Integrated Interactive Electrical Engineering Workstation for Combining Theoretical Computation, Electrical Measure- ments and Simulation

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This project concerns the development of a standardized workstation to assist students in the electrical engineering laboratories. Each workstation is centered around the NeXT computer coupled with automated test equipment and permits the students to make computations (numerical models), perform automated electrical measurements, acquire data, perform simulation and test designs from one integrated workstation. By unifying all of the above activities via one standard computer interface (taught early in the junior year), the student is able to concentrate on the engineering concepts being taught throughout the rest of the laboratory courses. Workstation development concentrates on three specific applications. Two areas deal with continuous and discrete signals and systems and makes use of the GPIB equipment and storage oscilloscope and spectrum analyzer software. Theoretical and simulation results are easily compared and contrasted with experimental measurements. The third area deals with development of innovative computer-mentored experimentation with microprocessor systems using logic analyzers. These applications are intended to demonstrate the effectiveness of the integrated workstation approach and lay a foundation for further work. The award is being matched by an equal amount from the principal investigator's institution.