Development of a 6-DoF Remote Access Educational Robot Arm Laboratory Platform

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed the global education system, with engineering education now being taught online instead of in-person classes. However, this shift has created a gap in the delivery of laboratory instruction. This study suggested a solution to the problem by proposing a laboratory platform with a 6-DoF remote access robot arm. The laboratory is operated by an ESP32 camera and servo motors, which replace the need for direct physical contact with the end user. The Arduino Uno with ESP8622 processes and communicates data between the equipment and the host computer. By interacting with the web, students can access and operate the facility remotely with a delay of fewer than five seconds. This research is a crucial step towards developing remote access laboratories, especially in fields like automation and engineering, where hands-on experience is typically required.