by - Gaurav Gangwani

0812EI071014

RemoteThe word remote may refer to removed to a distance; not near; far away or distant.

ControlPower or authority to check or restrain; restraining or regulating influence.

InstrumentationInstrumentation is defined as the art and science of measurement and control.

The terms Remote Control Instrumentation and Remote Instrumentation can be used interchangeably.

Remote Instrumentation is a practice of exercising control over scientific instruments at remote locations.

For further discussions we’d be using the abbreviation RI for the term Remote Instrumentation.

A number of institutions have remote instrumentation projects in place like

1] Massachusetts Institute of Technology It began its iLab program several years ago. The iLab program allows users to conduct experiments with

specialized equipment on the MIT campus. For e.g.: Shaker table that simulates earthquakes. For e.g.: Flagpole equipped with a wide range of sensors

measuring meteorological parameters—through a browser interface.

The program now makes its instruments available to researchers and students around the world.

2] The W. M. Keck Observatory, Hawaii

Houses world’s largest optical and infra red telescope.

Located at 14000 feet above the sea level, at the summit of Mauna Kea volcano.

Researchers share access to the observatory through remote instrumentation.

3] In addition, fields such as health care are using remote instrumentation for telemedicine and similar programs.

Remote instrumentation requires an interface, typically browser based that allows users to control the relevant functions of the instrument.

The interface can be virtually identical to the primary set of controls for the device, or it might include controls for a limited set of the instrument’s functions.

A simplest example could be of a remote controlled toy car.

It could be as complex as controlling space shuttles w/o any human interventions.

Some instruments, such as chromatographs or spectrometers, analyze samples.

A sample might be sent to the facility that hosts the device, where a technician loads the sample and prepares the instrument.

Users from remote locations could then conduct desired experiments through a computer screen.

If real-time interaction with someone at the facility is necessary or beneficial for the experiments, two-way communication can be set up, such as a videoconference.

Controlling T.V./A.C. via Remote controls.

Automated vehicle locks.

Remote Desktop Monitoring.

Accessing terminals via LAN.

Real time interfacing of labVIEW Virtual Instruments

Teamviewer

Voice dialing in surveillance systems.

Google docs (an example only of remote control)

With a grant from a private foundation, a consortium of three universities and two oceanographic institutes have installed a bank of sensors and testing equipment on the ocean floor, as well as atmospheric instruments at the water’s surface.

The project includes underwater cameras water sampling and analytical tools other devices to monitor and measure a wide range of

oceanographic and meteorological activity.

The equipment is linked to the institutions in the consortium, where researchers and faculty can control the devices.

Jennifer is an undergraduate in a marine biology class at one of the participating universities During lab sessions, her professor, Dr. Morgan, frequently turns to the undersea lab to demonstrate experiments and show students the results.

He can control video cameras on the sea floor, collect water samples and feed them into a tool that analyses pH and other parameters, and even position the water sample under a microscope, all through a simple browser interface.

Over the semester, Dr. Morgan uses data from the instruments to show the class correlations between atmospheric conditions and the conditions of the water and marine life.

Dr. Morgan knows that exposing students—particularly undergraduates—to authentic research such as this contributes significantly to their engagement with the material, their understanding of it, and their motivation to pursue further study.

Outside class, Jennifer can perform most of the same manipulations from her dorm room, using a modified version of the interface. She can repeat experiments to see how the results change over time, and she especially enjoys watching the instruments that measure the movements of the tides and that monitor local sea life.

Meanwhile, students at numerous other universities can also access the instruments from their campuses.

Process/Operations management

Leak Detection Instruments are capable of detecting organic and inorganic

compounds simultaneously and thus help worksites keep employees safe and facilities in compliance through accurate and instant leak detection.

Radiation detection and Monitoring In nuclear power generation, different radiation detection

and monitoring product solutions are used to ensure the safety of your facility and personnel.

Reactor Safety Systems Devices installed within the reactors to monitor their apt

working and to keep a check over working condition as well.

This field is a merger of three.

Its about how Nuclear Physics provides opportunities to study solar system and how RI capitalizes on it.

The following tasks are identified for space experiments with nuclear instruments boarded on Orbiters and Landers i.e. at remote locations. • To determine the content of natural radioisotopes K, Th and

U in the material of different planets and celestial bodies of the solar system for understanding the processes of their origin and evolution.

• To study composition of subsurface material at different regions of planets for modelling processes of their formation and for explanation of their diversity.

• To investigate distribution of water in the shallow subsurface of Mars, Moon and Mercury, to test the presence of deposits of pure water ice, as the soil constituting substance, at some particular regions on their surfaces.

• To characterize radiation conditions in the interplanetary space and on the surface of planets, to determine potential radiation hazards during long-duration space flight and long-duration stay on Moon and Mars.

• One of the most important findings of this mission was discovery of water ice with very high content in the shallow subsurface of Mars practically everywhere above the latitude of 60° both at north and at south

LEND Lunar Exploration Neutron detector.

First Neutron telescope with fine spatial resolution.

by NASA

Launched in the year 2009.

Capable of imaging neutron emission of the Moon with a spatial resolution of 10 km.

Maps hydrogen distribution on moon surface.

Tests water ice at bottoms of permanently shadowed polar craters.

Spatial resolution 10-30 Km.

SR measured in terms of GSD (GSI) i.e. Ground sample distance.

OCGRT Orbital collimated Gamma-ray telescope.

By European Space Agency (ESA).

High Spectral resolution 10-30Km.

High Detection Sensitivity for nuclear lines.

Scintillation detectors with LaBr3 crystals are used as detectors for this telescope.

Its advanced version is in pipeline at Russian Space Agency.

One time cost involved.

Can save time and the expense of travel.

Expanding access to scientific facilities in times of stalled or shrinking budgets.

Some instruments are so expensive and specialized that there might only Be a handful—or even just one—in existence. Exposing students to such equipment, allowing them to engage in authentic learning experiences rather than just simulations or canned exercises using archival data, creates more compelling learning opportunities

Security Whenever sensitive assets are connected to a network, security

concerns must be identified and addressed.

Access Proper authentication of users is vital to prevent inappropriate

access to instruments, data, or other network assets.

Cost Specialized equipment is expensive to implement and

operate and the degree to which an instrument requires oversight by onsite technicians adds to these costs. Any organization that makes its instruments available must understand and account for the increased costs that such access entails.

As scientific instrumentation is increasingly controlled solely through computer interfaces, and as security measures and software to manage resources become more sophisticated, the number and kind of instruments available through remote channels will increase.

As network infrastructure matures—offering greater speeds, improved security, and increased access—opportunities grow for bringing experiences of genuine scientific instrumentation and work to a wider range of students.

As institutions reap synergistic benefits of remote instrumentation, higher education will likely undertake more partnerships in which colleges and universities maintain different pieces of scientific equipment and share access to those resources, maximizing their usage while eliminating multiple purchases of similar hardware.

Capable of bringing, authentic learning experiences to a wide range of students.

Helps in better understanding of subject material.

Can provide hands-0n experience of different sophisticated instruments to students.

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2009/pdf/1207.pdf

http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7013.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=remote+control+instrumentation&sourceid=Mozilla-search

http://www.thermoscientific.com

IEEE papers on Remote control Instrumentation.