Contents I. Introduction
Laboratory tests and experimentation are essential components for education and research in all fields of engineering. Hands-on laboratories are the most common forms of such laboratory environments, offering students opportunities of experimentation with physical, or real, systems related to the research or education material in consideration. While offering the “actual” experience whether in research or education, hands-on laboratories are also known for their high costs associated with the required equipment, space, and maintenance staff. Considering electrical engineering areas of interest, it would be accurate to say that those costs increase even more in areas where the quality of education also calls for a large variety of laboratory equipment and experiments, as in robotics, control, mechatronics engineering, etc., or necessitates several rather costly equipment, as in micro–nanosciences, automotive engineering, etc. High investment, as well as maintenance and safety costs related to those laboratories, poses important limitations and calls for serious consideration to be given to the choice of equipment and design of experiments in such laboratories. Resorting to sharing of resources via off-site experimentation facilities with the use of the Internet, or utilizing the simulated/emulated versions of the physically unavailable test beds, is the next best options to address the earlier limitations. Fast-paced technologies and the undeniable need to stay abreast with the best that is out there, whether in college or in life-long learning, have an important role in the attraction of web-based laboratory activities as an enhancement or alternative to conventional education and research tools. Another obvious benefit is the flexibility such laboratories can offer in terms of time and place to students or even engineering professionals in their continuing education needs.
