This project is developing an internet accessible high performance laser communication laboratory for use in undergraduate engineering courses by institutions around the world. The laboratory contains a collection of state of the art equipment, including a one kilometer 1.25 gigabit free-space laser communication test bed, acquired through a variety of federal programs. The total cost of this facility is prohibitive for the vast majority of educational institutions offering undergraduate engineering degrees. In this project, the investigators are adding internet based control and communication capabilities to the laboratory to enable remote use of the facility. The investigators are also developing a set of undergraduate experiments appropriate for the laboratory facility that can be used in signal processing, communications and optics courses. The project includes a formal evaluation plan with both formative and summative components that is led by an independent evaluator. The materials developed during the course of the project are being disseminated through the National Science Digital Library (NSDL) and through appropriate conferences and journals. The project includes a nationally recognized industrial partner that increases the broader impacts of the project.
