Virtual laboratory for robotics and automation

The full knowledge of a technological subject (automation, control, robotics...) will not be complete till some practical lessons are held. They will help the student to develop the right skills to handle the instruments properly in a real situation. Generally, the scope of the practice is very limited by a lack of sufficient equipment in the laboratory. However, it is currently possible to deal with most problems with the use of the new technologies (intemet, virtual reality, etc...), thanks to virtual laboratories. This paper presents the basic features that a virtual laboratory should have. It describes the virtual laboratory architecture and it outlines the virtual laboratories used in the subjects of Robotics at the University of Alicante in Spain. Finally, it presents conclusions and suggestions for future work. Copyright (C) 2001 IFAC.