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Publication
LaRE - Laboratório Remoto Expansível
| Name: | Description: | Size: | Format: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92 MB | Adobe PDF |
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
A formação em engenharia, particularmente na área da electrónica, exige uma forte
componente prática, frequentemente concretizada em contexto laboratorial. No entanto,
os laboratórios físicos tradicionais apresentam desafios significativos, como
custos elevados, exigência de espaço físico e limitação do acesso devido a restrições
logísticas. Estes desafios foram agravados pelo surgimento da pandemia da COVID-
19, em 2020. Perante estas limitações, os laboratórios remotos surgem como uma
alternativa eficaz e promissora. Estes permitem que os estudantes realizem experiências
reais em equipamentos físicos, através de controlo remoto, promovendo um
acesso mais inclusivo, flexível e escalável ao ensino prático.
A presente dissertação descreve o processo de concepção de um laboratório remoto
- Laboratório Remoto Expansível (LaRE) - para o ensino da electrónica, como
alternativa viável ao VISIR, com o compromisso adicional de ser um projecto opensource,
acessível a qualquer instituição de ensino, independentemente da sua localização
geográfica. A matriz de placas, elemento central do sistema, foi desenvolvida com
base numa arquitectura controlada por software, sem dependência de plataformas
proprietárias, garantindo assim que o sistema possa ser utilizado sem necessidade de
licenças comerciais. Contudo, devido à actual falta de suporte da biblioteca pyVirtualBench
para sistemas Linux e arquitecturas Advanced RISC Machine (ARM), a
implementação do LaRE permanece, nesta fase, dependente de sistemas Windows -
um factor que limita a sua adopção em plataformas educativas mais versáteis e de
baixo custo. No entanto, a arquitectura modular do LaRE permite futuras expansões
e adaptações a diferentes contextos pedagógicos.
Assim, este trabalho visa: contextualizar o papel dos laboratórios remotos no ensino;
analisar alternativas existentes; identificar os requisitos técnicos (de hardware e
software) para a construção de um laboratório remoto open-source em conformidade
com a licença GPL; implementar e testar o LaRE; e apresentar as suas vantagens,
limitações e possíveis melhoramentos. A proposta assenta numa abordagem acessível
e escalável, procurando contribuir para o reforço da aprendizagem prática e para
a democratização do ensino experimental em engenharia.
Engineering education, particularly in electronics, requires a strong practical component, typically delivered through hands-on laboratory work. However, traditional physical laboratories pose several challenges, including high operational costs, limited space, and restricted access due to logistical constraints. These issues were further intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In response, remote laboratories have emerged as a promising and effective alternative, enabled by recent technological advances. These platforms allow students to perform real experiments on physical equipment via remote control, promoting more inclusive, flexible, and scalable access to practical learning. This dissertation presents the development of a remote laboratory — the Laboratório Remoto Expansível (LaRE) — designed for electronics education. It aims to serve as an open-source, viable alternative to VISIR, with universal accessibility regardless of the institution’s geographical location. The LaRE system enables remote control of practical experiments and promotes equitable access to laboratory resources. The core component, a configurable board matrix, was developed using a software-controlled architecture that avoids proprietary dependencies, allowing use without commercial licenses. However, due to the current lack of support by the pyVirtualBench library for Linux systems and ARM architectures, the implementation of LARE remains, at this stage, dependent on Windows systems — a factor that limits its adoption on more versatile and low-cost educational platforms. Nevertheless, the modular architecture of LaRE supports future extensions and adaptability to varied pedagogical contexts. This work seeks to: contextualize the role of remote laboratories in education; review existing solutions; define the technical (hardware and software) requirements for building an open-source remote lab under the GPL license; implement and test the LaRE; and present its advantages, limitations, and possible improvements. The proposal aims to provide a scalable and accessible infrastructure that reinforces hands-on learning and democratizes experimental education in engineering.
Engineering education, particularly in electronics, requires a strong practical component, typically delivered through hands-on laboratory work. However, traditional physical laboratories pose several challenges, including high operational costs, limited space, and restricted access due to logistical constraints. These issues were further intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In response, remote laboratories have emerged as a promising and effective alternative, enabled by recent technological advances. These platforms allow students to perform real experiments on physical equipment via remote control, promoting more inclusive, flexible, and scalable access to practical learning. This dissertation presents the development of a remote laboratory — the Laboratório Remoto Expansível (LaRE) — designed for electronics education. It aims to serve as an open-source, viable alternative to VISIR, with universal accessibility regardless of the institution’s geographical location. The LaRE system enables remote control of practical experiments and promotes equitable access to laboratory resources. The core component, a configurable board matrix, was developed using a software-controlled architecture that avoids proprietary dependencies, allowing use without commercial licenses. However, due to the current lack of support by the pyVirtualBench library for Linux systems and ARM architectures, the implementation of LARE remains, at this stage, dependent on Windows systems — a factor that limits its adoption on more versatile and low-cost educational platforms. Nevertheless, the modular architecture of LaRE supports future extensions and adaptability to varied pedagogical contexts. This work seeks to: contextualize the role of remote laboratories in education; review existing solutions; define the technical (hardware and software) requirements for building an open-source remote lab under the GPL license; implement and test the LaRE; and present its advantages, limitations, and possible improvements. The proposal aims to provide a scalable and accessible infrastructure that reinforces hands-on learning and democratizes experimental education in engineering.
Description
Keywords
laboratório remoto ensino de electrónica VirtualBench controlo remoto open-source acessibilidade GPL LaRE VISIR accessibility remote control electronics education remote laboratory
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Publisher
CC License
Without CC licence