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Session 1520

Use of Graphical Programming Tools for Electrical Engineering and Technology Courses

Salahuddin Qazi and Naseem Ishaq School of Information Systems and Engineering Technology State University of New York Institute of Technology Utica, New York 13504.

Abstract The design and implementation of algorithms based on graphical language or block diagram programming tools using PCs make a design and its implementation easier, faster and is a natural way of expressing certain algorithms. The increasing use of these software tools in industry makes it important to prepare the electrical engineering and engineering technology students for the changing industrial environment. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the use of three graphical programming language tools : STK of AGI Inc., SignalPro of EDX Inc., and System View of ELANIX Inc., as teaching aids in electrical engineering technology courses at the State University of New York Institute of Technology, Utica, NY. All the three software tools are PC based and are available free of cost to the qualifying colleges and universities for classroom usage. Other graphical programming tools used by the authors in the electrical engineering technology courses are also reviewed.

Introduction Graphical or block diagram programming is a method of writing custom programs based on placing and connecting a variety of graphical functions or block diagrams. It differs from textual or traditional programming where a specialized syntax based text is needed to structure a program. Graphical programming tools are increasingly used to simulate a design, develop an algorithm or model a process in engineering and technology disciplines due to ease of implementation and because they allow a natural, intuitive interaction with the system or process under simulation. The traditional approach to develop and implement an algorithm to target a real-time DSP is to write the source code in either C language or assembly language. Such an approach although doable is laborious, time consuming, requires great deal of programming expertise, and detracts a designer from the process of developing the actual design to be implemented. In graphical programming, it is easier for a designer to design, simulate and implement the algorithms expressed as block diagrams. One of the most important advantage of graphical programming is the possibility of building large programs graphically, especially by students, engineers and scientists with a little formal knowledge of the

Proceeding of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2002, American Society for Engineering Education

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Ishaq, N., & Qazi, S. (2002, June), Use Of Graphical Language Programming Tools For Electrical Engineering And Technology Courses Paper presented at 2002 Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada. 10.18260/1-2--10477