ABSTRACT Mobile learning has been receiving increased attention from diverse conferences and publications.

The attention is well deserved because, if correctly implemented, it constitutes an efficient complementary tool to the traditional learning methods. Following this idea, we present PortableLab, a mobile learning system that integrates an application developed for mobile devices with Google Android operating system. PortableLab allows students to analyze several poor quality power supply occurrences. For this, the mobile remote laboratory has to connect to a database server where real-time measured data is stored by a local signal processing module. The mobile application was designed as a complementary mean to the classic laboratory lessons. The developed system is a step forward in the development of mobile learning courses, presenting new contents directed for a `hot' platform. This paper describes the system, giving special focus on the system's overall infrastructure and the chosen technical solutions for the mobile application implementation, as well as on some preliminary results.

Existing System
Mobile devices are able to support different kinds of lessons, display animations, be used for polling and testing and have an important role as a gateway to larger learning resources. It was decided to begin with the development of a remote laboratory with several interfaces for power quality assessment. Power quality is a generic term focusing on several issues, going from reliability to the quality of service provided by the energy supplier. It addresses limiting aspects such as harmonic distortion, flicker, sags, and swells, among others. It is important for the students to understand the differences between the large amounts of events that fit into poor power quality category. The main goal of PortableLab is to improve students interest and motivation and, additionally, to make resources available in any place, at almost any time. This mobile remote laboratory should be used as a complement to the usual classroom lessons. Essentially, the developed system integrates a server with a data acquisition board and a central database to be accessed by the mobile applications, initially programmed for Google Android platform.

Proposed System
The presented approach includes a collaborative learning module that it is essential for the growth of students. With the module, they can annotate contents to be seen by teachers and colleagues, giving additional information about their understandings or helping others in the learning process. PortableLabs mobile laboratory tool support ranges from pure content delivery to content construction by the learners. We present related work regarding the learning methodology, the mobile operating system and projects.Focuses on the systems supporting architecture and technological solutions used in the development process. The mobile application is described, including technical issues when developing an application for the very recent Android platform.

Future Work To study how to overcome some disadvantages found in m-learning, such as its high costs, the possibility for mobile devices to be misplaced or stolen and the difficulty to use mobile devices in noisy environments. Another point for future work is to study the best solution to apply mobile courses like this one to classes where the majority of their students do not have the chosen platform-based devices. In addition to that, we are beginning the development of a version for Apples iPhone. References [1] C. Romero, S. Ventura, and P. Bra, Using Mobile and Web-based Computerized Tests to Evaluate University Students, Computer Applications in Engineering Education Journal, vol. 9999, Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com), 2009, DOI 10.1002/cae.20242. [2] R.N. Madeira, V.F. Pires, O.P. Dias, and J.F. Martins, Development of a Mobile Learning Framework for an Analog Electronics Course, Proc. Int. Conf. IEEE Education Engineering (EDUCON), Madrid, Spain, 2010, pp. 561 567.

[3] D. Frohberg, C. Gth, and G. Schwabe, Mobile Learning projects a critical analysis of the state of the art. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, vol. 25, no. 2009, pp. 307331.

Application: Intruder avoidance in prohibited areas