Web-Assisted Experimentation: Enhancing Controls Education

本项目的目标是提高本科控制工程教育水平。学生在学习控制方面经常遇到困难，因为这往往是他们必须以复杂的方式使用复变量的性质和线性代数基础的第一门学科。要将这些数学概念与物理系统的行为联系起来，实验或真实的模拟是必不可少的。拟议的“助理”将使本科生水平的控制实验变得更容易，因为它不仅为学生提供学生可以控制的物理系统的动画，而且还为实际的实验室设备提供在线指导和文档。这些助理将使学生能够更快地应用提供给他们的控制系统设计和分析知识。用于电机速度控制实验室的这些助手的原型可以在万维网上查看，网址是：http://www.me.cmu.edu/faculty1/messner/classes/24-246/labs/.这些教育辅助工具的主要创新之处在于它们在WWW上的实施。它们是PLS之前开发的非常成功的用于MatLab的控制教程的扩展。基于网络的助手将结合讲解文本、物理系统的动画逼真模拟、图形和实际实验仪器的照片。这些助手将包含运行模拟和进行实验的详细程序说明，并将与理论和控制系统设计的其他信息相结合，如MATLAB的控制教程。

The objective of this project is to improve undergraduate controls engineering education. Students frequently have difficulties in learning controls, because it is often the first subject in which they must use the properties of complex variables and the fundamentals of linear algebra in a sophisticated manner. To associate these mathematical concepts with the behavior of physical systems, experimentation or realistic simulations are essential. The proposed "assistants" will make experimentation in undergraduate-level controls easier by providing students not only with animations of physical systems which the student can control, but also with on-line instruction and documentation for actual laboratory equipment. The assistants will enable students to more quickly apply control system design and analysis knowledge presented to them. A prototype of these assistants for a motor speed control laboratory can be viewed on the WWW at http://www.me.cmu.edu/faculty1/messner/classes/24-246/labs/. The main innovation of these education aids is their implementation on the WWW. They are an extension of the highly successful Controls Tutorials for MATLAB developed previously by the Pls. The Web-based assistants will combine explanatory text, animated realistic simulations of physical systems, graphics and photographs of actual experimental apparatus. The assistants will contain detailed instructions on procedures for running simulations and conducting experiments, and will be integrated with additional information on theory and control system design, such as the Control Tutorials for MATLAB.