Remote Instrumentation
What is it?
Remote instrumentation provides the means to control and receive data from experimental apparatus which is located at geographical distance. The most eye-catching example is probably the ability of researchers to analyse the observations made by instruments located on, or flying above, Mars. However, remote instrumentation also has valuable Earth-bound applications. For example, a researcher based in Birmingham could collect data directly from a seismometer on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius without having to travel there. Or, a small college with limited resources may be able to use expensive equipment owned by a larger institution, as was the case with iLab, part of the MIT-Microsoft iCampus project.
The Educause Learning Initiative’s (ELI’s) 7 Things You Should Know About... series contains a useful guide to remote instrumentation (PDF).
How can I use it with my students?
Remote instrumentation makes it possible for students to participate in major scientific investigations alongside experts and/or or use complex apparatus that their college cannot afford. An example is the Oxford CyberSEM, which opens up the microscopic world to school students.
Examples
We are still researching examples and case studies for this topic. If you would like to contribute any (whether from your own teaching or from other sources), please contact us.
How do I get access to them?
In the main, access to remote instrumentation appears to be driven by initiatives on the part of the “owner” organisations: for example, Oxford University in the case of CyberSEM.
