Using Embedded Internet Devices in an Internet Engineering Laboratory Set-up* PETER J. VIAL and PARVIZ DOULAI School of Electrical, Computer and Telecommunications Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia. E-mail: peter_vial@uow.edu.au In the autumn session 2001, a new Technology strand was initiated at the University of Wollongong. As part of this added degree structure, a subject called `World Wide Web Engineer- ing' was introduced, which has a laboratory component focused on remote embedded Internet devices. In this laboratory, students are exposed to devices capable of monitoring digital systems remotely via the Internet. Students also learn to program these devices using special libraries available from the vendors and are given practical experience in how to compile and use this software. Survey results show that students on this new course learnt a lot about devices that can be remotely accessed and controlled via the Internet. This paper covers relevant aspects of the course development, such as setting the course objectives and creating its supporting materials. Course development costs and future improvements will also be discussed. It is shown that, in teaching this subject, a strong commitment to the use of real Internet-embedded devices enhances students' learning, instils the concept of self-learning and promotes the idea of logical deduction and team effort. INTRODUCTION THE SCHOOL OF Electrical, Computer and Telecommunications Engineering at the University of Wollongong has introduced a new subject called `WWW Engineering' for its Bachelor of Internet Studies and Technology (BIST) degree. This subject includes a practical component in the BIST curriculum. The first six weeks of the course concentrates on devices such as Dallas Semiconductors' TINI (Tiny InterNet Interface) [1] and 1-wire devices [1] (see Fig. 2 in the paper by Naghdy and Taylor in this issue for a picture of the TINI and description). This practical experience allows students to learn about different aspects of WWW engineering by studying examples such as weather satellites, remotely controlled robot arms (robotoy [2] ) and 1-wire weatherstations. The last few years have seen the introduction of Internet-connected embedded devices that promise to connect the virtual world to the real world in ways that would have been considered too expen- sive to pursue in the past. This change has come about through two technological developmentsÐ network-enabled languages such as Java and inexpensive (under $US200), programmable, LAN-enabled devices such as TINI from Dallas Semiconductor. The LAN-enabled devices allow sensors to be connected to them as, for example, the 1-Wire Thermachron from Dallas Semiconduc- tor [1]. Collected data in these systems are to be logged, processed and then transmitted to a web page via Java Servlet technology. These steps can also be accomplished through a local program that develops an `html' page and sends it to a web server. REMOTELY CONTROLLED EMBEDDED INTERNET DEVICES: A CASE STUDY As a first step in providing remotely acces- sible laboratory experiments for undergraduate students, devices such as Dallas Semiconductors' TINI are used as teaching tools to demonstrate various aspects of Java-based TCP/IP program- ming. Such laboratory experiments can be set up to control a simple motor circuit using a Servlet embedded in the TINI. A variable speed DC permanent magnet motor can be observed via a PC camera to provide visual feedback on motor direction. Feedback on motor current, tempera- ture and speed can be provided through the use of 1-Wire iButton technology, such as the Therma- chron, and simple interfacing circuitry. In 2001, a simple Java Servlet was designed by a final-year electrical engineering student to provide the set- point for speed and direction of a small DC permanent magnet motor. Fig. 1 shows a photo- graph of this set-up. This project will be extended to provide enhancements to future planned laboratories with remote embedded Internet features. COURSE OBJECTIVES The WWW Engineering course objectives include the following. * Accepted 1 September 2002. 441 Int. J. Engng Ed. Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 441±444, 2003 0949-149X/91 $3.00+0.00 Printed in Great Britain. # 2003 TEMPUS Publications.