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AN INTERACTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR DSP

Abstract

This paper presents a new version of the Java DSP (J-DSP) education software which encompasses a comprehensive Digital Signal Processing (DSP) learning environment. The goal is to create a one stop learning environment for students that wish to gain insight into DSP concepts. It combines html and Java based technologies to create an integrated and highly interactive simulation interface. The whole idea of this integrated environment revolves around a web-based DSP quiz. The quiz has many attractive features, which provide students an opportunity to gain a thorough understating of DSP theory. Different learning tools are combined with the interactive online quiz and are also synchronized with J-DSP simulations. Every quiz is accompanied with several helping features where users can access the instructor’s notes and external links that contain simulations, lecture videos, and instructional J-DSP animations. This new environment also supports multiple J-DSP simulations, running concurrently. These simulations are completely independent with one another except for the certain predefined points at which two simulations can interact with each other and share their data. Assessments of the use of this new tool are also presented here.

Introduction

J-DSP is a java based DSP simulation tool that facilitates the understanding of discrete-time signal processing. J-DSP is platform independent and runs directly within a web browser. The simulation environment of J-DSP is interactive and helps in visualizing signal processing concepts. It provides users with a simple interface to build large and complex simulations using a simple drag and drop process. All the signal processing functions appear as blocks and can be connected graphically to establish a signal flow. J-DSP has a rich suite of signal processing functions that enable students to create interactive simulations online1-10. J-DSP contains several basic as well as advanced DSP functions. Basic J-DSP functions include the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), FIR and IIR filters, windows, arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and convolution), etc. Advanced functions include statistical DSP algorithms, speech processing functions, multirate signal processing functions, spectral analysis functions, etc. J-DSP also has few other versions which address the processing of different types of signals. For example, it has toolboxes for image processing11, 12, control functions13, time-frequency signal processing14, communication related functions15, 16, earth systems signal processing17 etc. A textbook that has J-DSP examples and exercises was also published18.

Even though the current version of J-DSP includes a broad array of DSP functions, there is a strong need to improve the students’ overall learning and to enhance their online education experience. With the existing infrastructure and facilities, students have to logon to different web sites to access the online labs, lecture notes, lecture videos and J-DSP simulations. Moreover, these environments are independent of each other with no common link between them. This type of arrangement does not help in organizing the learning process and sometimes students spend a long time in finding the material rather than concentrating on learning the actual concepts. The

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Mehta, S., & Jayaraman Thiagarajan, J., & Spanias, P., & Ramamurthy, K., & Spanias, A., & Santucci, R., & Haag, S., & Banavar, M. (2010, June), An Interactive Learning Environment For Dsp Paper presented at 2010 Annual Conference & Exposition, Louisville, Kentucky. 10.18260/1-2--16949