Incubator Simulation for Biomedical Education: Real-Time Interactive System Modeling with SVG and JavaScript

Abstract

This study presents a fully browser-based, platform-independent incubator simulation designed to provide biomedical device technology students with a safe and low-cost means of practicing outside laboratory environments. The simulation generates realistic dynamic responses through a JavaScript- and SVG-based interactive interface, a state machine architecture, a continuous thermal model, and a discrete-time PID controller (with user-adjustable Kp, Ki, Kd, and set temperature). Heating is virtually modulated via an SSR; the Pt100/RTD sensor is modeled numerically; and safety functions such as overtemperature, sensor and fan faults, and door status are implemented at the code level. The user interface includes a live status table, circuit diagram and device graphics, PID panel, fault injection buttons, and a RESET control. Additionally, a multiple-choice quiz of ten questions integrated into the same page supports formative assessment. The simulation has been tested under normal operation, door-open, fan fault, and sensor fault scenarios, with visualizations of the time-dependent behaviors of temperature, PID output, and heater power. The findings demonstrate that the PID output directly influences the heating rate, and that fan/door conditions significantly increase heat losses, thereby altering the steady-state point and settling time. Unlike physical prototypes and desktop software found in the literature, the proposed solution runs without installation, allows training scenarios to be repeated rapidly, and eliminates safety risks. In conclusion, the proposed web-based simulation is an effective and accessible learning tool for teaching both fundamental control principles and the safety behaviors of incubators.

Keywords

• Incubator simulation
• biomedical education
• web-based learning
• PID control
• JavaScript
• SVG animation

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