VIC and Tempest were developed by the same civil servant team at Lewis . Virtual Interactive Classroom concept. A VIC Development Lab was established at Lewis to demonstrate that scientific equipment can be controlled by remote users over the Internet. Users can read pressure transducers located in the upper and lower surfaces of a wing as well as an airflow transducer in the test section. Remote users can turn the airflow on and off, set wind velocity, adjust the wing angle of attack, and read the pressure values.
Users can control the pan, tilt, zoom, and focus.
The image received by the user is refreshed at regular intervals. The science table project includes a horizontal surface with a two-axis servomechanism that positions a color camera. The table has interchangeable surfaces. Several surfaces are available with fossils, Native American artifacts, geology samples, and antique tools. The microscope comprises a two-axis servomechanism that positions a microscope camera and lens, and a microscope slide holder that can contain up to 360 slides.