Appropriate Online Laboratories for Engineering Students in Africa

Abstract

The intensity of engineering practical in a typical African Engineering laboratory is usually low because of several problems such as funding to procure adequate quantity of laboratory equipment, overcrowding due to insufficient workspaces, infrastructural problems such as power and human resource problems, shortage of qualified laboratory technologists or unmotivated faculty members. Creating an environment to use same physical engineering laboratory equipment 24/7 from anywhere will increase the capacity of laboratory facilities. The aim of this project is to design and create features to enable physical engineering laboratory equipment to be used remotely on a 24/7 basis in African higher education institutions. To get started, researchers from the five regions of Africa were assigned to work on basic science and engineering equipment such as calorimeter, pendulum, coefficient of friction apparatus, drilling fluid laboratory. As a proof of concept, the normal manual interface of a simple calorimeter, located in an institution was interfaced with digital communication features and the response on the physical facility was observed through cameras appropriately positioned. Preliminary result for one basic science equipment in the training of engineers confirmed the feasibility of this approach of remote laboratory engagement. Interfacing using existing virtual learning management systems are being further investigated. The use of this approach has potential to increase laboratory capacity as more students can perform their practical at times convenient to them, the remote location, notwithstanding.