DYNAMIT - Internet based education using CACSD

This paper describes an Internet-based learning environment, which uses a standard Web-browser as the user interface. The browser's capabilities are extended to provide a link to CACSD tools to perform symbol and numerical computations and simulations. The use of object-oriented paradigms in the design of the data structure leads to high flexibility, easy maintenance and short download times. The system is based on Web components which integrate the MATLAB/Simulink/MAPLE V system for calculations in the background. The CACSD tools are completely hidden from the learner who can concentrate on the tutorial, exercises and experiments. The latter are realised in an integrated virtual laboratory, where virtual reality techniques are used to animate virtual laboratory plants and to interact with them.