ECE 4180 Embedded Systems Design

ECE 4180 Embedded Systems Design

Instructor: James Hamblen
Office: Klaus Building 3308 Tel: 894-3027
Office Hours: MW10-11, 12:30-2, TTR12:15-1:15 or any other time I am in the
office, have 4180 classes TTR 9:30-11 (VL C341) and 1:30-3 (Klaus 2456)
4180 Lab: Van Leer C256
Prerequisites:
ECE 3055/6 Introduction to Computer Architecture or ECE 2035/3035, ECE
2031 Digital Hardware, and familiarity with C, C++ (2036) or Java

Text and PowerPoint Slides:
Free on the web at www.ece.gatech.edu/~hamblen/wemap3 along with
hardware tutorials found in the mbed cookbook wiki at www.mbed.org

Other Useful References:
The Indispensable PC Hardware Book : Your Hardware Questions Answered
Fourth Edition -- Hans-Peter Messmer; Paperback
Just about any C/C++ book to review and check syntax.
Old class Handouts are available in lab. Old tests at web site
Course web site: www.ece.gatech.edu/~hamblen/4180

Projects:
Lab projects will be built and tested in the ECE 4180 lab in Van Leer
C256. Students in 4180 will have buzzcard access to the lab. After 7PM,
the lab door cannot remain propped open or an alarm will sound. A set of
protoboard jumper wires are handy to have around for use in the labs. The
TA will check off your project demos in the lab.
To enable student lab work at home, will need your own ARM mbed module
https://epay.gatech.edu/C20793_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=227
(underlines where spaces are in URL) and parts kit used for early labs.
Most GT ECE students already have the basic mbed kit from earlier GT ECE
2035/2036 undergraduate classes.
http://users.ece.gatech.edu/~hamblen/mbed/mbed_inventors_kit.htm has info
on where to buy parts directly, but ECE gets quantity 100+ discounts and
solders the kits.
There will also be a second mbed add-on embedded designer kit (the
4180 optional kit) with a small robot and new sensors that will enable
students to work on the mbed labs at home without needing to borrow parts
available only in the lab. There are only 10 lab setups and limited parts
available in the lab, so each lab team of two students really needs one
each of the 2 kits (mbed basic 2035/2036 and new 4180 optional kit). An X86
Intel Atom system in the lab is used for later labs. Windows OS and Visual
Studio software can be downloaded in a 180-day evaluation version from
Microsoft or from the GT ECE MSDN AA student web site.

Grading Policy:

Computer Lab Projects (5?) Teams of 2 Students 25%

Team Design Project (End of Semester) 25%

Test I Hardware Topics (week before drop day?) 25%

Test II Software Topics 25%

Final Exam Period (Class Design Project Presentations)
The final course GPA will be curved (up or down) to meet the official ECE
department policy:
ECE 1xxx/2xxx 2.4 -- 2.8
ECE 3xxx 2.7 -- 3.1
Required labs 2.8 -- 3.2
ECE 4xxx 3.0 -- 3.4
ECE 6xxx/8xxx 3.2 -- 3.6
Grades and projects will be handled through Tsquare and we should have lab
TA hours posted soon at the web site. Per Federal law, grades will only be
distributed on Tsquare and in the final grade reports at the end of the
semester. Per the registrar, grades will not be reported or details
disclosed via email. Tsquare is used to report individual grades during the
term, but final grades are typically computed on an Excel spreadsheet since
Tsquare has very limited grade calculations. So at the very end of the term
any curves or last minute changes will not be updated and posted again on
Tsquare. It is possible that grades could even be curved down, but
typically that is not needed.
Typical Class Grade Trends: As in any class with programming assignments,
average grades on programs and projects typically run in the high nineties
and test grades largely determine the A, B, C range grades. Students that
do not complete labs typically wind up with even lower grades of D or F
since the lab average is high for the rest of the class and these students
also typically miss those test questions related to material covered in the
labs. Average test grades are typically in the seventies.
Attendance: Students are responsible for all material covered in class,
including changes in exam schedules announced in class. Make-up exams are
not guaranteed to be the same as the exam given in class or subject to a
curve. Students missing a test without an excused absence will receive a
grade of zero on the test. Excused absences or requests for grades of
incomplete must be approved through the ECE academic office and/or the Dean
of Students office. All assignments will only be considered for regarding
within 1 week after they are returned.
Academic Honesty: Although students are encouraged strongly to work
together to learn the course material on homework, all students are
expected to complete exams individually, following all instructions stated
in conjunction with the exams and programs. Students should be prepared to
explain each lab assignment and their work when demoing each lab to the TA.
All conduct in this course will be governed by the Georgia Tech honor code.
Additionally, it is expected that students will respect their peers and the
instructor such that no one takes unfair advantage of any other person
associated with the course. Any suspected cases of academic dishonesty will
be reported to the Office of Student Integrity for further action.
Exams are open book & notes and calculators are allowed. During Dead week,
work will continue on Design Projects, if they have not been completed by
teams earlier.
Late Policy: Late labs and homeworks lose 10% per day late. A weekend
counts as one day.