16 th International Conference on Research and Education in Mechatronics 2015* USORA: Unified Solution of Remote Access in Practical Vocational Engineering Education Sven Seiler it:matters UG Bochum, Germany sven@it-matters.eu Raivo Sell ITT Group / Tallinn University of Technology Tallinn, Estonia raivo@robolabor.ee Carsten Köhn Vanessa Böhrk Dep. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, Bochum University of Applied Sciences Bochum, Germany {carsten.koehn, vanessa.boehrk}@hs-bochum.de Monica Pedro Filipe Cruz Tarquinio Mota ArticaCC Almada, Portugal {mpedro, fcrux, tmota}@artica.cc Maria Braga Diogo Pires Rodrigo Ventura Institute for Systems and Robotics, Instituto Superior Tcnico, Universidade de Lisboa Lisbon, Portugal {maria.braga, diogo.m.pires}@tecnico.ulisboa.pt rodrigo.ventura@isr.tecnico.ulisboa.pt Abstract— This paper presents an innovative framework concept combined with online labs for teaching and learning of engineering subjects. The concept integrates comprehensive approaches of different classical and innovative aspects. The paper gives an overview of current state-of-art technologies in remote and virtual labs and some existing activities for transnational online experimentation frameworks. New comprehensive teaching and learning concept for robotics and smart devices is presented together with practical results. The implemented remote lab portal - DistanceLab is presented in detail focusing on three different remote labs: Virtual microcontroller lab, Smart greenhouse lab, and Mobile robot lab. Keywords— remote lab, virtual lab, online learning, microcontroller, robotics I. INTRODUCTION The industry has a high demand for human resources specialized in electronics engineering. There are several constraints in teaching vocational electronics engineering, USORA (Unified Solution of Remote Access in Practical Vocational Engineering Education) platform addresses those concerns to bring higher quality of vocational engineering education [8]. The Lifelong Learning Programme “Leonardo Da Vinci” is an European programme in which the USORA (Unified Solution of Remote Access in Practical Vocational Engineering Education) project transfers an innovative remote lab concept from Estonia and Germany to Portugal. Universities and SME- s in Estonia and Germany developed the “DistanceLab” [1, 2, 3, 4] and “VirtualLab” [1, 2, 16] solutions in the frame of previous projects. The objective for USORA is to adopt these labs to Portugal needs and bringing them to new environment. By unifying the idea of accessible remote labs USORA creates a way to increase educational quality, opportunities, creativity and competitiveness in lifelong learning for all. Partners from Portugal, Estonia and Germany integrate different relevant members in education and training seeking cooperation and quality for the USORA process of transferring innovation. The framework approach [15, 16] is highly practical and enables learners to: acquire new skills and competences through experimentation; access hands-on learning through educational content and exercises; improve recognition of qualifications and competences (through targeting of creativity and innovation). Educational content and laboratory exercises are open, specific problems or demands for lab use from the different educational institutions or the labor market can easily emerge and be included in the framework. USORA promotes the development, transfer and evolution of reusable units of learning aims for educational quality and excellence to develop the solution for the gaps of vocational education in engineering in general but more precisely in mechatronics, ICT and embedded system domain. Since projects like “Internet of Things” are taking place, the Internet became the Internet of knowledge. The technology roadmap prognosticates the possibility of locating people and everyday objects. And also teleoperation and telepresence, with