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Improving Digital Signal Processing Course With Real Time Processing Experiences For Electrical And Computer Engineering Technology Students

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Conference

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Louisville, Kentucky

Publication Date

June 20, 2010

Start Date

June 20, 2010

End Date

June 23, 2010

ISSN

2153-5965

Conference Session

Innovation in ECET Programs

Tagged Division

Engineering Technology

Page Count

18

Page Numbers

15.693.1 - 15.693.18

DOI

10.18260/1-2--16247

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/16247

Download Count

929

Paper Authors

biography

Li Tan Purdue University, North Central

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DR. LI TAN is currently with the College of Engineering and Technology at Purdue University North Central, Westville, Indiana. He received his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Mexico in1992. Dr. Tan is a senior member IEEE. His principal technical areas include digital signal processing, adaptive signal processing, and digital communications. He has published a number of papers in these areas. He has authored and co-authored three textbooks: Digital Signal Processing: Fundamentals and Applications, Elsevier/Academic Press, 2007; Fundamentals of Analog and Digital Signal Processing, Second Edition, AuthorHouse, 2008, and Analog Signal Processing and Filter Design, Linus Publications, 2009.

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biography

Jean Jiang Purdue University, North Central

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Dr.JEAN JIANG is currently with the College of Engineering and Technology at Purdue University North Central, Westville, Indiana. She received her Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Mexico in 1992. Her principal technical areas are in digital signal processing, adaptive signal processing, and control systems. She has published a number of papers in these areas. She has co-authored two textbooks: Fundamentals of Analog and Digital Signal Processing, Second Edition, AuthorHouse, 2008, and Analog Signal Processing and Filter Design, Linus Publications, 2009.

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Abstract
NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract

Improving Digital Signal Processing Course with Real -Time Processing Experiences for Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology Students

Abstract

In this paper, we present our pedagogies for teaching digital signal processing (DSP) with real- time processing experiences. In the past, teaching the DSP course for electrical and computer engineering technology (ECET) program was often a challenge, due to the heavy use of mathematics in the course. Our technology students prefer visualization, computer-related activities, and hands-on experiences in their learning environment. Now, with computer software like MATLAB adopted as a necessary tool for analysis and simulations, students are motivated in the DSP course and their learning efficiency has been enhanced greatly. Today, a DSP task such as digital filter design using MATLAB can be completed in minutes. Hence, there is room for course improvement; that is, the time saved could be allocated to practical real-time DSP to further motivate and attract our hands-on technology students. With this consideration, we enhance our DSP course by adding real-time DSP labs. Each developed lab requires both MATLAB simulations and real-time DSP using a floating-point digital signal processor, TX320TMS67C13 DSK. In addition, students are required to develop comprehensive real-time DSP projects and demonstrate their working projects in class.

We will outline our course learning outcomes and DSP laboratories with both MATLAB simulations and hands-on real-time DSP. Then, we will focus on describing real-time DSP pedagogies for our laboratory implementations. We will also examine the course assessment according to our collected data from course evaluation, student surveys and student course work, and finally we will address improvement of the course based on our assessment.

I. Introduction

The application and use of digital signal processing (DSP) technology are widely found in modern electronic products, industrial machinery, medical equipment, communication and control systems, computer peripherals, and multimedia devices1-4. This rapid advance in industry has generated an increasing demand for engineering technology students with a knowledge and working skills of DSP. Many engineering technology programs have offered a DSP course in their undergraduate curricula, especially in the electrical and computer engineering technology (ECET) curriculum. In addition, our ECET curriculum has advanced according to the industrial need to offer elective courses that require a background of DSP and cover the topics of biomedical instrumentations, DSP multimedia systems, and digital communications, and digital control systems. Teaching the DSP course to our ECET students will also prepare them for their elective courses in their senior year.

In the past, teaching the DSP course for the ECET program was often a challenge, due to the heavy use of mathematics. Many of our ECET students prefer visualization, computer-related activities, and hands-on experiences in their learning environment. Now, with computer software

Tan, L., & Jiang, J. (2010, June), Improving Digital Signal Processing Course With Real Time Processing Experiences For Electrical And Computer Engineering Technology Students Paper presented at 2010 Annual Conference & Exposition, Louisville, Kentucky. 10.18260/1-2--16247

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