Specific Outcomes of Instruction:
Upon completion of ECE 1245, students will be able to:

• Build, test, and debug simple electrical/computer engineering circuits using voltage and current sources, resistors and capacitors, op amps, and diodes to accomplish specific engineering tasks. 
• Design a circuit using sensors and op-amps to perform a useful task

Relationship of the Course to the ABET Student Outcomes:
Upon completion of ECE 1050, students will be able to:

1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics. The final project in this course directly addresses this outcome, as students choose a simple project to build to solve a practical problem.  The students formulate the circuit design and make it work.
2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors. When students choose and design their final projects, the instructor interacts with them to ensure that the project is safe and affordable.
3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences. For the final project, students write an email proposal and submit a proposed design review and a final design review.  This gives students practice with technical writing.
4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts. Students receive feedback on proposed project ideas to ensure they are safe and ethical.  Most projects, however, solve a problem that is local in scope.
5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.  Students work individually in this course rather than on teams.
6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions. Work in this course addresses this outcome in an introductory way by asking students to make simple observations and answer straightforward questions.
7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies. Although not specifically required, students often find sensors or other circuit ideas on their own to use for final projects.

Topics Covered in the Course:

• Resistors and Ohm's law
• Kirchhoff's laws
• Node-voltage analysis of D/A circuit
• Thévenin equivalents
• Digital logic gates
• Op-amp comparators and amplifiers
• RC circuits
• Sensor system design

UCard Access to Labs:

• Labs have doors that open with your UCard.  Submit the ECE Card Access Request form to gain access to your laboratory classroom.
• Request room MEB 2555 (ECE computer lab) and where our lab is held
• Turn this in to the stockroom MEB 2355 in person

Computer:

• You will need a computer for this course.  Your computer must also have the following features:

A microphone and camera as needed for Zoom

A powered USB port.  The Analog Discovery 2 that you will be using draws up to
500 mW or 100 mA at 5 Volts.

Enough memory to run several free software packages (MATLAB and LTspice).  16 GB recommended. See below.

Total cost for the items below Fall 2022 is $370.76:

Instrument Package: Analog Discovery 2 (hardware): 

• Buy from the ECE Stockroom in MEB 2355  or online. You will use this in ECE1245, 2240, and possibly other classes.
• Made by Digilent, the AD2 is a circuit that connects to a computer via USB and provides you with a powerful set of laboratory instruments like a power supply, oscilloscope, waveform generator, and more.  Using the AD2, you can do labs at home.

Multimeter: Astro AI TRMS 6000 Counts (Links to an external site.) (hardware): Buy for $35 from Stockroom

• The multimeter is able to measure voltage, current (below 1 mA), and capacitance.
• You may use an equivalent meter, but note that the Astro AI measures small currents, which is an unusual feature.

Parts Kit: Available from the ECE Stockroom

• The 1240 lab kits  include all/most of the parts you will need for the semester.
• Breadboard and wire kit 
  
  • The breadboard has clips inside it that connect components you insert into the holes in the board.  The breadboard is an alternative to connecting everything with wires and soldering them.  With the breadboard, you can build neat, temporary circuits.
  • The wire kit provides you with pre-cut wires for the breadboard so you can build nice, neat circuits.  Without the wire kit, you will rue the day.  With the wire kit, you will live in limitless delight because your circuits will actually work.

How to buy Parts from the ECE Stockroom:

• ECE_Stockroom_Purchase_Information form for purchases from ECE Stockroom

Student Version of MATLAB (software):  (free from U of U Software Licensing Office or use remotely for free)

• MATLAB is a simple programming interface that engineers use for quick, effective simulation, computation, and graphing.  We will use it throughout the course (which is meant to be your first introduction to this powerful tool), and in several other classes throughout your degree.  The link above also has tutorials and support to get you started.
• You may connect to the U of U machines, such as CADE Lab, to use MATLAB for free. You may also use the free alternatives to MATLAB with a similar syntax such as Freemat, or Octave. Be sure to specify which language you are using when answering laboratory problems.

LTspice Circuit Simulation Software: available free online for Windows or Mac

•  LTspice is made available for free by Analog Devices.  On their website, Analog Devices describes LTspice as follows:

LTspice^® is a high performance SPICE simulation software, schematic capture and waveform viewer with enhancements and models for easing the simulation of analog circuits. Included in the download of LTspice are macromodels for a majority of Analog Devices switching regulators, amplifiers, as well as a library of devices for general circuit simulation."

Waveforms Software for Analog Discovery 2: available free online for Windows, mac OS X, and Linux 

•  Waveforms is a free software package from Digilent for the Analog Discovery 2 (AD2).  Waveforms software turns the AD2 into a suite of high-quality lab instruments implemented in software.  Using the AD2 with Waveforms, you can do the labs and final project at home.

Word Processing Software: 

• You will need access to word processing software for writing lab reports, particularly at the end of the semester.

• Microsoft Office (Word) is available to UofU students free from the Office of Software Licensing (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..  Check out other free and discounted software for students.

Lab Notebook: 

• You will need a bound notebook, but it may be inexpensive.  Even a spiral notebook is allowed.  However, avoid notebooks that you can insert pages into (e.g., a loose-leaf notebook).  You will use standard practice by writing in the notebook in ink, numbering the pages, and signing and dating each page.  Use the notebook in the lab for everything you write down.  Keeping a beautiful notebook is unnecessary.  Making a complete record is necessary.  Write enough detail that you can understand what you did a year later. Scan the notebook pages to turn in with your lab.

Ensure you have the necessary items ahead of time, as they will be required to complete assignments and activities throughout the course.

Preferred Contact Methods

Office Hours

There will be roughly one lab exercise per 3-hour lab session with occasional gaps allowing you to catch up, if needed.  The labs are as follows (for start dates, see complete schedule on Home pages; for due dates, see Assignments in Canvas):

Lab 0: Purchase Analog Discovery 2 and Multimeter from Stockroom

Lab 1: Series and Parallel Resistance

Lab 2: LEDs and the Voltage Divider

Lab 3: Node Voltage and Digital to Analog Conversion

Lab 4: Thevenin Equivalents

Lab 5: Sensors and Comparator Op-Amp

Lab 6: Non-inverting Op-amp

Lab 7: Logic Gates

Lab 8: Capacitors

Lab 8.5: Square-Wave Oscillator (EXTRA CREDIT)

Extra Credit -- Build a Circuit (up to 50 points)

Final Project Week 0: Idea

Lab 9 -- Final Project Week 1: PDR

Lab 9 - Final Project Video (Extra Credit)

Your performance in this course will be evaluated by:

• Lab reports based on responses to questions in lab handouts
• Lab attendance/checkoffs and interaction with TAs assessed subjectively by TA
• Optional assignments for extra points

There are no exams in this course.

Previous Experience

No previous experience with electronics or programming is assumed or needed in this class. We will be starting from scratch. However, many students in this class will have had some experience, either formal or informal, and a few students will have had a lot of experience.  If you are someone with little or no experience, do not be intimidated!  We will be working together, and the course is designed to start from the beginning.

Workload

It is anticipated that a typical student will need to spend the following amount of time each week:

0.5 hours watching videos

1.5 hours in lab and homework

Additional time for final project write-up

2+ hours per week

Lab attendance is mandatory, and all lab work must be done in the lab under the supervision of your lab TA. You must attend labs (via video conferencing software such as Zoom if doing the course remotely) at the times listed in the University's Class Schedule. Prior to missing a lab session, contact your TA to make arrangements to attend an alternate lab session. The lab TA will grade you on attendance. You must converse with your TA as instructed, and you must contact the lab TA before leaving the lab each week.  Doing all of these things is necessary in order to receive attendance credit.

You must have attended a lab in order to receive credit for it.  Only if you receive approval in advance from your TA may you work on your laboratory project at times other than your regularly scheduled laboratory class period.

You must do your OWN lab work.

Laboratory Notebook:  You will be required to keep a laboratory notebook, and you must have a notebook for the first regular laboratory session (the second week of class).  You must, however, individually design, construct, and test each lab circuit.  You must also make all your own unique measurements and individually write your formal reports.  You must attend your laboratory class weekly, and you must show your laboratory instructor (TA) your work, demonstrate your measurements, and check off each week with the TA.

All assignments, unless otherwise announced, must be submitted to the designated area of Canvas. Lab reports are due the week after you attend the lab.

Late labs will be accepted without penalty, but labs are meant to help you learn and are timed with the rest of the class, so please don't get behind.

Grading for this course

To calculate your grade, your total scores in assignment categories are weighted as follows:

• 92% Lab Reports
• 10% Lab Attendance/Checkoffs
•   9% Extra Credit Lab
•   9% Build a Project
•   4.5% Final Project Video

Note that you can significantly improve your grade by doing the extra credit.

Extra Credit for spotting errors:  Extra Credit can be used to improve your grade.  Extra credit can be turned in through the last day of class. If you find a mistake in the lab handouts, email me the mistake (details, please, so I can fix it!) plus your corrections.  You may receive extra points for mistakes found, if you are the first person in the class to notice them.

Course grading scale

This course uses the following absolute grading scale.  Grades are calculated by Canvas.  Be aware that Canvas grades may be inflated if missing scores have not been set to zero, so you must take this into account.  Also, Canvas uses a weighted sum of percentages as shown in the Assignments section of Canvas.

Disclaimer

Accommodations will be considered on an individual basis and may require documentation.

Please contact your instructor and/or teaching assistant as soon as possible (preferably shortly before the semester begins) to request accommodations of any kind.

Extreme personal circumstances

Please contact your instructor as soon as possible if an extreme personal circumstance
(hospitalization, death of a close relative, natural disaster, etc.) is interfering with your ability to complete your work.

Religious Practice

To request an accommodation for religious practices, contact your instructor at the beginning of the semester.

Active Duty Military

If you are student on active duty with the military and experience issues that prevent you from participating in the course because of deployment or service responsibilities, contact your instructor as soon as possible to discuss appropriate accommodations.

Disability Access

All written information in this course can be made available in an alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability Services (CDS). CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations. Prior notice is appreciated. To read the full accommodations policy for the University of Utah, please see Section Q of the Instruction & Evaluation regulations.

If you will need accommodations in this class, contact:

Center for Disability Services
  801-581-5020
  disability.utah.edu
  162 Union Building
    200 S. Central Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

This syllabus is not a contract. It is meant to serve as an outline and guide for your course. Please note that your instructor may modify it to accommodate the needs of your class.

You will be notified of any changes to the Syllabus.

The following is expected of all students in this class:

• Students must be self-motivated, organized, and willing to stay on top of their schedule. Students should take control of their learning while in this course.
• Students are expected to follow the Core Rules of Netiquette at all times while participating in the class and communicating with others.
• Students will log in to the course a minimum of 3 times per week.
• Students are not expected to interact with their classmates in person. Students may be expected to work with classmates via online communication options like Canvas Discussions, video conferencing, or another communication technologies of choice (Groupme, FaceTime, Google Hangouts, etc).
• Students will regularly check for course updates and will update their Canvas notification settings to ensure they receive timely notifications from the course.
• Students will contact their instructor or teaching assistant in a timely manner if they have any questions, are struggling with course materials, or need further assistance from their instructor.
  • If you do not hear back within 3 days after sending a message, please contact your instructor/TA again.
• Students will follow all official University of Utah policies regarding interpersonal conduct, academic dishonesty, and other rights and responsibilities of students outlined in the University of Utah Student Handbook and Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities.
  • If you have any questions about this, please contact the Dean of Students.

Your course instructor is an expert in the topics you will learn about this semester. Your instructor is your mentor and facilitator of the classroom experience, aided by teaching assistants. Instructors are committed to:

• The instructor will design the course to include lectures, learning materials, and assignments that are accessible and provide students with opportunities to learn and practice course content.
• The instructor and teaching assistants will ensure that the course remains a safe space where students can engage with difficult content thoughtfully and respectfully.
• The instructor and teaching assistants will interact with the class regularly via announcements, virtual office hours (one-on-one video conferencing), emails/the Canvas Inbox, feedback on assignments, and comments on Discussions, among other methods.
• The instructor and teaching assistants will respond to students in a timely manner: within 48 hours, not including weekends and holidays.
• The instructor and teaching assistants will be available for individual consultation via virtual office hours (one-on-one video conferencing), email, or phone and will not require students to meet in person.
• The instructor and teaching assistants will provide relevant feedback in a timely manner.
• The instructor and teaching assistants will follow all official University of Utah policies regarding interpersonal conduct, accommodations, and other important duties.