Vrml-based Virtual Laboratory Framework

Nowadays, experimental learning and teaching is playing a very important role in modern education. It is an absolutely necessary procedure in education, especially for some practical courses. And it's very important for a student to improve his/her capability of analyzing, innovating and solving problems. The rapid development of the technology of network, multimedia and VRML, especially the distance education, accelerates the step of virtual experiment and virtual laboratory on the Internet.The first part of this thesis recapitulates the development and application of virtual experiment and virtual laboratory, computer aided construction and distance education at home and abroad. The second part of this paper studies several available projects that establish virtual experiment and virtual laboratory, discusses the method which based on the VRML and puts forward my own project on the virtual experiment based on VRML, referred to other experience in this field. Based on the framework, this paper puts the cutting ways of the lathe into effect, combined VRML, EAI and Java program. And then this paper uses the ASP to develop user's and master's homepages and combines MS Access database to manager the website data. In this virtual laboratory framework, the remote operators can do their experiment through the Internet/Intranet.This paper makes much detailed study on the follows: 1) With the aid of VRML, combining functions of 3DS MAX, I design a 3D model of the cutting experiment. Due to VRML's compatibility of multisystem and support of multiple browsers, this model can be visited in different users who are in different places. 2) Detailedly study the alteration between operators and the virtual world. Various sensors of operators' behaviors; Java byte codes that are besotted in the interface between VRML and Java through the "script" node can finish difficult tasks. So the alteration can be concluded as follows: Operators touch parts of the shelf, and the Java byte codes execute the relative function, finally results are reported to the operators. 3) Through detailedly studying the working function of the basic cutting ways of the lathe, I construct a 3D model of the lathe and simulate the basic cutting ways of the lathe. 4) Realizing the remote visit through Internet/Intranet. Because VRML and Java are both across operation systems, especially with the compatibility of Java byte codes, the remote users can directly visit the virtual experiment. In one sense, it's just like a 3D website. At last, a summary and a prospect of this thesis are given. This paper only accomplishes the basic framework of the virtual laboratory and a part of functions. And further researches are also prospected, especially in concurrent working.