Even though the world of electronics is dominated by the versatility of programming microcontrollers and microprocessors to solve very complex problems through very powerful algorithms, the analog world is still an integral part of most designs. This project, with at least fifty percent analog circuitry, will motivate the students to respect, master and learn invaluable lessons from that part of the electronics field.
The decision to focus on analog circuitry for the junior class project stems from several important reasons. Analog circuits, with their continuous signals and intricate designs, are at the basis of countless electronic systems, from audio amplifiers to medical devices to power supplies. Real world applications are a hybrid combination of digital and analog components and circuits, making both implementations and knowledge fundamental to both future engineers and technologists. In addition, analog circuitry will prepare the students for being concerned and utilizing the underlying physics, which will allow engineers to deal with noise, distortion, nonlinearities, delays, transmission line problems, and power dissipation that plague the digital world.
Regardless of the specific application, the project emphasizes the following key learning goals:
The students will appreciate the ability to bridge the gap between the digital and the analog domains. The students should learn to cultivate and strengthen the attributes of creativity and resilience. Throughout the laboratory experiments and this project, the students should be grateful for the contributions of different members of the team. They learn to lead and follow. They should be able to focus on the project rather than their individual prowess.
After researching a topic, or a circuit that excites you, leading to a useful application, build a block diagram that determines the functions needed to generate the required responses or tasks. Find the appropriate circuits that will implement the desired functions. Simulate as much of the circuit as you can and prepare for the implementation based on available components. It would be judicious to tweak an available circuit to fit a different application or have your own design to meet the necessary requirements. A hardware implementation is mandatory.
Lecture Notes, Course textbook, other texts or world wide web resources.
Five tasks are required:
This list did not include the usage of sensors, transducers, microcontrollers, and it is surely not exhaustive. Refer to the instructor to confirm the approval of your topic.