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• Computer Engineering

This course is designed to give its students the ability to develop advanced projects in one of several areas. The Digital area is designed to give its students an ability to develop advanced microcomputer-based digital projects such as microcomputer networks and robots controlled by those networks; image and voice recognition; music synthesizers; and vehicle simulators.

• Planning and design
• Construction and evaluation
• Documentation
• Demonstration

This course is designed to give its students the ability to develop advanced projects in one of several areas. The Digital area is designed to give its students an ability to develop advanced microcomputer-based digital projects such as microcomputer networks and robots controlled by those networks; image and voice recognition; music synthesizers; and vehicle simulators.

Topics:

• Planning and design
• Construction and evaluation
• Documentation
• Demonstration

Desktop Windows Computers with appropriate peripherals and for microcomputer development including in-circuit emulation. This equipment is used during the entire semester.

Scopes, Power Supplies, Frequency Generators, DVOMS, etc

Soldering station

Tools

Schematic capture and PCB layout.

Compilers, assemblers, emulators.

Matlab

• Familiarity with Digital Laboratory work and instrumentation
• Familiarity with a personal computer
• Understanding of microcomputer organization
• Ability to program in assembly language
• Ability to program in C or C++

Engineering Design: 100%

This course is designed to give its students an ability to develop advanced projects such as microcomputer networks and robots controlled by these networks, image and voice recognition and synthesis, music synthesizers, and vehicle simulators. In addition, in weekly meetings students will learn to effectively communicate with other project teams by describing the present status of their project and difficulties encountered and by taking note of constructive critique from others. Similarly, they learn to offer constructive suggestions to others. Weekly meetings may engage in discussions about the role of engineering, ethics and education in society and the world, as well as current issues.

A. At the end of the first week, the students should be able to do the following:

1. Considering background knowledge and experience, join a team of one or more students to do a project in the Digital Systems area. The team may include students from other Departments or Colleges. (1,5,7)

B. At the end of the second week, the students should be able to do the following:

1. Considering background knowledge and experience, choose a project in the Digital Systems area that is challenging and that can be completed and demonstrated by the end of the semester. (1,5,7)

2. Consider the available tools to use during the development of the project, such as logic entry, simulation and synthesis tools and system development tools in conjunction with the available devices such as microprocessors, FPGA, PLD and DSP. (6)

C. At the end of the third week, the students should be able to do the following:

1. Make a timeline for the main development stages of the project. (1)

2. Make a block diagram and a tentative design for the project. (1,2)

3. Gather readily available parts for the project and order the rest, if the costs are within the available funds. (1,2)

4. From this week until end of week 13 students meet in weekly meetings to exchange ideas, solutions to problems encountered and role of engineering, education and ethics in society and world. (1,2,5,6)

D. At the end of the sixth week, the students should be able to do the following:

1. Consider alternative parts, if desired ones are not available. (1,2)

2. Build and test sections of the hardware and design, type and debug main software blocks. (1,2,6)

E. At the end of the eighth week, the students should be able to do the following:

1. Demonstrate all working aspects of the project. This could be a first prototype of the final version. (1,2,6)

F. At the end of the ninth week, the students should be able to do the following:

1. Begin preparing final version of the documentation for the project. (1,3)

2. If printed circuits are used, design printed circuit patterns and order their fabrication. (6)

G. At the end of the twelfth week, the students should be able to do the following:

1. Test all hardware and software blocks and modify or redesign and rebuild if necessary. (1,2,6,7)

2. Test the final version of the project and modify or redesign and rebuild parts that may still cause problems. (1,2,6,7)

3. Consider improvements to the project and design and build them. (1,2,6,7)

H. At the end of the thirteenth week, the students should be able to do the following:

1. Finish documentation of the final version of the project. (1,3)

2. Able to engage in meaningful dialog with others on technical issues as well as issues related to the role of engineering, ethics and education in society and the world at large. (3,4,7)

I. At the end of the fourteenth week, the students should be able to do the following:

1. Project demonstration and technical presentation to the visitors including ECE students, faculty, staff, family and friends and others during end of semester open house. (1,2,3,4,6,7)