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Developing Experimental Platforms Using Common Software Tools For Enhancing Technical Skills of
Electronics Engineering Students in Microcontrollers Mr. S. S. Kendre Mrs. P. V. Mulmule Dr. S. D. Shirbahadurkar E&TC Dept., E&TC Dept., E&TC Dept. TSSM’s P.V.P.I.T., TSSM’s P.V.P.I.T., TSSM’s P.V.P.I.T., Pune, India. Pune, India. Pune, India. [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Abstract—An innovative laboratory methodology for
simulation of microcontroller based virtual kits is presented. Microcontrollers are widely applied in the field of industry to solve engineering control problems. Today’s embedded world uses variety of microcontrollers as heart of processing. These simulation softwares are used to study the functionality of circuit. Students have blindness when they first contact the experiments because of the complexity of the circuit, so this usually leads to the damage to the experiment device. Therefore, it is necessary to make the students to know the theory, models and adjustable parameters of the experiments before the practical experiments. The mixed software stimulation platform based on Proteus, LabVIEW, MATLAB and Arduino was designed for this purpose.
Keywords—Education; Teaching; Laboratories; Virtual Experiments; Mixed Simulation; Microcontroller; VSM Proteus; LabVIEW; Matlab; Arduino
I. INTRODUCTION Experiment teaching is an important link in teaching
activity[1]. It is playing an important role in the ability and the quality of training student's scientific ideological mode, solid professional knowledge and experimental techniques. Laboratory at colleges and universities is bearing the weight as an important link to foster students to get to work carrying out. With the fast development of electronic technology, circuits, components and equipments have been updated. The existing laboratories are unable to meet the conditions of the various circuit designs and debug requests which affect the results of the circuit experiment teaching to a certain extent.
Specialized basic courses are very important during the electron information specialty teaching, they play the role connecting link of the specialized courses teaching in the whole course system. Simulation tools are used to assist teaching, utilizing intuitionist graph, picture, animation to help students understand abstract theory. Microcontrollers are widely applied in the field of industrial control such as process control, intelligent instruments, electromechanical integration and intelligent interface for features of small size, low power consumption, control functions, expansion flexibility[3].
II. MIXED SIMULATION PLATFORM BASED ON PROTEUS, LABVIEW, MATLAB AND ARDUINO
Students design the corresponding theoretical models based on the learned content. These models were allowed to be designed in corresponding simulation environment. Students also can understand each part in the models by changing the parameters and observe the waveform of the various nodes to see the change in the result. The simulation model is obtained untill the satisfactory response and its corresponding parameters are found in the MATLAB or LabVIEW. Then the students devise the proper circuits according to the optimized model in the Proteus. They are able to observe the response by setting the appropriate parameters of the circuit in the simulation environment. Comparing the results between the theoretical simulation model in MATLAB or LabVIEW and the circuit-level simulation model in Proteus, they identify differences and find a solution by analysis. Finally the practical circuit system which could meet requirements is finished. Then the students realize this system in the actual experiment platform and observe whether the actual response can achieve the requirements or not. These platforms can help students understand not only the basic theory but also the differences between the theoretical model and the actual system. The students are trained to acquire the basic skills and posses quality as engineer. In addition, the damage caused by the wrong operation to the experiment equipments is avoided. This is applied to Analog signal processing and digital signal processing.
III. OVERVIEW OF SIMULATION PLATFORM
The platform is mainly used in courses teaching and experiments, the courses include circuit analysis, analog circuit, digital circuit, high - frequency circuit, automatic control theory, embedded system and so on. Proteus is mainly used to make circuit-level simulation. LabVIEW and MATLAB are to complete the algorithm-level and modeling simulation. Arduino software is mainly used to make programs.
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Microcontroller is a technical course with very strong practicality, undoubtedly the experiment is one of most important practice links of teaching. Due to limited fund and hardware experiment resource, the students can not have enough chances to exercise. If we full use the simulation emulation of the software as the auxiliary experiment means, it will greatly promote the teaching of the microcontroller. Proteus VSM can facilitate co-simulation of complete microcontroller-based designs. VSM is uniquely suited to buliding virtual lab for microcontroller for its full virtual debugging interface. With the aid of Proteus VSM, teachers and students can develop and test application systems before physical prototyping. The virtual lab obviates the need for expensive hardware and allows the students the freedom and flexibility to design and develop microcontroller solutions without the need for a physical prototype.
V. EXPERIMENT
For experiments, we have selected Arduino hardware platform which is simulated in Proteus.
A. Project 1: Temperature sensor Interfacing of Proteus with LabVIEW Virtual interfacing of Proteus( Arduino) with LabVIEW. This module comprises of temperature sensing implemented using Arduino simulated in Proteus. The changes in the temperature are communicated to LabVIEW through virtual serial port. The results are displayed in LabVIEW.
Fig.1. Front panel of LabVIEW for measuring temperature
Fig.2. Simulation of LM35 Temperature Sensor interfacing with Arduino
in Proteus
B. Project 2: Interfacing and controlling of LEDs in Proteus with LabVIEW
Fig.3. LED control Panel in LabVIEW
Fig.4. Simulation of LEDs interfacing with Arduino in Proteus
C. Project 3: LCD Interfacing of Proteus with Matlab
It shows Interfacing of LCD with Arduino is simulated in Proteus. Message to be displayed on LCD is transferred through Matlab and virtual serial port.
Fig.5. LCD interfacing with Arduino in Proteus VSM and Matlab code
Fig.6. Arduino in Proteus
Fig.7. LEDs interfacing with Arduino in Proteus and Matlab code
Fig.8. Simulation of LEDs interfacing with Arduino and Matlab GUI
Fig. 9. Complete Setup for Evaluation
Fig.10. Simulation of LEDs interfacing with Arduino and Matlab GUI All above experiments are verified by executing on hardware platform Freeduino RichBoard in lab[12]. VI. CONCLUSION From the above examples, the conclusions could be drawn that establishing a mixed simulation platform by Proteus, LabVIEW, MATLAB and Arduino on a computer can easily build all kinds of experiment models, in addition to carry the simulation and the test to the system. The mode of virtual experiment combined with practical experiment may not only enable students to master basic theory and skills of electronic technology curriculum, but also give full play to the initiative, and ultimately enhance the students’ practical ability and scientific innovation consciousness. It plays a very important role in updating experiment teaching method, improving teaching quality of circuit courses, and optimizing the effect of teaching. REFERENCES [1] Juan P. Oliver and Fiorella Haim, “Lab at Home: Hardware Kits for a Digital Design Lab,” IEEE Transactions on education, vol. 52, No.1,Feb. 2009, pp. 46-51. [2] Wang Li,Su Bo, "Application of Proteus in teaching of single-chip microcomputer, "Vocational Education Research, 2007(10), pp.73- 74. [3] Bo Su , Li Wang, “Application of Proteus Virtual System Modelling (VSM) in Teaching of Microcontroller,” International Conference on EHealth Networking, Digital Ecosystems and Technologies, 2010, pp.375-378. [4] John Sarik, Ioannis Kymissis, “Lab Kits Using the Arduino Prototyping Platform,” 40th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, 2010, pp. T3C1-T3C5. [5] Bulent Koc A , Koc Caner, and Vatandas Mustafa, "Software tools for teaching microcontroller programming in agricultural engineering education," American Society of Agricultural and Biological engineersAnnual International Meeting, 2008, voL 7, pp.4422-4431. [6] http://www.labcenter.co.uk/ [7] http://www.ni.com/labview/ [8] http://www.mathworks.in/products/matlab/ [9] www.arduino.cc/ [10] http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/209835 [11] http://www.mathworks.in/academia/arduino software arduinomatlab. html [12] http://www.embeddedmarket.com/products/Arduino Experimentation- Freeduino-RichBoard/
