This paper reports on a state-of-the-art remote laboratory project called Virtual Instrument Systems in Reality (VISIR). VISIR allows wiring and measuring of electronic circuits remotely on a virtual workbench that replicates physical circuit breadboards. The wiring mechanism is developed by means of a relay switching matrix connected to a PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation (PXI) instrumentation platform. The entire equipment is controlled by LabVIEW server software, in addition to a measurement server software that protects the equipment from hazard connections by verifying input circuit designs, sent by students, before being executed. This paper addresses other approaches such as remote labs based on Data Acquisition Cards (DAQs), NetLab, and RemotElectLab, comparing them with VISIR in order to emphasize its singularity. Topics discussed are as follows: the technical description, software, operation cycle, features, and provided services. In addition, the feedback received by students at several universities and the encountered drawbacks along with the proposed solutions are highlighted. The paper finally addresses the ongoing and future challenges within the VISIR community including its integration with Learning Management Systems (LMSs) and iLab Shared Architecture (ISA), its new hardware version release that is based on LAN eXtensions for Instrumentation (LXI), and its new open platform version that supports federated access.

In flywheel based energy storage systems, a flywheel stores mechanical energy that interchanges in form of electrical energy by means of an electrical machine with a bidirectional power converter. Flywheel based energy storage systems are suitable whenever numerous charge and discharge cycles (hundred of thousands) are needed with medium to high power (kW to MW) during short periods (seconds). The materials for the flywheel, the type of electrical machine, the type of bearings and the confinement atmosphere determine the energy efficiency (>;85%) of the flywheel based energy storage systems. Monitoring of state of charge is simple and reliable as only spinning speed is needed. Flywheel based energy storage systems are commercially available with more than a dozen of manufacturers. Amongst the applications of flywheel based energy storage systems are: uninterruptible power supplies, hybrid power systems, power grids feeding trains, hybrid vehicles and space satellites.