Interactive Remote Controlled Experiment For Instruction In Fluid Mechanics And Hydraulics

Just as the Internet has transformed communication and scientific research over the last decade, it is changing industry, commerce, social exchange, and education all over the world. Today engineers control complex systems that may have components in widely separated geographic locations all remotely controlled over Internet. In education, new avenues and methods for enhancing the overall learning experience as well as expanded educational opportunities for a larger pool of students have been enabled by the Internet. One such example is a remotely- accessed instructional laboratory experiment. Initial remote access development has been in the fields of computer science and electrical engineering where the Internet and related infrastructure are part of the curricula. Currently, these advancements are being adapted into engineering programs where a "hands-on" laboratory approach is essential. This paper presents a "proof-of-concept" remote-controlled experiment developed at IIHR- Hydroscience & Engineering (formerly the Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research) to illustrate a concept for an introductory undergraduate engineering course in fluids mechanics at The College of Engineering, The University of Iowa. The interactive, real-time fluid viscosity experiment allows individuals or groups of students to initiate, conduct, and conclude the laboratory experiment using physical hardware (http://vfl.iihr.uiowa.edu/atac/viscosity.html) from practically any place, at any time. Beyond the interactive learning environment and the related information (handout, experimental procedures, design and construction considerations, etc), the experiment is complemented with additional teaching aids (visualizations, course material, relevant Internet links, applets, etc.) to make it a stand-alone and tutorial assignment that can be accessed independently of the class lectures. This paper demonstrates that remote experimentation in conjunction with additional resources is a viable option for instruction in fluid mechanics by efficiently supplementing the on campus instruction and considerably assisting distance learning and non-traditional student education.