Internet based virtual and remote access laboratory for induction motor control

In many courses in the electrical engineering and science such as electrical machines and control, the feedback link between theory and practice should be provided. Furthermore, it is often difficult for schools with their limited and expensive equipment facilities to meet the increasing educational needs of students. Therefore, during the recent years, the use of the internet in the education of engineering sciences has been enhanced towards virtual and the remote access laboratory, allowing the students to conduct the experiments over the internet. Remote laboratories are mostly based on existing software platforms, such as LabView, and Netmeeting. Matlab Web Server (MWS) environment provides the real time operation using a PC and input/output boards. However, MWS does not allow online access to some hardware such as Digital Signal Processor (DSP). Additional configurations are needed and interface between local application and server must be developed for implementation of remote real laboratory.In this thesis, a web-based virtual and remote access laboratory for digital signal processor (DSP) controlled induction motor (IM) is presented. In the first stage, a virtual laboratory environment is prepared for the simulation of proportional-integral (PI) and neuro-fuzzy controlled IM. Using the interactive web pages, the control system can be simulated by changing the control parameters or uploading of the control algorithms designed by the user. In the second stage, remote laboratory environment is developed. The remote experimental rig uses MATLAB/Simulink compatible dSpace DS1104 signal processor to realize the control algorithm, current control and PWM modulation. Application files for PI and neuro-fuzzy control of IM are prepared with the MATLAB Real-Time Workshop (RTW) and dSpace Real Time Interface (RTI) and, a graphical user interface is designed using the dSpace ControlDesk Developer (CDD). An interface using the Python code is developed for remote automation of the control desk. Furthermore, server-client communication software with Delphi programming language is developed for remote implementation of the experiment. The web-based remote laboratory allows the students to conduct the experiment by changing the variables of control system and then to analyze the results on the remote computer.