Conference Session

Electrical and Computer Engineering Laboratories

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ahmed Rubaai, Howard University

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

technology. The primary elements of this laboratory are establishing acomprehensive facility in an interdisciplinary, team-oriented environment, and developing alaboratory curriculum based on hands-on experience. The key hardware element of suchcapability is an embeddable dSPACE digital signal processor (DSP) that can be connected tovarious sensors and actuators, depending upon the system objectives. The key software used inthe laboratory exercises is based on MATLAB/Simulink environment. The MATLAB/Simulinkenvironment is used to build the control algorithms, allowing the students to design, and testtheir controllers without being distracted by software implementation issues. The controllers arefirst designed in Simulink. Then, the Real-Time

Conference Session

Pedagogical Innovations in Laboratory Education

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Arif Sirinterlikci, Robert Morris University; Sushil Acharya, Robert Morris University

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

Goldberg engineering projects teach students how to take anidea from paper and turn into reality8. For the past eight years each fall semester Texas Techcivil engineering students, mostly freshmen, have their own chance at devising Rube Goldbergmachines. Students have carried out projects to accomplish very precise engineering tasks suchas leveraging a solid wooden cube onto a tall block and moving a small object two inches onto aplatform. A pilot freshman curriculum has been designed and implemented in the MechanicalEngineering Department at the Rochester Institute of Technology9,10. The course sequence givesfreshmen an overview of a broad range of mechanical engineering activities. The first coursegives students most of the basic tools they will

Conference Session

Mechanical and Architectural Engineering Laboratories

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Anthony Toyama, Texas A&M University at Qatar; Reza Sadr, Texas A&M University at Qatar

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

connection between the theory learned in class and actualapplication. In some Fluid Mechanics laboratory experiments are conducted using off-the-shelfeducational stations. Our approach is to integrate the Fluid Mechanics laboratory with industrialequipment and tools in order to allow students to engage their classroom based theoreticalknowledge in an industry-like setting. Junior level students design digital data acquisitionsystems in conjunction with more traditional physical sensors in order to accomplish theirlaboratory goals. Students will also apply commercially available software to design and conductan experiment in the laboratory. Students are required to conduct simulations for a real case flowfield using commercially available software

Conference Session

DELOS Best Paper Nominations

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kelly Crittenden, Louisiana Tech University; David Hall, Louisiana Tech University; Patricia Brackin, Southeast Missouri State University

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

TechUniversity, we began our own engineering curriculum reform in 1995. Through the support ofthe College and the National Science Foundation we have implemented and revised multipleIntegrated Engineering Curricula.One obstacle to implementing an active-learning, laboratory experience at the freshman level isthe required infrastructure and setup time. These barriers can lead to either poorly implementedprojects with no connection to the curricula or to time-intensive preparations by the faculty andstaff. Through multiple iterations of our freshman curriculum, we have developed an active,hands-on lab-type experience at the freshman level that is both tightly integrated to the coursecontent and does not require extensive set up and tear down time by the

Conference Session

DELOS Best Paper Nominations

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kip Coonley, Duke University; Lisa Huettel, Duke University

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

design course. As a direct result ofthese curricular modifications, goal-oriented and design-focused projects have become the norm,rather than the exception. Within a year of the reform, students taking courses as part of therevised curriculum were designing projects using the very latest available integrated circuits andsoftware. As student projects increased in sophistication, a growing need for state-of-the-artSurface Mount Technology (SMT) facilities and Printed Circuit Board (PCB) etchingcapabilities was recognized. To support these projects, an SMT facility with PCB etchingcapability was developed. The use of SMT and PCB etching techniques enables students topursue much more complex and creative design projects using current, industry

Conference Session

DELOS Best Paper Nominations

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dawn Spencer, Colorado State University, Pueblo; Nebojsa Jaksic, Colorado State University, Pueblo

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

will determine what must be used.Conclusions & Future PlansA flexible CIS laboratory environment employing multi-boot and virtual computing is describedin sufficient detail for implementation. An almost entire CIS laboratory curriculum can besupported by such an environment. Major benefits are: flexibility, space savings, equipment costsavings, and an increase in student learning through practical experiences in a familiar laboratorylearning environment. However, our experience shows that such integral laboratoryenvironments might be prone to malware, thus needing the best anti-malware software available.In addition, lab development requires considerable faculty time. While faculty and studentsappreciate such an environment, some students

Conference Session

DELOS Best Paper Nominations

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mary Satterfield, National Institute of Standards and Technology; Susan Heller-Zeisler, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

NISTSummer Institute provides to each teacher a LabQuest and sensors for measuring temperature,magnetic field strength, pH, motion, force, gas pressure, heart rate, and electrical conductivity.The LabQuest is currently integrated into several of the NIST Summer Institute activitiesincluding thermometry and diffraction and there is an ongoing effort to encourage scientists todevelop activities using the LabQuest and probes, with loans made to scientists for this purpose.Scientists are eager to investigate use of the LabQuest and probes for their own edification andalso because as befits people in their career field they enjoy learning new things. The NISTscientists and engineers who participate in the NIST Summer Institute are also eager to sharehow

Conference Session

Electrical and Computer Engineering Laboratories

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Chiu Choi, University of North Florida

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

implement proportional, integral, and derivative controllers as Cprograms running on microcontrollers. Applications to position and speed controls areemphasized. The microcontrollers adopted at the present time are the Freescale MC9S12C32microcontrollers. The integrated development system adopted is CodeWarrior DevelopmentStudio for HCS12. The embedded microcontroller courseware is effective for equipping studentswith embedded control skills. This is indicated by the successful embedded control designprojects completed within this course and excellent student evaluations.I. IntroductionThe linear control systems course is one of the most demanding courses in our undergraduateelectrical engineering curriculum. The prerequisites for this course are