Board 85: Using Telecommunication Instructional Modeling System (TIMS) in Electrical and Computer Engineering Courses

Jiahui Song; Douglas Eric Dow; Wayne Bynoe

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Conference: 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Baltimore , Maryland
Publication Date: June 25, 2023
Start Date: June 25, 2023
End Date: June 28, 2023
Conference Session: Electrical and Computer Engineering Division (ECE) Poster Session
Tagged Division: Electrical and Computer Engineering Division (ECE)
Page Count: 10
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--42975
Permanent URL: https://strategy.asee.org/42975
Download Count: 98

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Paper Authors

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Jiahui Song Wentworth Institute of Technology

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Jiahui Song received her B.S. in Automation and M.S. in Pattern Recognition & Intelligent Systems from Southeast University. She received her Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Old Dominion University. She is currently a Professor

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Douglas Eric Dow Wentworth Institute of Technology

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Professor at Wentworth Institute of Technology in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (started 2008). Education B.A. in Liberal Arts Engineering from Wheaton College (Wheaton, IL); B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University (College Station, TX); M.S. in Computer Science from University of Colorado (Colorado Springs, CO); M.S. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI). Worked in industry for about 9 years at Ampex Corporation (video systems manufacturing) in Colorado Springs CO, Panasonic (central research lab) in Osaka, Japan, and National University of Singapore (center for image enhanced medicine) in Singapore. Post Doc or Sabbatical research was done at Tohoku University (biology information systems) in Sendai, Japan, Mayo Clinic (respiration research lab) in Rochester MN, and Kansai University (knowledge information systems) in Osaka, Japan. Core focus involves embedded electronic systems for applications in medical rehabilitation, health monitoring, physical therapy and assistive technologies. This involves development of hardware and software systems with sensors, embedded control and mechanical actuators. Applications include respiration monitoring, sleep apnea, rehabilitation of impaired muscle for recovery of motor function, health monitoring for elderly to extend independent living, and diabetes management. These systems utilize internet of things (IoT) for remote communication between patient, medical staff, care-givers and instrumentation.

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Wayne Bynoe Wentworth Institute of Technology

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I am a professor in the School of Engineering at Wentworth Institute of Technology. My area of specialization is Computer Networks. I worked for decades as a Technical Staff member at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in the areas of computer network modeling and simulation and high performance processor design for signal processing applications.

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Abstract

Conventional courses in signals and systems, communications systems, and data communications use lecture and readings to explain the theory and assign paper-based problem sets of theory and math, possibly supplemented with simulation labs, such as using Matlab and Multisim. Software based simulation studies are a useful learning tool, however, computer simulations cannot model all aspects of the behavior of actual systems.

Telecommunication Instructional Modelling System (TIMS) is an advanced system for telecommunications training. TIMS is a rack and module system, in which modules perform a basic communication or signal processing function on actual analog signals in hardware. For example, there are adders, multipliers, filters, samplers, and signal generators. TIMS provides students with a way of prototyping communication and signal processing systems in the laboratory that helps understanding.

TIMS would provide a more "real world" experience for the students compared with only software simulations. A series of laboratory exercises for signals and systems course was developed to help students understand and visualize the complex mathematical concepts and gain a better appreciation for how the concepts are useful in real-world situations: Fourier series analyzer, spectrum analysis of signals, and sampling and aliasing. In an attempt to give students more hands-on experience with the theories and concepts of analog and digital communications, TIMS lab exercises included amplitude modulation/demodulation, frequency modulation/demodulation, ASK generation/demodulation, BPSK generation/demodulation, FSK generation/demodulation. In data communication class, TIMS lab exercises sampling theorem verification and constellation diagrams for multi-level modulation were introduced to students. TIMS units are hardware training systems, with which the students build the circuits at a block diagram level and observe the results using oscilloscope.

Evaluations were based on student surveys (course evaluations) and student work (assigned homework, exams and labs). 87% of signals and systems class students “agree” or “strongly agree” that the TIMS laboratory exercises helped them to better learn the course content. 81% “of the students agree” or “strongly agree” that laboratory exercises increased their interest in the subject. 96% of engineering communication systems students “agree” or “strongly agree” that TIMS helped them to better learn the course content. 92% of students “agree” or “strongly agree” that TIMS increased their interest in the subject.

Citation
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Song, J., & Dow, D. E., & Bynoe, W. (2023, June), Board 85: Using Telecommunication Instructional Modeling System (TIMS) in Electrical and Computer Engineering Courses Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--42975

TY - CPAPER
AB - Conventional courses in signals and systems, communications systems, and data communications use lecture and readings to explain the theory and assign paper-based problem sets of theory and math, possibly supplemented with simulation labs, such as using Matlab and Multisim. Software based simulation studies are a useful learning tool, however, computer simulations cannot model all aspects of the behavior of actual systems.

Telecommunication Instructional Modelling System (TIMS) is an advanced system for telecommunications training. TIMS is a rack and module system, in which modules perform a basic communication or signal processing function on actual analog signals in hardware. For example, there are adders, multipliers, filters, samplers, and signal generators. TIMS provides students with a way of prototyping communication and signal processing systems in the laboratory that helps understanding.

TIMS would provide a more &quot;real world&quot; experience for the students compared with only software simulations. A series of laboratory exercises for signals and systems course was developed to help students understand and visualize the complex mathematical concepts and gain a better appreciation for how the concepts are useful in real-world situations: Fourier series analyzer, spectrum analysis of signals, and sampling and aliasing. In an attempt to give students more hands-on experience with the theories and concepts of analog and digital communications, TIMS lab exercises included amplitude modulation/demodulation, frequency modulation/demodulation, ASK generation/demodulation, BPSK generation/demodulation, FSK generation/demodulation. In data communication class, TIMS lab exercises sampling theorem verification and constellation diagrams for multi-level modulation were introduced to students. TIMS units are hardware training systems, with which the students build the circuits at a block diagram level and observe the results using oscilloscope.

Evaluations were based on student surveys (course evaluations) and student work (assigned homework, exams and labs). 87% of signals and systems class students “agree” or “strongly agree” that the TIMS laboratory exercises helped them to better learn the course content. 81% “of the students agree” or “strongly agree” that laboratory exercises increased their interest in the subject. 96% of engineering communication systems students “agree” or “strongly agree” that TIMS helped them to better learn the course content. 92% of students “agree” or “strongly agree” that TIMS increased their interest in the subject.

AU - Jiahui Song
AU - Douglas Eric Dow
AU - Wayne Bynoe
CY - Baltimore , Maryland
DA - 2023/06/25
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Board 85: Using Telecommunication Instructional Modeling System (TIMS) in Electrical and Computer Engineering Courses
UR - https://strategy.asee.org/42975
DO - 10.18260/1-2--42975
ER -