Abstract:

Within an undergraduate electrical engineering (STEM) program focused on automation, an additional study example was introduced as part of a web programming course to help students recognize the broader applicability of web technologies beyond typical web development contexts. The activity aimed to demonstrate how fundamental web technologies (HTML, JavaScript, PHP) and basic networking concepts can be combined and applied in the field of automation.

Students were often aware of these technologies as isolated tools but lacked a clear understanding of their potential integration with control systems — an important aspect of modern engineering practice. To bridge this gap, an ad-hoc extension to the regular coursework was designed as a demonstration of applied interdisciplinary use.

The example involved developing a simple web application capable of communicating with a PoKeys57 controller, allowing basic monitoring and control of connected hardware components. This setup illustrated how front-end and back-end web development principles can be used to interact with certain physical device through standard network protocols.

The hardware implementation included configuration of the controller and a small model with input/output elements, while the software component focused on web interface design, data exchange, and visualization. To enhance the learning experience, a live video stream of the hardware setup was included during the lecture, allowing students to observe immediate physical responses to web-based control actions.

The demonstration confirmed that functional two-way communication between the web interface and the controller can be achieved, supporting simple visualization and control tasks. Although detailed performance analysis (e.g., latency, reliability) was not conducted, subjective evaluation indicated sufficient responsiveness for educational purposes. This outcome validates the concept’s feasibility and suggests directions for further exploration of its professional applicability in industrial automation and IoT environments.

Through this example, students were encouraged to connect theoretical knowledge of web programming and networking with practical automation applications. The approach has proven to increase engagement, clarify interdisciplinary relationships, and strengthen students’ understanding of how foundational digital competencies can contribute to engineering innovation.

Keywords:

Web programming, IoT, automation, PoKeys, networking, engineering, STEM.