Instrumentation and Control Techniques

Recommended Prerequisites

Computer programming; Signals and systems.

Teaching Methods

The course comprises the structured development of an instrumentation project. The teacher will help in the selection of the problem and will guide this development through the various phases of the project.
The use of Internet search engines for the development of the project will be strongly encouraged.
Students will be required to assemble and test a prototype, write a short report and an oral presentation of the project. The project will be done in groups of two or three students.

Learning Outcomes

- Ability to create small computer-controlled instruments using a structured design approach.
- Learn the basic rules of product design.
- Learn how to assemble, develop, and test a small electronic system with sensors and actuators using a development platform (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or similar).
- Develop the capacities to solve problems and critical thinking.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Problem definition
Collect requirements. Modular and functional decomposition. Preliminary specification including the state of the art. Task planning.

2. Design and evaluation
Design techniques. Comparison and evaluation of optional solutions. Final specification including the working principle, system architecture, and bill of materials.

3. Prototype development and testing
Prototype assembling using a development platform (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or similar). Software modules development. Functional testing.

4. Documentation
Technical documentation writing guidelines. Notes on security, quality, and certification.

Head Lecturer(s)

Jorge Afonso Cardoso Landeck

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Project: 100.0%

Bibliography

- Nigel Cross, Engineering Design Methods – Strategies for Product Design, John Wiley and Sons, 2000.
- Halit Eren, Electronic Portable Instruments: Design and Applications, CRC Press, 2004.
- Michael Slater, Microprocessor Based Design: A Comprehensive Guide to Effective Hardware Design, Prentice Hall, 1998.