Academic Programming

CIRT provides academic programming support to the ISU community for instructional and research projects on various levels including the High Performance Computing and Web Environments.

Recent Projects

Childart

The Childart project is a Web-Accessed database contains digitally copied artwork made by children. Each work would be referenced in various categories (gender of child, age, school characteristics, medium of artwork and its subject matter). Visitors would examine artworks and make comparisons depending on selected categories.

Significance of the Project

While children's artwork is available on the Internet, the conditions for its selection and inclusion as a "collection" are often unclear. Additionally, researching and examining these works do not allow for cross-referencing and comparing them under specific categories. This project is unique in that the artwork is created using specific guidelines and collected in particular categories. Further, the artwork allows comparisons to be made using selected characteristics. These two aspects make the project significant.

Link to Childart:

http://childart.indstate.edu

Athletic Training Camp Database

CIRT developed a database program for the Athletic Training department on cramp assessment that can be used in a handheld computing environment. This system allows athletic trainers to electronically document cramp episode information. Data collected will be analyzed and incorporated into a research study.

Deafblind Library Project

The Indiana Deafblind Services Project maintains a loan library called the Resource Materials Center. This library has over 600 books, videotapes and other items specific to children who have deafblindness and/or other multiple disabilities. CIRT developed a web-based library search system. The web-based library allows users to search by multiple fields, view material details, and checkout the books online. CIRT also helped with an access database program to manage the library materials.

Link to Deafblind Library:

http://isu1.indstate.edu/deafblind/

Joy Bensiger, Emerging Technologies & Research Support Specialist, is the CIRT contact for academic programming activities. He may be reached by phone at x2863 or by email at joy.bensiger@indstate.edu. You are invited to contact Joy anytime regarding your academic programming needs.

Mental Rotation Cubes

The Mental Rotation Cubes project is a revision and computerization of S.G. Vandenberg's (University of Colorado) 1971 mental rotation assessment. The project first involved digitally creating the cubes and then creating an interface to present stimuli, record data, and analyze results.

Significance of the Project

The Mental Rotation Cubes project will allow the digital collection of data variables related to the assessment that would be unavailable with a paper-and-pencil test. Research subjects use Tablet PC's to complete the assessment. Collected data is populated into a synchronized database, allowing seamless analysis and report generation.

Web-Enabled Robotics Control

The Web-Enabled Robotics Control project is part the larger ILearnTek consortium. Under the guidance of CIRT, an interface was developed that allows the real-time viewing (video) and control of the Microbot TeachMover.

Significance of the Project

The Web-Enabled Robotics Control project coupled with ILearnTek allows students from anywhere in the world to obtain quality instruction and real-world experience with robotics equipment. Additionally, further development will allow the remote operation of PLC and other vendor-specific machinery including devices from Allen-Bradley and Rockwell Automation.

Wet Process Laboratory

The wet process trainer is composed of three tanks, two pumps, five discrete valves and two continuous valves. Temperature transmitters and level transmitters are used to monitor each tank’s water level and temperature. Two pressure transmitters are installed to monitor the incoming flow pressure of tank 1 and tank 2. A flow transmitter measures the incoming flow rate of the main tank. The Wet Process Laboratory project was completed with funding and programming support of CIRT. An interface was developed that allows the real-time viewing (video) and control of the entire Wet-Process Laboratory.

Significance of the Project

The purpose of this project was to develop an Internet based laboratory to be used in the MSECT program. This lab uses a state-of-the-art system to deliver lab experiences to graduate students enrolled in the program. The system uses hardware and software from National Instruments Corporation (NI). NI is an industry leader in automation and control system technology. A wet process trainer was setup in the distance learning laboratory. Through LabView interfacing programming, it can be controlled both locally and remotely over the Internet. This will allow students to complete a number of experiments from remote locations.