TY - GEN
T1 - Overcoming the limitations of current online laboratory systems using game-based virtual environments
AU - Chang, Yizhe
AU - Aziz, El Sayed
AU - Esche, Sven K.
AU - Chassapis, Constantin
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Current online laboratory systems based on either remotely operated hardware or pure software simulations are often criticized for lacking experimental setup experience and for being limited to the data collection and result analysis aspects of traditional hands-on laboratories. One possible solution for overcoming these shortcomings is to use a multi-player computer game engine for implementing interactive laboratory environments. Taking advantage of game technology, the students are enabled to simultaneously interact with laboratory equipment in the virtual laboratory and to communicate with each other through voice or chat. In particular, assembling the experimental equipment before using it in some experimental procedure can become part of the laboratory exercise. In this article, a virtual gear design laboratory environment for a junior-level undergraduate mechanical engineering course on mechanisms and machine dynamics is presented. This virtual laboratory environment implemented using a multiplayer computer game engine provides the students with the flexibility to perform various experiments related to the concepts of the fundamental law of gearing and to planetary motion of gears. In this environment, the students can work in teams to interactively select and cooperatively assemble gear train components piece by piece into a more complex experimental apparatus. This article describes the assembly logic that is used to combine individual components into experimental setups as part of the experimental procedure in student laboratories. Furthermore, the game environment can be equipped with functionality for monitoring the students' progress and learning outcomes, thus enabling skill-based assessment.
AB - Current online laboratory systems based on either remotely operated hardware or pure software simulations are often criticized for lacking experimental setup experience and for being limited to the data collection and result analysis aspects of traditional hands-on laboratories. One possible solution for overcoming these shortcomings is to use a multi-player computer game engine for implementing interactive laboratory environments. Taking advantage of game technology, the students are enabled to simultaneously interact with laboratory equipment in the virtual laboratory and to communicate with each other through voice or chat. In particular, assembling the experimental equipment before using it in some experimental procedure can become part of the laboratory exercise. In this article, a virtual gear design laboratory environment for a junior-level undergraduate mechanical engineering course on mechanisms and machine dynamics is presented. This virtual laboratory environment implemented using a multiplayer computer game engine provides the students with the flexibility to perform various experiments related to the concepts of the fundamental law of gearing and to planetary motion of gears. In this environment, the students can work in teams to interactively select and cooperatively assemble gear train components piece by piece into a more complex experimental apparatus. This article describes the assembly logic that is used to combine individual components into experimental setups as part of the experimental procedure in student laboratories. Furthermore, the game environment can be equipped with functionality for monitoring the students' progress and learning outcomes, thus enabling skill-based assessment.
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U2 - 10.1115/imece2011-63743
DO - 10.1115/imece2011-63743
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84869199305
SN - 9780791854914
T3 - ASME 2011 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 2011
SP - 159
EP - 168
BT - Engineering Education and Professional Development
T2 - ASME 2011 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 2011
Y2 - 11 November 2011 through 17 November 2011
ER -