LAUSR

Practical work is one of the most important instructional tools in control engineering. To address concerns linked to the cost and space requirements of traditional hands-on laboratories, technology-enabled laboratory modes, such as virtual, remote, and take-home laboratory modes are proposed. Each of these alliterative laboratory modes has its own set of benefits and emphasizes a distinct learning goal. Furthermore, due to lockdown and physical proximity restrictions imposed by policies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the employment of these laboratory modes has been quickly increasing. The laboratories’ development, operation, and maintenance become more fragmented as a result of these many possibilities. In this study, we propose “ ReImagine Lab” as a framework for leveraging digital twins and extended reality technologies to streamline the development and operation of hands-on, virtual, and remote laboratories. By increasing the level of interaction, immersion, and collaboration in technology-enabled laboratory forms, this framework intends to boost student engagement. The benefits of this framework are demonstrated by examining several use cases, and a 37-person “system usability study” is conducted to assess the usability of virtual laboratories employing desktop computers and immersive virtual reality.