Course syllabus for Digital project laboratory

Course syllabus adopted 2021-02-10 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameDigital konstruktion, projektkurs
  • CodeEDA234
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerTKELT
  • Education cycleFirst-cycle
  • Main field of studyComputer Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering
  • DepartmentCOMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 50121
  • Maximum participants34
  • Block schedule
  • Open for exchange studentsYes

Credit distribution

0108 Project 7.5 c
Grading: TH
7.5 c

In programmes

Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for bachelor's level (first cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

The same as for the programme that owns the course.
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

Fundamentals of Digital Systems and Computer Engineering, Electronics, and Computer Software Programming. Since hardware description languages are central to the course, we recommend one of the following courses as prerequisite: EDA322 Digital Design, SSY011 Electronic systems, or DAT094 Design of digital electronic systems.

Aim

This is a project-oriented course in which groups of students, starting from a specification of a relatively complex digital system, develop a hardware architecture which is subsequently implemented, tested, and evaluated. The course aims to give practical knowledge and skills in using programmable digital integrated circuits (FPGA and CPLD) and in developing small electronic systems, from specification to working prototype.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

  • describe the principles for a structured and hierarchical description of smaller digital systems [P, R].
  • describe how programmable logic circuits work and how they are best utilized [L, R, P].
  • handle electronic design automatic (EDA) tools to develop and verify programmable logic circuits [L, R, P].
  • search for information in documentation/datasheets of commercial electronic components [R, B, W].
  • implement a prototype digital system considering aspects of clocking, synchronization, and control (state machine) [R, P].
  • determine power supply requirements for digital circuits in environments with multiple voltages [R, P].
  • develop a prototype digital system, from specification, via implementation and verification, to testing and evaluation [W,B.P]

Content

Work in designing and implementing of a digital device, in which a microprocessor can be included.

The following skills are the students acquire:

  • Construction - with limited resources 
  • Troubleshooting with a Logic Analyzer 
  • Timing 
  • Using FPGA/CPLD circuits 
  • Reading technical documentation
  • Report writing with focus on technical documentation

Organisation

The course begins with some lecture and exercises that allows students to become familiar with CAD/EDA tools. Subsequently, the students themselves proceed with the construction work under supervision. The project work is performed in groups of three or four students. Each group selects a task of its own or follows a proposal from a catalog of projects. Components, instruments and equipment will be available for students in accessible premises for a period of six weeks. Construction work is presented in a written report. Students have a meeting each week with a supervisor. The course concludes with a seminar with mandatory attendance, where projects are presented.

Literature

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Examination including compulsory elements

Examination is carried out continuously during the course with laboratory exercises [L], weekly meetings [W], examination of log books [O], assessment of the final product [P] and report [R] and the oral presentation [M]. The grade is set based on your project group that has chosen your basic grade, here it is based on how well the project has done. The individual grade is set based on the students' performance in the group, the oral presentation, logbook entries and individual grant report. All the above elements must be approved for final grades on courses. Detailed information can be found in the course PM.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.