Syllabus

1. See the class specific information.
2. See the class policies.
3. See the specific dates of importance.
4. See this link for the plan of what we will cover after Spring break. Make sure to read ahead.

Information You Need to Know for This Class

• Class discussion system Latest comment is
• comments from Spring 2019
• comments from Spring 2018
• comments from Spring 2017
• I posted a video to youtube: Experimenting with N and P type transistors
• I posted another video to youtube: LED and Transistor
• The last time I set up a new computer to work with the Arduino, I tried to upload a program to it, and I got the error "avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00". I needed to install the Virtual COM driver from Future Technology Devices International (FTDI) before I could upload code, since it was an Arduino Duemilanove. If you get that error, check to see if you need the Virtual COM driver. Also make sure that the board is correct (under the Arduino's Tools) and that you are connected to the correct USB port (also under Tools).
• Format for lab experiments
• My comments about lab reports and technical writing

Labs and Homeworks

• Note: you are responsible for meeting with the TA to show that your labs work. Failure to do so will result in a lower grade.
• You will need to get the equipment. The TA will hold her office hours in 25 Park Place (the former SunTrust building), room 646, and you can sign out the equipment from her. Be prepared to carry the equipment.
• Make sure to use the grounding strips any time that you work on electronics.
• example problems
• The project abstract is due January 28. (Note: the following system appears to work, but you are advised to keep a copy of what you type, in case there is a problem.) Use this link to submit the abstract. If you want to see what other groups are doing, click here.
• Lab 1: Introduction to the Arduino. Follow the format for lab experiments.
  Due February 4. You are responsible for demonstrating this (and all other) labs to the TA. When you turn in the report, you must indicate on the cover page when your appointment with the TA is. Keep a copy of the e-mail. If this is information is not on the lab when you turn it in, you will lose points.
• Initial project deliverables, due February 6, is a subset of the project proposal. Specifically, you should turn in: Safety precautions, Milestones, Timeline, "References and Rationales", and "Similarities and Differences". As with all assignments, you must include your name, the due date, the class, and what the assignment is. Include a project title, names of your partners, and abstract (you can copy and paste this from the submitted abstracts page, and make changes if needed). You are welcome to submit more information.
• February 13 - Quiz 1
• Lab 2: Float level sensor. Due February 20.
• example problems 2
• February 27 - Quiz 2
• March 3 - Project update video. The video should be about 5 minutes. Please follow the video project update directions, with a minimum of 4 sources, and you can ignore the part that says 2 must be books. After we see the video, we will ask you questions about your project, and give your feedback. Be sure to have your feedback recorded by the end of the day of the presentation. You can work in a group. We may need to extend presentations to the following class(es), too. Use .mp4 for the video format.
• Instructions for March 12 on-line class
• Lab 3: Temperature control. Due March 26April 2. The example code uses a 3 second interval, though you should be able to change the code to make this any interval that you want. Also, you should determine how much temperature variation is a reasonable amount. Include your reasoning in the report. Make sure to use caution with this lab, connect the wrist-straps, and only use a GFCI outlet. If you do not have access to a GFCI outlet, you should get one. We do have a few available for check-out. Update: March 4 -- the TA will set up a folder on iCollege for you to turn in your lab 3 report. Do this instead of printing it. Update: March 6 -- the TA has set up the folder on iCollege. Note that the due time is March-26-11:30AM Update: March 23 -- the due time listed above should change on iCollege.
• April 9 - Quiz 3. I put some questions together here
• Lab 4: The FreeRTOS library Due April 13. This is the last lab assignment for this semester. See This link to return equipment
• April 23 - Quiz 4
• Final Project demonstration videos will be during the final exam time-slot.
  • There are only so many groups that can present their videos in that time slot; we will also use class-time from the classes immediately before. In a recent semester there were so many groups that we had to schedule presentations over 4 classes.
  • You will NOT do this live; instead, you will show us a video that you made on your project. The video should last at least 4 minutes, but no longer than 6 minutes.
  • Afterward, you will answer questions from the class.
  • The final video should include game-play, so that we can clearly see what your game is like.
  • It would be better to have a small game that works rather than a large game that does not work.
  • The presentation schedule will be posted at the end of the semester. Plan to present on the first day of presentations until the schedule is posted.
• Added 4/14/20: You should be able to submit final video links and
  display final video links. (This is new, so let me know if you find any problems with it.)
• Final project videos are due no later than April 28 at 10:30 a.m.*. There will be a question/answer session for each group on those days. Use this form to give feedback about presentations.
• Also this semester, we will use this form to give feedback to your group members. You should leave comments for yourself, too.
• * Note that under the circumstances, some things are going to be a bit different. The videos all due at the same time, then use the time during the final exam time-slot to watch them. After that, we will ask questions, then respond to the questions, then ask follow-up questions, and respond to those. This means that you should answer any questions posted on 10:45 a.m. April 29 (or earlier) by 10:45 a.m. April 30. Any additional questions posted by Noon on April 30 should be answered no later than Noon on May 1. Everyone should ask at least one good question, and everyone should answer at least one question, too. After the question/answer session, everyone should submit their feedback for everyone else. All feedback is due no later than May 2. You are strongly advised to meet these deadlines in advance; you could put a draft version of your video on-line a week before, then update it as you work on it.
• Your final project video is due no later than 10:30 a.m. on April 28. Use .mp4 format. You can copy it to the instructor's computer. Your final project video must be on a server that we can access, such as GAMEDEV (if you have access), YouTube, or iCollege/Kaltura. Check to make sure that we can view it. Late videos may be graded (at a penalty), but only if time permits. Turn in your final project code on the same date. Make available to me any other files that you want me to consider. You are required to submit your source code, however, you can also turn in any project files that help establish that you've been working hard on your project. This can include source code, .git logs, meeting notes, blue-prints, sketches, tables (e.g. comparing parts to help decide which is best), algorithms, e-mails, invoices/receipts, pictures, even a scan of the back of a stained coffee-shop napkin where you first drew a concept of what your project would do. Tuesday April 28, 2020 update: just e-mail these files to me.
• The final exam time-slot is Tuesday, April 28, 2020, 10:45 - 13:15.

Lab Equipment

• Here is some information about ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI), an important safety device.
• If you work with electronics in a wet environment, take appropriate safety precautions. Use a drip-loop in any cable that needs it. A drip-loop is where the cable has slack, forming a point well below the outlet, such that any water on the cable will accumulate at that point and drip off instead of flowing into the outlet.
• A grounding strip (or a grounding mat, if you have one) will help protect you in the case of an accident.
• Available equipment
• Equipment that you will need for labs 1-3
• pictures of some of the equipment in the lab

Announcements and Other Information

• Demo Day will be held Friday, April 24th, from 1:00 - 4:00 on the 2nd floor of 25 PP
• Example connections for a'b+ac (also available as a tiff)
• Embedded Systems final project videos from 2017
• Embedded Systems final project videos from 2016
• Abstracts from Spring 2015
• Embedded Systems final project videos from 2014
• final project videos from 2013
• final project videos from 2012
• Video of the air-locks
• One Gallon Brewing, experiment 1
• One Gallon Brewing, experiment 2
• Arduino Duemilanove info and PDF version
• Here's an interesting article about RTOS emulation with Linux.
• Project ideas:
  • Make magazine has a lot of projects that would work for our class.
  • Here's an example of a SteamPunk device: how to build a Wimshurst influence machine.
  • Porting Linux to the DS Lite
  • Brewing control systems
  • Do something with the Raspberry Pi
  • Make a Lego Robot (and use NQC)
  • Make a video game for a specific embedded system
  • Port a classic game to a mobile device
  • GWT project, if you can justify it as a mobile application
  • Here is a website hosted by IEEE Spectrum with a lot of different projects.
  • Here is an example, a bicycle barometer
  • Motorized Star Wars AT-AT
  • You can always do a project that a previous group did, and take it to the next level.
• See Fritzing software for making Arduino / electronic diagrams easy to visualize
• BMW connected drive patch
• A camera flash will make the raspberry pi 2 freeze and reboot
• How to Turn Your iPhone Into a Water Leak Detector
• Here is information about the Pentium bug demonstrating a hardware error.
• Interesting, somewhat regional, design flaw: "NHTSA forced additional regional recalls in high-humidity areas including Florida, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands to gather removed parts and send them to Takata for review." [Airbag recall]
• Here is an article about "internet of things" devices that are used to spy on people.
• Data security is an important topic. Here is a link to information about the voter data breach.
• Raspberry pi and camera links
• USB UART Serial board for connecting serial devices
• NY Times article on H1-B Visas and Technology careers
• ES designers need to be concerned about safety: "employees tried calling maintenance for help but didn't get anyone on the phone, so they decided to try to fix the problem on their own"
• data on distracted drivers and cell phones
• U.S. Drivers Are Distracted
• Build a Retro Arcade Game from a Raspberry Pi and an Ikea Table
• Need to get an OS for a Raspberry Pi? Consider getting a "New Out Of Box Software (NOOBS)" SD card, where the card comes pre-loaded with software. Just make sure that it works with your model of Raspberry Pi.
• Here is an interesting project idea: digital sand
• Light switch complicator
• Tutorial on using a 7-segment display (Jameco)
• How servo motors work (Jameco)
• Basic data types can differ by language, and by machine. Java datatypes (short: 16 bits, int: 32 bits, long: 64 bits). C++ datatypes (short: "At least 16 bits", int: "At least 16 bits", long: "At least 32 bits", long long: "At least 64 bits").
• Shoes' firmware update and the app for the shoes
• This is a picture of the Impee device that I use to measure temperature.
  
  Electric Imp website
• Arduino RTOS code, an example called resumeTask.ino
• Windows 10 search failure
• "US Navy is replacing touch screen controls...Sailors "overwhelmingly" preferred to control ships with wheels and throttles"