Lab assignments will help you visualize the operation of combinational and sequential logic circuits, using schematic capture and simulation software on engineering workstations. Labs will also familiarize you with digital design tools that will you can use to complete your projects. All seven laboratory assignments are already posted in Mallard, along with detailed instructions. Lab assignments may be completed individually or, starting with Lab #2, in pairs. The assignments should take approximately the same amount of time whether completed individually or in pairs. Your lab assignment papers should be given to your team’s consultant during your consultation sessions in the week each lab is due.
If you work on a lab assignment as a member of a pair, you should use the pair programming method. In pair programming, students work in pairs to produce a specification or to code a program. At each time, one student, the driver, controls the keyboard and mouse, and the other student, the navigator, monitors the driver, checks for errors, and asks questions about the reasons for the driver's choices. All major decisions are made by consensus. After twenty minutes elapse, the two students switch roles: the driver becomes the navigator, and vice versa. The two students continue to switch roles every twenty minutes until the session ends. Multiple research studies have documented benefits to students who use pair programming. In the ECE 290 lab, you will produce digital logic circuits instead of programs, but the principle is the same.
The lab assignments use Mentor Graphics HDL Designer, which runs on Linux workstations the Engineering Workstations (EWS) Laboratories. No specific times are set aside for lab assignments; you may go to one of the following EWS labs when it is open: Rooms L440 and L520 Digital Computer Lab, Room 57 Grainger Library (in the basement), Room 252 Everitt Lab. Please follow all EWS policies (posted at http://ews.illinois.edu/userguide/policies.html). Keep the EWS labs neat, and push in your chair when you leave. Never turn a workstation off, because remote users could lose their work, and the file system could become damaged.
Each completed lab assignment will count for up to 4 points toward the course grade, for a total of up to 28 course points for lab assignments.
There are 7 laboratory assignments. They will make use of a software package called Mentor Graphics HDL Designer, which runs on the EWS Linux Workstations.
The lab assignments and solutions can be found on the Mallard lessons page.
Starting with Lab #2, your lab assignment papers should be given to your team’s consultant during your consultation session in the week each lab is due. Be sure to check the Lecture and Assignment Schedule for exact dates.
Your laboratory assignments will make use of Mentor Graphics HDL Designer, which runs on the EWS Linux Workstations in the following labs:
For additional information, please refer to the EWS lab locations and hours.
Each completed lab assignment will count for up to 4 points toward the course grade, for a total of up to 28 course points for lab assignments.
Late assignments are not accepted. Please be sure you understand the lateness policy.
Question: Is it possible to access the EWS workstations remotely?
Answer: It is possible to do labs from home: see http://www.ews.uiuc.edu/clrtxt/index.html.
Note that ECE 290 staff provide support only for issues experienced in the EWS labs--that is, we don't provide support for connecting remotely or diagnosing problems with remote access. We will, however, assist you with issues that arise when you are working in the EWS labs.
On a brighter note, most 290 students only struggle with figuring out the initial remote connection to the EWS labs. Once you've figured that out, the labs usually go smoothly (with the possible exception of printing).