For over two decades, Dr. Christophe Salzmann, a Senior Research Associate and Lecturer at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, has dedicated his career to creating high-quality, accessible engineering lab experiences for students around the world. With a vision to make laboratory learning more inclusive and adaptable, he pioneered one of the earliest remote lab setups in 1997, enabling students to control and observe experiments online, no matter their location.
To address the evolving demands of engineering education, Dr. Salzmann has concentrated on integrating state-of-the-art hardware with robust software to create engaging, interactive learning experiences. Over his 25 years of partnership with Quanser, he has continually upgraded his remote lab infrastructure, leveraging remotely accessible and easy-to-deploy platforms like the Qube Servo 2 and Aero systems. Today, he runs a distributed remote-access laboratory with 25 setups (soon to expand to 60), offering immersive, hands-on learning opportunities that are freely available 24/7 to students and educators worldwide, equipping them with essential practical skills regardless of location.
The following case study delves into Dr. Salzmann’s journey to scale and modernize his remote lab, the challenges he faced, and the innovative solutions that turned his vision into reality.
Challenge
Back in 1997, Dr. Christophe Salzmann at EPFL pioneered one of the first remote laboratory setups, allowing students worldwide to control and observe experiments online. He developed scalable and robust software that became the foundation of these remote labs, efficiently managing networking, video acquisition, real-time control, and data processing to support large class sizes with flexibility.
As technology advanced, the existing hardware began to fall behind, lacking the latest sensors, actuators, and real-time data processing capabilities essential for modern engineering education. With the growing importance of remote learning and the need for interactive, hands-on experiences, it became crucial to upgrade the remote lab’s hardware. These enhancements were necessary to create a more scalable, user-friendly, and technologically advanced platform, thereby improving learning outcomes and aligning with contemporary pedagogical practices.
Solution
To renew the remote laboratory, Dr. Christophe Salzmann, leveraging over 25 years of collaboration with Quanser, decided to first implement Qube Servo systems and then Aero systems. He mentioned:
“I have known Quanser for 25 years and am very familiar with their solutions. I believe in their capabilities. With Quanser’s support, we have integrated 25 Qube Servo 2 units into our remote lab, with 35 more units on the way, including Qube Servo and Aero 2.”
The solution includes both hardware and consultations with Quanser engineers to add necessary modifications and customizations for integrating the hardware into the remote lab software. Below, I will highlight the different components of this remote lab, including software and hardware.
Software Architecture
The existing software, already highly scalable and efficient, serves as the backbone of the enhanced remote lab. Utilizing a client-server model, it enables real-time interaction between students and physical experiments over the internet. The server manages hardware control and client connections, while the client offers an intuitive web-based interface accessible from any device.
To accommodate large numbers of students—such as the 290 enrolled in his courses—the software incorporates a load balancer that assigns students to available Qube Servos and queues additional users as needed. Its HTML-based interface allows easy integration with Learning Management Systems like MOOCs, providing seamless access for students. By using standard communication protocols such as IEEE 1876, the system ensures interoperability and future scalability. Additionally, the open-source nature of the software promotes collaboration and adaptation, enabling other institutions to adopt and customize the system to meet their educational needs.
Integration of the Qube Servo
Quanser’s solutions were the perfect choice for this upgrade. The Qube Servo 2 was selected for its excellent features and easy setup. Quanser’s engineering team worked closely with Dr. Salzmann to develop new drivers for LabView on macOS, ensuring smooth integration with the existing software.
Here’s why the Qube Servo was chosen for the lab setup:
- Comprehensive Educational Tool: The Qube Servo comes with built-in sensors, actuators, and a data acquisition card. It provides real-time control systems experiences without needing custom hardware.
- Simplicity of Setup: With only power and data connections, the Qube Servo 2 is easy to set up. This reduces technical issues and allows the team to focus on teaching.
- Modularity and Flexibility: The Qube Servo can be configured in different ways, such as adding a pendulum, to support various experiments and learning goals.
Solution in Action
For the lab setup, they developed an affordable yet efficient configuration, including 3D-printed frames, cameras, and LEDs. They integrated Logitech and Microsoft Modern cameras to provide clear visual feedback and installed lighting solutions to enable the lab to operate 24/7.
Additionally, a simpler setup with only one camera was developed to enable much easier integration for future users who want to set up their own remote lab.
In the demonstration below, students could implement a PID controller to control the position of the Qube Servo. They adjust the proportional, integral, and derivative gains and observe the system’s response in real time. By modifying the signal, they can see the effects of their adjustments immediately. If there are errors between the measurement and the reference, they can add an integral term to reduce steady-state error or a derivative term to improve damping.
Video 1- Remote Lab Software Interface and Dashboard for Real-Time Control, Monitoring, and Feedback
Another key feature allows students to design and implement their own control algorithms. They can write custom controllers in a subset of C, which are securely compiled and run on the server. For example, a student can upload code to apply specific voltages to the motor and observe the system’s response. The system provides immediate feedback on coding errors, enabling quick corrections.
The solution is scalable; for different products like Aero, adjustments to frames and the number of cameras are needed, but the core system remains the same.
Result
Approximately 400 students per semester have benefited from the enhanced remote lab. Course evaluations highlight its success:
- ME-326 Course: Out of 180 students, 84% provided positive feedback on the online lab component, contributing to an overall course satisfaction rate of 91%.
- ME-321 Course: Out of 200 students, 88% praised the online lab, resulting in a 92% overall positive rating.
Students especially appreciate the lab’s flexibility, which accommodates different learning styles and schedules, making education more accessible and personalized through a real lab infrastructure.
Beyond EPFL, the remote lab has facilitated valuable global academic collaborations. Dr. Salzmann partnered with colleagues from Serbia and the United States, allowing entire classes from Serbia to access the lab online. The remote lab has attracted users worldwide. The figure below illustrates the global locations of remote lab users, highlighting its significant international influence.
Conclusion
Combining modern hardware with reliable software and engaging demonstrations, the remote lab makes high-quality, hands-on experiments accessible and affordable to students anywhere. If you’re using Quanser products or looking to enhance your remote lab capabilities, contact Dr. Christophe Salzmann at christophe.salzmann@epfl.ch for guidance on implementing the software and building your own remote lab.
We aim for Quanser’s users to form vibrant communities and connect globally, creating a network of passionate educators dedicated to transforming engineering education.
To see the system in action and learn how to implement similar solutions, watch the webinar “Quanser YOUser Webinar: How to Control QUBEs Remotely.” This resource offers valuable insights and practical guidance.
