RETWINE: a new distributed environment for microelectronics instrumentation learning and measurement

The paper proposes an original new way for integrating training of advanced measurement equipment in continuing education for students or engineers. It uses some of the WWW features such as the ability to have multimedia documents, the simplicity of the HTML syntax and particularly the Web's networked structure. The basic idea is that on the one side there is an instrumentation pool (i.e., a number of instruments located anywhere in the world). On the other side a detailed description of the instrument and its front panel are available on the Web and can be accessed by any Web browser for a specific declared user's group. This link permits students or engineers to learn the use of advanced measurement equipment, and to perform real measurements with instruments not available at the university.