Model driven approach for remote laboratory visualization systems

Tele-operated laboratory experiments are monitored or operated by visualization systems. In case of using a web browser the rapidly evolving web technology generates an increasing variety of client platform applications. Therefore, solutions are often obsolete after a short life time. New browser versions do not support earlier versions of web technology or browsers of different developers differ in the completeness of implemented web technology. The close coupling of the visualization system's functionality and implementation technology caused by Java Applets or Java Beans requires a completely new implementation of the whole solution although its functionality does not change. An interesting method for improving this approach is the Model Driven Software Development (MDSD). This paper presents an XML-based Graphical User Interface Language, which follows this idea and shows the currently available models. The paper presents first experiences in the design of user interfaces for laboratory experiments.