A collaborative environment for remote experimentation

Embedded systems have become common place in industry and domestic electronics, resulting in the need for educational institutions to teach advanced embedded systems design. Experience in teaching engineering subjects has shown that a complementary approach combining theoretical and practical exercises is vital for effective learning. Increasingly, teaching institutions are offering remote access to distant laboratories as part of an overall e-learning strategy. However the majority of remote laboratories developed to date have suffered from a major deficiency, namely the provision of a web based environment that accurately recreates the experience of traditional campus based laboratories. This paper addresses these issues and presents a supported collaborative learning environment for remote experimentation.