International Journal on Recent and Innovation Trends in Computing and Communication

Volume: 2 Issue: 5

ISSN: 2321-8169
1338 1342

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

E-Lab Access using Wireless Sensor Technology

Swathi. K1, Vanitha. S1

Keshavamurthy2

UG Students ,Dept of ECE,

Atria Institute of Technology
Bangalore.INDIA
Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Asst. Professor ,Dept of ECE

Atria Institute of Technology
Bangalore.INDIA
[email protected]

Abstract: Now a days Laboratory experiments are integral part of science and engineering education. Automation is changing the nature of these
laboratories, and the focus of the system designer is on the availability of various interfacing tools to access the laboratory hardware remotely
with the integration of computer-supported learning environment.This paper presents the novel design techniques of hardware system that
develops a remote/wireless Electronics Lab. The approach we employed is to use the GSM to provide students with remote access to physical
laboratory apparatus. An Application is created with the help of JAVA, to handle the hardware. Systems of this type are synchronous, giving
students a sense of actual involvement in the experiment. A PC is used with Dotnet programming to interface webcam option. The PC will be
interfaced with MICROCONTROLLER for controlling different units. The PC uses an Internet service to E-mail Video clippings of Hardware
setup and its working to the students E-mail Id.
Keywords: Remote lab, Android, PIR Sensor, Slotted OptoIsolator.

_________________________________________________*****__________________________________________________

1.

INTRODUCTION

In engineering, laboratories have had a central role in

the education of engineers, the first distance education
graduate programs were intended, primarily, if not solely, for
part-time students who were employed full time. Since most
graduate programs do not include a laboratory component, the
question of how to deliver laboratory experiences did not
arise. As an undergraduate distance learning programs started
to develop, this problem demanded a solution.
In this paper E-lab access using wireless sensor
technology, we use PIR sensors, Renesas controller, android,
GSM, DC motors, and LCD for display. Renesas controller is
the heart of the paper. All process controlled by this controller
only, it is a 16-bit controller, and it consumes low power. Here
we use a two line LCD for display purpose, it consists of two
lines for display and its operating voltage is 5V DC. PIR
sensor is a type of sensor which senses infrared rays emitted
by the human body. The speed of the DC motor is measured
by Slotted Opto Isolator. Driver circuit L293D is used to drive
DC motors. Here we use GSM for communication purpose
whose frequency is 900MHz.

2. HARDWARE DESIGN OF REMOTE LAB

In this paper the students are notified when the
laboratory is available to use through GSM service using PIR
sensor and are facilitated to login in the server with the given
username and password through an Android application.
Whenever they log in, the LAB setup will be given to them,
they can conduct any experiments of their choice take numbers
of iteration. The facility to change input according to results is
given. The advantage is that some of the experiments take
more than a day so to monitor such experiments this is very
helpful as shown in figure1.

Figure 1- Block Diagram of the Research work

The GSM module is provided in such a way that it
keeps on sending the results of experiments according to the
time scheduled by user. Some safety measures can also be
taken if there is any fluctuation in voltage levels the user can
shut down the LAB system or it can be done automatically.
The Web cam is provided to the user where he/she can
monitor the waveforms, voltage levels, etc. A PC is used with
Dot net programming to interface webcam option. The PC will
be interfaced with MICROCONTROLLER for controlling
different units. The PC uses an Internet service to E-mail
students of Video clippings of Hardware setup and its
working.
1338

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International Journal on Recent and Innovation Trends in Computing and Communication

Volume: 2 Issue: 5

ISSN: 2321-8169
1338 1342

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Renesas
architecture
based
R5F100LEA
microcontroller is used to implement this paper. It contains
32k RAM, 12- bit internal Timer, 1 external interrupt, 2
UART, programming support, etc. Renesas Flash is used to
program the microcontroller and the coding will be done using
Embedded C.
2.1. PIR Sensor
PIR sensors are often used in the construction of PIRbased motion detectors. These sensors measure infrared
radiation emanating from objects in the field of view. All
objects emit what is known as black body radiation. It is
usually infrared radiation that is invisible to the human eye but
can be detected by electronic devices designed for such a
purpose. The Detection range is about 2-3 meters, it needs
settling time of 60 seconds so that it can adjust it to the
surrounding temperature.
The
supply voltage
is
DC
3V-5V,
a
pyroelectric sensor has an infrared filter window that admits
IR within the 5 to 15 micrometer wavelength range. One end
of the two series-connected elements in an analog sensor
are connected to pin 3 that is normally grounded. The other
end connects internally to the gate of a Field Effect Transistor
and to a very high value pulldown resistor. Power is applied to
FET drain pin 1 and the output signal comes from FET source
pin 2 which is usually connected through an external pulldown
resistor to ground and to an amplifier. A digital sensor,
includes internal processing circuits and output digital pulses
2.2. Slotted Opto Isolator
In electronics,
an
Opto-isolator,
also
called
an Optocoupler, photocopier or optical isolator, is a
component that transfers electrical signals between two
isolated circuits by using light. Opto-Isolators prevent high
voltages from affecting the system receiving the signal.
Commercially available Opto-Isolators withstand input-tooutput voltages up to 10 kV and voltage transients with speeds
up to 10 kV/s. A common type of Opto-isolator consists of
an LED and a phototransistor in the same opaque package.
MOC7811 is a slotted Opto isolator module, with an IR
transmitter & a photodiode mounted on it. Performs NonContact Object Sensing. This is normally used as a position
sensor switch (limit switch) or as Position Encoder sensors
used to find the position of the wheel. It consists of IR LED
and Photodiode mounted facing each other, enclosed in a
plastic body. When the light emitted by the IR LED is blocked
because of alternating slots of the encoder disc logic level of
the photo diode changes. This change in the logic level can be
sensed by the microcontroller or by discrete hardware. This
sensor is used to give position feedback to the dc motor.

ASSPs including lighting and automotive microcontrollers.

RL78 is designed specifically for ultra-low power
applications, enabling customers to build compact and energyefficient systems at lower cost.
Here we are using the Renesas, based R5F100LEA
microcontroller. This belongs to the Renesas microcontroller
family with 8 KB flash memory and 32k of data RAM. It has
2 UARTS which is used in our paper.
2.4. GSM Modem
It is used to send the text message to the authorized
persons mobile as soon as the information is sent from
microcontroller. The GSM module is provided in such a way
that it keeps on sending the results of experiments according to
the time scheduled by user. We are using SIM300 GSM
Module in our Paper. SIM300 is a Tri-band GSM/GPRS
engine from SIMCOM Ltd that works on frequencies EGSM
900 MHz, DCS 1800 MHz and PCS 1900 MHz.
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The necessary steps for conducting and performing
the experiment are explained ahead. Students or users can
conduct any laboratory experiments without being physically
present in the lab. The hardware setup is previously made
ready to be used in the laboratory for all the experiments to be
conducted. For demo purpose, we are conducting the
experiment speed control of DC motor in the power
electronics lab. The following is the circuitry set-up made in
the lab for the DC motor control experiment as shown in
figure 2

Figure 2- Hardware setup

2.3.Microcontroller

A laptop PC with Webcam is dumped with Dot net

coding for data transmission and is placed near the hardware
setup; which is also connected to the same by ports.

RL78 is Renesas Electronics new-generation

microcontroller family, combining advanced features from
both the 78K and R8C families to deliver low power
consumption and high performance. RL78 is based upon 16
bit CISC architecture with analogue rich functionality. The
platform line up will include general purpose, LCD and

A lab in charge enters the laboratory and turns on the

main power supply. A PIR sensor is assumed to be placed at
the entrance of the lab. This sensor senses the person entering
the laboratory and sends signal to the GSM set-up present at
the laboratory. This GSM in-turn notifies previously registered
(data stored by faculty) students that the lab is ready to use
2

IJRITCC | May 2014, Available @ http://www.ijritcc.org

_______________________________________________________________________________________

International Journal on Recent and Innovation Trends in Computing and Communication

Volume: 2 Issue: 5

ISSN: 2321-8169
1338 1342

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
with the regular SMS service. This is also displayed on the
LCD display at the hardware setup shown in figure 3.

Figure 3- LCD display

Figure 6- List of experiments

After logging in, the student is connected to the
laboratory through wireless GSM service. Students can select
the experiment to be conducted from the list of experiments
available/ displayed in the application as shown in figure 6.
Figure 4- E-lab mobile application
SMS is received by all the registered students on their android
mobile phones that has the laboratory application previously
installed shown in figure 4.

After selecting speed control of DC motor experiment,

Students
are
ready
to
learn
and
conduct.

Students are required to login to their IDs; which can

be in-turn notified as attendance to the faculty as shown in
figure 5. These details are also previously stored by the faculty
in coding.

Figure 7- Application voltage control option

Figure 5- Application login page

The corresponding voltages selected one after the

other and sent to the hardware through GSM service as shown
in figure 7. GSM at the hardware which is connected to the
Renesas microcontroller is used to control the DC motor setup. Speed in RPM is calculated by the number of rotations
made by the DC motor with the help of the Opto-Isolator in
the hardware set-up. This result is displayed on the LCD
screen at the laboratory as shown in figure 9 and is also sent to
the students through GSM service and is received in the
application.

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_______________________________________________________________________________________

International Journal on Recent and Innovation Trends in Computing and Communication

Volume: 2 Issue: 5

ISSN: 2321-8169
1338 1342

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Figure 10 Camera on message received and displayed
on LCD display

Figure 8 Speed in RPM displayed in application

In order to enhance learning, a laptop PC with a web
cam is placed on the hardware set-up, the camera on option
is selected in the Android application by the student. When the
hardware receives this request through the GSM service as
shown in figure 10, a small video clipping of the hardware setup is recorded through the webcam as shown in figure 11. This
video has been sent to the students via E-mail services.

Fi
gure 11 Camera properties on Laptop PC
The voltage and speed reading is shown in table 1.
The graph of the results of this paper for the speed control of
DC motor is shown in figure12. Voltage vs speed
characteristics are noted.

Table 1 : DC motor characteristics

Figure 12 Speed VS voltage characteristics of DC motor

Figure 9 Speed in RPM displayed on LCD diaplay
IV. CONCLUSION
There are fundamental differences between hands-on
and remote labs, beyond the mere format of their interfaces,
which result in differences in the learning experience and for
this reason remote labs should not be directly substituted likefor-like for hands-on Laboratory Work.

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_______________________________________________________________________________________

International Journal on Recent and Innovation Trends in Computing and Communication

Volume: 2 Issue: 5

ISSN: 2321-8169
1338 1342

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Nevertheless, the only necessary difference between hands-on
and remote-labs is the physical separation of student and
apparatus. Other differences and similarities in the students
learning experience can be controllable factors, to greater or
lesser extents. Remote labs have the potential to offer some
valuable educational advantages if, like any other teaching
technique, they are used appropriately within the curriculum.
We proposed an intelligent laboratory and system utilizes
multi sensors and wireless communication technology in order
to control devices, according to user requirements and
surroundings. A Live lab camera which allows panning,
tilting, zooming, showing, hiding, refresh. The integration of a
kind of user scheduling for organizing the access according to
a time table. This remote laboratory can be used not only in
the field of education, but also for doing any measurementtask with real laboratory instruments.
In future power can be generated by the rotating motion of the
DC motor. Power can be stored in turn from the mechanical
rotation and the stored energy can be in-turn re-used for the
experimental setup.

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[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]
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[7]

Manuel E. Macas, and Israel Mndez eLab - Remote Electronic

Lab in Real Time 37th
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Networks to Provide Support to Public Secondary School
Education Level The 11th IEEE International Conference on
Computational Science and Engineering Workshops, 978-07695-3257- August 2008, IEEE
Keshavamurthy, Dr.Darmista K Varughese, Remote Lab access
using Wireless Sensor Technology 4th International Conference on
Electronics Computer Technology, Kanyakumari, IEEE April (6th
-8th) 2012, ISBN: 978-1-4673-1849-5.
Keshavamurthy, Dr.Darmista K Varughese, Electronic Remote
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Intelligent Systems: CODIS 2012, IEEE December (28 & 29),
2012, Dept. of ETCE, JU, Kolkata, India, ISBN 978-1-4673-46986.
Embedded C Michael J. Pont, Pearson Education, 2002.
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Retrieved 2012-04-21.

Vanitha.S pursuing Bachelors of

Engineering in Electronics & Communication Engineering
from Atria Institute of Technology, Bangalore,Karnataka state,
INDIA . Member of IETE organization.

Author 2:

Keshavamurthy received his Bachelors

of Engineering (B. E) in Electronics & Communication
Engineering
from
PES
College
of
Engineering,
Mandya,Karnataka state, INDIA in 2001. Has received a
Masters in Engineering and Technology (M.Tech) in Digital
communication from BMS college of Engineering, Bangalore,
Karnataka state, INDIA in 2006.He is presently working as
Asst Professor at Atria Institute of Technology, Bangalore.
INDIA since 7 years and total teaching experience of 12 years.
Areas of interests are Digital communication,wireless
communication and Wireless Networks and he is life time
Member o Indian Society for Technical Education, New Delhi,
India.

Author 1:

Swathi.K
pursuing
Bachelors
of
Engineering in Electronics & Communication Engineering
from Atria Institute of Technology, Bangalore,Karnataka state,
INDIA. Member of IETE organization.

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