithms of computer taken into account in developing courses on such as Gazebo emulator [5], can be used as V-Rep is a virtual modeling environment vision, inverse kinematics, localization, circuits.io and Arduino environment. a virtual robotics laboratory. with integrated design sevice, which allows and mapping. ROS system is widely used in The use of Arduino also allows students The main disadvantage of ROS is that building different robotic engineering modern research. However, its application to easily turn from virtual experiment to only specific versions of necessary software devices: from manipulator to robots floating may cause problems related to system practice – Arduino bound is cheap and does package can be installed in Ubuntu in the plane or in water-air environment, as administration including installation of not require additional equipment except . Numerous Internet well as simulating their behavior simulation. strictly fixed versions of operating systems. USB cable. sources considering this system describe The library has a great number of previously Testing The disadvantage of circuits.io board its installation and solution of arising designed robots, behavior of all units and In the frame of the state project of the is an absence of sensors with digital problems of environment and component components that can be set by means of RF Ministry of Science to arrange practice- interface. Arduino model is fully supportive compatibility. This solution cannot definitely scripts. oriented research-engineering clubs, the of i2C interface, whereas only other types be recommended for school online courses, The principle shortcoming in using authors have developed the distance course of Arduino can be used as a device for as the most part of pupils are not able to V-REP in online school course is the need for pupils “Bases of practical engineering connection. On the one hand, this option install it. to know Lua programming language which modeling” using simulating systems allows learning the operation of i2C bus in Webots System is not taught at school. In fact, the system considered in the article. The course takes both master and slave modes. On the other Webots design environment [6] was supports integration with 7 programming 40 hours and considers issues related to hand, digital sensors are now widely used, developed by Cyberbotics corporation languages: С, Java, Python, Matlab, Octave, design of built-in and robotic engineering but the lack of support reduces the scope of founded by the experts of Federal Lua and Urbi. However, the system core systems. its functions that could be performed at the Polytechnic School of Lasagna (EFPL). It is operates with Lua language, hence, to use The first part of the course is concerned courses based on this board. the most functional robot simulation system other programming languages undoubtedly with designing microprocessor-controlled On the whole, it is necessary to underline operating in Windows, Mac OS and Linux requires writing small adaptor programme electronic circuits using circuits.io virtual that circuits.io service can efficiently be used systems. in this language. Therefore, designing laboratory. The second part of the course to develop courses on circuits engineering This system supports robot simulation course of practical engineering modeling for based on V-REP system deals with high- and embedded system design, allowing and its interaction with the physical pupils the authors took the decision to add level programming issues of robot behavior. the entire cycle of a unit design including environment, allows designing robot a small section of Lua programming. This In this case the attention is paid to such development of electronic circuit, software control programmes in C++, Java and programming language is similar enough to questions as navigation, territory survey, debugging, and PC board layout. Python programming languages. The other contemporary programming languages. collision detection and response, interaction Robot simulation system includes a lot of robot models. It is hoped that its sufficient learning does with the environment. The capacity of circuits.io system The information on the system including not make a big difficulty for students having Conclusion is limited due to simulation of electric electronic textbook Cyberbotics' Robot experience in other language programming. The article reviews contemporary virtual component – it can show how propeller is Curriculum [7] is widely accessible. Otherwise, one has to use a code fragment laboratories that can be used in engineering

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education, for instance, designing online course developed by the authors “Bases of Rewarding Learning of Maths courses, where one of the key challenges is practical engineering modeling” for pupils. a need for expensive laboratory equipment. It is shown that use of virtual laboratories in Engineering Schools: Laboratory Works The systems for modeling electronic allows pupils to learn the issues of robotic circuits and robotic engineering have been engineering system design without special Saint Petersburg State Electrotechnical University ”LETI“ considered. The performed analysis is based equipment. V.А. Akimushkin, S.N. Pozdnyakov, А.S. Chukhnov on practical use of virtual laboratories in the Saint Petersburg State Electrotechnical University ”LETI“ Saint Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics, and Optics S.V. Rybin

The approach to development and use of laboratory works in training discrete V.А. Akimushkin mathematics and mathematical logic is suggested in the article. It is based on the computer tools to develop and improve productive thinking. The works involved are based on modeling subject field, they include target setting which determines students experimental and constructive activities as well as resources for automatical evaluation of partial solutions submitted by students. Experiment results have shown a significant increase in efficiency as compared to the multiple choice tests.

Key words: laboratory works, discrete mathematics, mathematical logic

solution and analysis of the problems that Introduction they have to solve individually. Independent S.N. Pozdniakov A laboratory work on discrete mathe- students’ solution of the problems promotes matics is often defined by most of their better understanding of the theory and contemporary authors as a set of problems develops their practical skills of managing on a definite subject aimed to develop the tasks that relate to studying the discipline students’ certain skills. It seems to us that “Discrete mathematics”. under such an approach, performance of The training process will become more laboratory work is no different from solution efficient if its participants solve non-trivial of individual home task or a set of tests [1-3]. substantial problems and, for this purpose, Traditional engineering education they need to adopt new methods and tools interprets laboratory work on mathematics including corresponding theory. Besides, the as a training session being a basic unit of idea of learning process as a kind of research laboratory (calculating) practice, using work increases the students’ motivation. S.V. Rybin REFERENCES numerical techniques to solve professional Hence, laboratory work on discrete problems [4]. However, the solution of mathematics is a basis for acquiring research 1. Shvetsov V.I., Sosnovsky S. Modernizatsiya prepodavaniya matematiki kak vazhneishei routine problems relevant to their future competency of future engineers. sostavlyayushchei mezhdistsiplinarnosti v inzhenernom obrazovanii. Инженерное job is a relatively rare case, they are mostly It should be noted that the terms образование. 2016. № 20. – P. 207-212. “professional” engineering problems often “laboratory work” and “laboratory practice” 2. Autodesk CIRCUITS [Electronic resource]. Accessed: https://circuits.io/ called the applied problems. are often used in the literature as synonyms. 3. Ya prezirayu Arduino [Electronic resource]. Accessed: https://geektimes.ru/post/255760/ Laboratory practice is to consist of These terms are better to be distinguished. 4. [Electronic resource]. Accessed: http://www.ros.org examples of problem solutions modelled The basic difference of laboratory practice 5. GAZEBO [Эл. ресурс]. Accessed: http://gazebosim.org on the basis of creative individual tasks. from a laboratory work consists in systematic 6. Webots [Electronic resource]. Accessed: http://www.cyberbotics.com/webots.php In this case laboratory tasks intensify nature of the former. The practice includes 7. Cyberbotics' Robot Curriculum [Electronic resource]. Accessed: https://en.wikibooks.org/ students’ independent work, contribute several laboratory works different in wiki/Cyberbotics%27_Robot_Curriculum to better understanding of the subject and subject and, sufficiently isolated in time of 8. V-REP. Virtual Robot Experimentation Platform [Electronic resource]. Accessed: http:// master their problem solution skills. In the performance, but united by common goal А.S. Chukhnov www.coppeliarobotics.com classroom students take an active part in relative to a student’s specific training area.

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