RaspyControl Lab: A fully open-source and real-time remote laboratory for education in automatic control systems using Raspberry Pi and Python

Currently, remote laboratories have gained relevance in engineering education as tools to support active learning, experimentation, and motivation of students. Nonetheless, the costs and issues regarding their implementation and deployment limit the access of the students and educators to their advantages and features such as technical and educational. In this line, this study describes a fully open-source remote laboratory in hardware and software for education in automatic control systems employing Raspberry Pi and Python language with an approximate cost of USD 461. Even, by changing some components, the cost can be reduced to USD 420 or less. To illustrate the functionalities of the laboratory, we proposed a low-cost tank control system with its respective instrumentation, signal conditioning, identification, and control, which are exposed in this document. However, other experiments can be easily scalable and adaptable to the remote laboratory. Concerning the interface of the laboratory, we designed a complete user-friendly web interface with real-time video for the users to perform the different activities in automatic control such as identification or controller implementation through the programming language Python. The instructions to build and replicate the hardware and software are indicated in the open repositories provided for the project as well as in this paper. Our intention with this project is to offer a complete low-cost and open-source remote laboratory that can be adapted and used for the students, educators, and stakeholders to learn, experiment, and teach in the field of automatic control systems.