Online Virtual Reality Networked Control Laboratory Applied in Control Engineering Education

Summary

This study describes a WebVR-based online virtual reality (VR) laboratory system that provides users with immersive and interactive experimentation capabilities supported by VR devices. The proposed system not only helps to enhance the realism of user participation in online experiments but is also applicable to a wide range of online laboratory frameworks.

Abstract

Online laboratories play an important role in engineering education. This work discusses a WebVR-based virtual laboratory system. The user enters the simulated laboratory environment through a virtual reality (VR) device and interacts with the experimental equipment, similar to hands-on experiments in a physical laboratory. In addition, the proposed system allows users to design their own control algorithms and observe the effects of different control parameters to enhance their understanding of the experiment. To illustrate the features of the proposed virtual laboratory, an example is provided in this paper, which is an experiment on a double inverted pendulum system. The experimental results show that the proposed system allows users to conduct experiments in an immersive and interactive manner and provides users with a complete experimental process from principal design to experimental operation. A solution is also provided to change any virtual laboratory into a WebVR-based virtual laboratory for education and training.

Introduction

With the advancement of the Internet and the popularity of mobile devices, the demand for online education is increasing¹. In particular, during periods of widespread epidemics, traditional educational institutions often face challenges in conducting in-person instruction effectively, which highlights the importance of online education as an important pedagogical approach². Theoretical courses are relatively easy to transfer to online platforms. They can be conducted with the help of tools such as remote video conferencing software and massive open online courses (MOOCs)³. However, practical cours....

Protocol

This study met the guidelines of the Human Research Ethics Committee at Wuhan University, and informed consent was obtained for all experimental data. In this paper, the experimental steps for the double-inverted pendulum system are discussed, and all the steps are performed in the WebVR-based NCSLab.

1. Access WebVR-based NCSLab system

1. Open a web browser that supports WebVR. Enter the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the WebVR-based NCSLab to access the system.
2. Click the Start Experiment button to log into the NCSLab system. If it is the first-time logging into the system, do an acco....

Discussion

The presented protocol describes a virtual laboratory system that enables users to conduct VR experiments online but also uses a low-cost PC controller²⁸, which is conducive to large-scale application promotion. Users can gain knowledge about the entire experimental process, from principles and algorithms to practical experimental operations. This system allows users to immerse themselves in the experiments, eliminating the reliance on traditional mouse and keyboard input. This system provides an .......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
3DS Max	Autodesk		3ds Max professional 3D modeling, rendering, and animation software enables you to create expansive worlds and premium designs. https://www.autodesk.com/ca-en/products/3ds-max/overview
Meta Quest 2	Meta Platforms	10036728220341	meta quest 2 is a standalone virtual reality headset that allows users to experience WebVR content. https://www.meta.com/it/quest/products/quest-2/
Unity	Unity Technologies		Unity is the platform for real-time 3D interactive content creation and operation. All creators, including game developers, artists, architects, automotive designers, film and television, use Unity to bring their ideas to life. The Unity platform offers a complete suite of software solutions for creating, operating, and realizing any real-time interactive 2D and 3D content on cell phones, tablets, PCs, game consoles, augmented reality, and virtual reality devices. https://unity.com/cn