Module overview
Conventional laboratory experiments are useful mainly to assist understanding or analysis. Because they are of necessity stereotyped, they are of limited usefulness when a circuit or system must be designed to meet a given specification. The majority of engineering tasks fall into this latter category, and therefore require design or synthesis skills, in addition to the understanding of underlying engineering principles.
This module includes individual and team design exercises devised to provide a bridge between 'conventional' experiments and the project work in the third and fourth years, (which in turn provide a bridge to 'real' projects in industry). The exercise has real deadlines and concrete deliverables and students are encouraged to be creative, develop imaginative solutions and to make mistakes.
Exercises share common characteristics:
- Customer orientated rather than proscriptive specifications are given
- Design work carried out, bringing academic knowledge to bear on practical problems
- Laboratory sessions are used for development/ construction/ verification of designs
- Allow students to demonstrate their communication skills in writing individual and group reports/presentations.