Conference Session

New Trends in ECE Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bill Yang, Western Carolina University; Robert D. Adams, Western Carolina University; Aaron K. Ball, Western Carolina University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

priorities of student outcomes in our engineering programs. Second, LabVIEW providesthe capability to merge the virtual and real worlds, which is ideal for our program’s focus onapplied scientific knowledge and engineering principles. Last but not least, the graphicalprogramming environment lends itself very well to the intuitive and interactive learning, whichallows students to engage the tool rapidly in their design process and experimentation oncomputer based automation and data acquisition systems. Table 1 shows our eight-semestersuggested EE curriculum with the potential PBL core and LabVIEW thread courses identified.The eight-semester curriculum looks very typical as many other EE programs and still has an

Conference Session

Recruitment, Retention, and First-Year Programs in ECE

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Qing Zheng, Gannon University; Ramakrishnan Sundaram, Gannon University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

Programs in Electrical and Computer EngineeringIntroductionThis paper discusses how integrated electrical and computer engineering (ECE) projectswith science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) components can inspirethe K-12 students to pursue the undergraduate degree programs in ECE. These projectsare presented through Engineering day and Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE)Day events hosted at the undergraduate baccalaureate degree institution by the ECEdepartment with ABET accreditation.In the fall of 2009, the ECE department at our university organized two Engineering Dayevents in its system integration laboratory [1]. The laboratory accommodated nearly 105high school students in six

Conference Session

Technology in the ECE Classroom

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jinru Liu, School of ECEE, SenSIP Center, Arizona State University; Jayaraman J. Thiagarajan, Arizona State University; Andreas S. Spanias, Arizona State University, School of ECEE, SenSIP Center; Karthikeyan Natesan Ramamurthy, Arizona State University; Shuang Hu, Arizona State University; Mahesh K. Banavar, Arizona State University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

modules also demonstrate concepts such as MIDI, DTMF and soundcapture and playback. All simulations can be visually established by forming interactive Page 22.977.3 Figure 1. The main simulation view of i-JDSP.block diagrams through multi-touch and drag-and-drop procedures. Computations areperformed on the mobile device when required, making the block diagram execution fast. Inthe rest of this paper, we describe the architecture of the proposed i-JDSP environment andpresent some of the functions available in the current version of the software.2. The i-JDSP Application i-JDSP has been developed using Apple’s Xcode IDE with the

Conference Session

Laboratory Development in ECE

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kathleen Meehan, Virginia Tech; David Fritz, VA Tech

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

electrical theorywith an emphasis on ac circuits, which facilitates the application of theory into practice whileenabling more advanced material to be incorporated into the second course.The design of the laboratory portion in the course on electrical theory is an application of apedagogical approach that was implemented, and has proven to be highly successfully, in theundergraduate Electrical and Computer Engineering curricula – hands-on experiments that areperformed outside of a traditional classroom using a student-owned analog/digital trainer, partskit, digital multimeter, and USB oscilloscope (collectively known on campus as Lab-in-a-Box orLiaB).1 In addition, ME students simulate circuit operation and analyze the data collected andstored on

Conference Session

Capstone Design Projects in ECE

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lynne A. Slivovsky, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; James M. Widmann, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Brian P. Self, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; J.Kevin Taylor, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

recreational activities. The end-users of these devices are given opportunities to exercise and experience greater independencethrough the devices designed by students in the class. This paper presents the design of thecapstone class and the intent behind the in-class activities and out-of-class assignments thatguide students through the design process.BackgroundService-learning occurs when “Students engage in community service activities with intentionalacademic and learning goals and opportunities for reflection that connect to their academicdiscipline” (Cress et al, 2005)1. It has been shown to be one of ten high-impact (i.e., those thatprovide for deep learning) “educationally purposeful activity” 2,3. The reflection aspect ofservice-learning is

Conference Session

Experiential Learning in ECE

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kenneth V Noren, University of Idaho, Moscow

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

. Page 22.910.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2011 Integrating Lecture and Laboratory in an Analog Electronics Course Using an Electronics Explorer BoardIntroductionIt is well documented that when students have a hands-on experience with the concepts taught inthe electrical engineering classroom, a deeper understanding of the concepts can be obtained [1-5]. Today’s students need more hands-on experience to reinforce basic concepts than students ofyesterday [6, 7]. Even so, experienced students still benefit from hands-on [8]. Students usuallyget laboratory work to go along with their classes at the sophomore and junior level, but not somuch at the senior level.Providing a

Conference Session

Experiential Learning in ECE

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kathleen Meehan, Virginia Tech; Robert W. Hendricks, Virginia Tech; Cortney V. Martin, Virginia Tech; Peter Doolittle, Virginia Tech; Richadr Lee Clark, Virginia Western Community College

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

commonly by students,and/or in areas of research that undergraduate students would be aware of. In addition, theexperimental set-up is explained. Schematics of the circuits and images of students performingspecific measurements are included. Ties between the current experiment and experimentsperformed previously are also made.(d) References: Books, other than the course textbook, technical papers, and websites areprovided so that interested students can read further on the topics covered in the Backgroundsection.(e) Materials: The components required to perform the experiment are listed.(f) Experimental Procedure: A step-by-step set of instructions are provided in the followingorder – (1) Analysis, which are hand calculations and MatLAB programs

Conference Session

New Developments in Teaching Electromagnetics and Related Topics

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas Michael Petersen, Grand Valley State University, Graduate School of Engineering; Bogdan Adamczyk, Grand Valley State University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

types5.One of their major drawbacks is the relatively large and weighty transformer needed to supplythe output voltage. Due to its simplicity, large transformer, and relatively clean noise signature,as defined by low voltage ripple, the linear power supply is presented first in the lab.The student is provided the schematic of the full-wave direct current power supply withcapacitive filter and voltage regulator shown in Figure 1. This power supply is designed toprovide a load current equal to 150 milli-amps at a voltage of 7.00 volts DC as measured acrossthe fixed load resistor. R2 provides an adjustable output voltage. Figure 2 provides the linearpower supply output voltage waveform taken with an oscilloscope across load resistor RL. In

Conference Session

Innovative Instructional Strategies and Curricula in ECE I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hasina Huq, University of Texas, Pan American

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

nano scalelevel, but also experience the impact of design decisions at the device levels. Introduction ofnano devices in VLSI curricula also help the students learn nano technology.IntroductionThe paper describes our experience in teaching nano scale devices in an undergraduatecourse, which convinced us that it is possible to integrate nano scale devices in VLSI coursethrough design projects. As the deep sub micron and beyond technology emerges, trainingefforts in nano scale device characterization becomes more important than ever [1-5].The research is motivated by the significant increase of education and training ability in nanoelectronics areas at undergraduate level. It is estimated that about two millionnanotechnology workers will be

Conference Session

Integration of Research and Education in ECE

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yuen-Yan Chan, Chinese University of Hong Kong; Wai Yin Ng, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

-solving strategies by theirown, and learn through inquiries into ill-structured problem situation3,4,5. It is especiallysuitable for computer education in 21st century, as well as engineering education in generalbecause of the complexity in the knowledge domain which often involves multipledisciplines6,7,8. This paper describes the design and implementation of IBL lessons in arefreshment course offered by an engineering department at a university in Hong Kong inSeptember to December 2010. Related educational theories are reviewed, including (1)constructivism, (2) inquiry-based learning, (3) collaborative learning, and (4) scaffolding.The lessons were implemented as a part of the course, the lesson plans, class schedule andlogistic of the course

Conference Session

Laboratory Development in ECE I

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mohamed Tawfik, Spanish University for Distance Education (UNED); Elio Sancristobal, Spanish University for Distance Education (UNED); Sergio Martin, Spanish University for Distance Education (UNED); Rosario Gil, Spanish University for Distance Education (UNED); Alberto Pesquera Martín, Spanish University for Distance Education (UNED); Tovar Edmundo, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid; Martin Llamas-Nistal, University of Vigo; Gabriel Diaz Orueta, Spanish University for Distance Education (UNED); Juan Peire; Manuel Castro, Spanish University for Distance Education (UNED)

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

hasundergone a significant transformation with the advent and the exploitation of computer andcommunication technologies. Such transformation was necessitated in order to harmonize thelearning process with the needs of the daily life. As a result, E-learning has been adopted andhas added two major aspects to the learning process: 1) Interactivity; owing to the integrationof simulation and multimedia technologies. 2) Ubiquity; owing to the integration ofsynchronous and asynchronous communication tools, and remote laboratories. Thereby,thanks to E-learning students incentives toward learning have increased.There is no doubt that practical sessions have an intrinsic role in electrical and computerengineering education; they augment the learning outcomes

Conference Session

Electrical and Computer Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lars K. Hansen, University of Texas, San Antonio; Keith Gerard Delahoussaye Jr., University of Texas, San Antonio ; Ruyan Guo, University of Texas, San Antonio

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

revealed that the introductory videos demonstrated platform familiarization, as well asintegration with companion products. It is also important to note that the introductory videos demonstrated howelectrical engineering concepts were used.The Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the power supply and digital multimeter functions of the ELVIS II Board respectively.Figure 3 is that of the EE Board's power supply/voltmeter. Figure 1: ELVIS II Board Power Supply Figure 2: ELVIS II Board DMM Page 25.329.3

Conference Session

Electrical and Computer Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Deepika Sangam, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Brent K. Jesiek, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

, including across student levels (i.e., first-year to junior/senior).We also discuss how a number of insights from this study can help instructors and curriculumdevelopers assess and improve conceptual understanding in the context of their own courses.Keywords: circuits, concept inventory, conceptual understanding, DC, DIRECT, direct current,electrical engineering, student perceptionsIntroductionExtensive research on student understanding of physical science concepts has established thatmany students have deep-rooted misconceptions that are often difficult to change.1 One-on-onestudent interviews are typically used to identify specific misconceptions, which in turn supportdevelopment of Concept Inventories (CIs). CIs contain multiple-choice

Conference Session

Recruitment, Retention, and First-year Programs in ECE

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Chad Eric Davis P.E., University of Oklahoma; David F. Vreeland, University of Oklahoma; Christopher Robert Griffin, University of Oklahoma; Mark B. Yeary P.E., University of Oklahoma

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

roleof students in the process. The foundation of this work was documented by the authors in a 2011ASEE publication.1 This paper will complete the previous work by providing details on ECEretention best practices and look deeper into the role that student culture plays in recruiting andretention. While this study occurred in an ECE department, most aspects will translate to anyengineering discipline.When the enrollment reports at the University of Oklahoma (OU) were released in the fall of2008, the number of ECE undergraduate enrollments declined to an alarmingly low 246 students.With a history of ECE undergraduate enrollments often exceeding 400 students, a correctiveaction plan was created to improve our recruiting and retention practices. As

Conference Session

Project-based and Cooperative Learning in ECE

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Adams, University of Kentucky; Jens Hannemann, University of Kentucky; Lawrence Holloway, University of Kentucky

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

major.EE101 OutcomesThe outcomes for the new EE101 course closely follow those outlined above from theGenEd template: Upon completion of EE101, students will have demonstrated the ability to: 1. Define and distinguish different approaches to creativity and creative inquiry. 2. Understand the significance and impact of creatively working within a set of externally imposed constraints, both from an historical and working perspective. 3. Understand the importance and role of ethical, professional, and cultural issues in the creative process. 4. Critically analyze the creative work of others using appropriate tools and criteria. 5. Evaluate results of their own creative endeavors and, using

Conference Session

Electrical and Computer Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James Graham, University of Louisville; Karla Conn Welch, University of Louisville; Jeffrey Lloyd Hieb, University of Louisville; Shamus McNamara, University of Louisville

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

statisticallysignificant improvement in critical thinking skills in ECE students who have been through thissequence.1 IntroductionThe Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) now requires all accredited schoolsto design and implement a quality enhancement program. In 2007 the University of Louisvilleadopted as its quality enhancement program (QEP) the requirement that all schools within theUniversity, including the school of engineering, develop and implement an ongoing and schoolwide program to “improving the critical thinking skills of undergraduate students and to moreeffectively prepare them to contribute to society”1. This program has been named ideas to action(i2a). The lack of explicit critical thinking outcomes and content in course

Conference Session

Laboratory Development in ECE I

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jae-do Park, University of Colorado, Denver

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

implementation of the instructional electric machine laboratory is describedin this paper. The objectives of this project are to upgrade 50-year old laboratory equipmentand to provide students with hands-on experience on up-to-date electric machines, drives andinstruments, as well as to improve their understanding of the theory learned from lectures.Instead of the systems especially designed for educational purpose, off-the-shelf industrialdevices have been selected for the experiments to make them more realistic and thus closer towork situations, as well as more cost effective. Experiments, hardware components,instruments and student feedback about the laboratory course offered are presented.1. IntroductionThe importance of power engineering education

Conference Session

New Trends in ECE Education II

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeffrey L. Schiano, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

dilutes both these components. Moreover, as the professionalengineering topics are required for graduation, students cannot replace the capstone designcourse with other opportunities closer to their professional interests, for example, completing aproject in the Student Space Programs Laboratory. Page 25.403.2Following a critical review and discussion of the design component of our curriculum, theundergraduate committee identified three areas for improvement: (1) coupling the undergraduateand graduate programs by engaging undergraduates in faculty research projects, (2) diversifyingthe spectrum and depth of capstone design projects, and (3

Conference Session

Capstone Design and Innovations in ECE

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Richard James Choquette, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore; Payam Matin, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore; Ali Eydgahi, Eastern Michigan University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

. Page 25.407.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2012 Designing an Autonomously Navigating Model BuggyAbstractSenior students in the engineering and technology programs are challenged to thoroughly applytheir learned technological knowledge and skills toward design and implementation of achallenging engineering product in senior design or capstone courses. In this paper, asuccessfully implemented comprehensive design of an autonomously navigating 1/10th scalemodel buggy by a senior engineering student under supervision of two advisers is presented. Theproject utilizes a synergy of competencies gained from undergraduate academic and researchexperiences with insight to the efforts concerning

Conference Session

ECE Curriculum Improvement

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Marcin Lukowiak, Rochester Institute of Technology; Andrew Meneely, Rochester Institute of Technology; Stanislaw P. Radziszowski, Rochester Institute of Technology; James R. Vallino, Rochester Institute of Technology; Christopher A. Wood, Rochester Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

cryptographicapplications as the motivating security focus. We describe changes made to an existingintroductory cryptography course, report on a recently-developed course entitled Hardware andSoftware Design for Cryptographic Applications, and present our plans for a Secure SoftwareEngineering course.1. IntroductionWith the pervasiveness and importance of cyberinfrastructure in modern society, securecomputing and communication have become critically important. Applications with importantsecurity requirements include e-commerce, voice/video communications, military operations,secure databases, and financial market transactions. As a result, the technology industry has agrowing need for secure infrastructure at lower levels, such as disk drives, processors (e.g

Conference Session

Electrical and Computer Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Seyed A. (Reza) Zekavat, Michigan Technological University; Cheryl Q. Li, University of New Haven; Saurav Pathak

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

. Page 25.451.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2012 Development of a Dynamic Curriculum for Wireless Communications: Addressing the Required Workforce for Wireless Industry and Academia Seyed A. Zekavat1,2, Cheryl Li2, Saurav Pathak1 1 University of New Haven, 2Michigan Technological UniversityAbstract – There are emerging applications for wireless communication systems. Newtechnologies are developed in this field in a rapid pace, and industry is in an increasing need ofwell trained and skilled graduates. They need these graduates to get integrated with their alreadyexisting employees without any further training or with minimal

Conference Session

Electrical and Computer Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yuan Liao, University of Kentucky

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

25.455.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2012 Development of a New Power System Course: Power System Analysis Using Advanced Software1. IntroductionPower utilities routinely employ software packages such as Power System Simulator forEngineering (PSS/E) for performing system studies 1-6. When making hiring decisions,employers in power industry usually prefer students with experiences in widely adopted powersoftware. Regular electrical engineering courses usually focus on theories and the students maynot have opportunities to learn the advanced software. Recent ongoing transformation of thenational grid into a smart grid spurs the needs of modeling and simulation of power

Conference Session

ABET Accreditation, Assessment, and Program Improvement in ECE

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Diana G. de la Rosa-Pohl, University of Houston

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

GOALS WITHIN THE FIELD OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING "All who have meditated on the art of governing mankind have been convinced that the fate of empires depends on the education of the youth." –AristotleIntroduction There is growing evidence in the engineering education literature of a school-work gap inthe electrical engineering field. The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) reports that overtime "a disconnect between engineers in practice and engineers in academe has developed andgrown" [1]. This disconnect seems to have contributed to differences in what skills are taught inelectrical engineering departments and skills valued by both employers and recent electricalengineering graduates. Unfortunately, this is

Conference Session

ECE Curriculum Improvement

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Phillip A. Mlsna, Northern Arizona University; Niranjan Venkatraman, Northern Arizona University; Sheryl L. Howard, Northern Arizona University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

design, and the capstone project ideally allowsthem to take an electrical engineering project from inception to completion. Material about culturaldiversity and global engagement was considered the realm of Liberal Studies, and, if not irrelevantto engineering, of minor importance.In the past decade, recognition of the importance of global learning, which encompasses culturaldiversity and global engagement, to the fields of engineering has grown significantly 1 . We live ina global economy. Today’s engineer is a global engineer; they will work for companies that have aglobal presence and may work overseas. Today’s engineer may work on projects whose teams spanthe globe, and will most likely have clients in multiple countries. Therefore, an

Conference Session

Electrical and Computer Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Chris Smaill, University of Auckland; Gerard Rowe, University of Auckland

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

ample: most students finished withadequate time to spare. The students also appeared to take the test seriously: they spent most ofthe allocated time working on their answers. After marking, the test marks were released to thestudents but, in order to preserve the integrity of the test for future years, test scripts were notreleased. A mark histogram is provided in Fig.1.The mean mark for the test was 9.1 out of 22 (41%), and the pass rate was 32% (UoA regards amark of 50% or more as a pass). Nine percent of students scored a mark of 4 or lower, a markattainable by simply guessing all 22 multiple-choice questions. Although the students’ prioreducational experiences had given them far less exposure to the topic of electric fields, theelectric

Conference Session

Software and Web-based Learning in ECE

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Anahita Zarei, University of the Pacific; Jinzhu Gao, University of the Pacific; Jason Roy Ortiz; Alan Joe

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

inherent complexity in learning random variables and theirdistribution models. We have identified two issues that contribute the most to the difficultystudents experience: 1) the complexity of the mathematical logic behind the probability theoryand 2) lack of motivation to attempt and explore more problems due partly to the static nature oftextbook problems. Therefore, our objectives were to enhance students' understanding of randomvariables and to increase motivation for learning by developing an interactive web-based tool.We have developed a novel e-learning module to assist students in exploring three types ofrandom variables, namely Poisson, Exponential, and Erlang, that differs from the currentavailable resources. We assessed the

Conference Session

New Trends in ECE Education II

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bonnie H. Ferri, Georgia Institute of Technology; JillL L. Auerbach, Georgia Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

concurrent labs, italso introduces students to basic physical components.The general steps of finite state machine design and implementation are listed below. Studentsare required to perform steps 2)-8) in a classroom setting and step 1) in a prelab. CMOS chipsare used for low power, and a battery pack is used for portability.1) Convert a description of the problem into a state transition diagram2) Transfer the information from the state transition diagram to a state transition logic table thathas inputs consisting of system inputs and current values of the state, Si, and outputs consistingof system outputs and next state values, NSi.3) Design a combinational circuit to implement the logic in the table.4) Select the chips to implement the

Conference Session

ABET Accreditation, Assessment, and Program Improvement in ECE

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Wilczynski, University of Southern California; Gisele Ragusa, University of Southern California

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

programs, including ours in computer science, have in the past relied almost exclusively on course specificstudent perception surveys and other indirect methods of student assessment. These "perceptions" have been largely discredited asbiased and subjective. In recent years, ABET has challenged the academic community to utilize assessment methodologies based ondirect, measurable data. Our response, the subject of this ASEE paper, proposes a methodology that requires professors to state theirindividual course outcomes and map them to the ABET program outcomes, and produce for each exam or assignment three importantcomponents comprising: (1) the source document, (2) a mapping of this exam or assignment to the class outcomes, and (3) the results.Our

Conference Session

Capstone Design and Innovations in ECE

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Muhittin Yilmaz, Texas A&M University, Kingsville; Selahattin Ozcelik, Texas A&M University, Kingsville; Nuri Yilmazer, Texas A&M University, Kingsville; Reza Nekovei, Texas A&M University, Kingsville

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

building blocks of a robot, to design a robotwith minimum number of off-the-shelf components, and to initiate the robot assembly andassociated programming phases. The course learning objectives are: i) Students will be able to describe stationary and mobile robot kinematics in mathematical frameworks ii) Students will identify and use different types of locomotion iii) Students will become familiar with the theoretical and practical aspects of various sensors and actuators iv) Students will develop a timeline to design a robot for the regional competition v) Students will perform peer-mentoring activities at college and high school levels.The course introduced the fundamental robotics concepts, given in Table 1

Conference Session

Projects in ECE

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sheila Patricia Werth, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Kaung Myat Win, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Sergey N. Makarov, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

introductory ECEclass. An appropriate laboratory exercise may support this concept and spark student interest inthe subject matter. A logical choice is to present a “wireless” project as it naturally includes theconcept of complex impedances.Building a basic radio receiver on the protoboard is a challenge due to instability of the RF low-noise amplifier within an unpredictable protoboard environment. Our numerous attempts to buildan AM station receiver on the protoboard have indicated the following difficulties:1. The circuit can be built by the instructor and by those skilled in the field from the class, but not by all class students.2. The design is difficult to debug; sometimes the flawless circuit simply does not function.3. One critical point