274,775 research outputs found
A project based approach to learning for first year engineering students
Support for transition from Leaving Certificate and entry to college for 1st year engineering students
can be difficult to achieve. This new course offers an innovative project based approach to learning for
1st years with an introduction to design to build confidence in student ability and give motivation in
research and discovery skills. The project takes place in small groups and relies heavily on
presentation, group and individual skills. The Mechanical and Manufacturing and the Electronic
Engineering Schools at Dublin City University offered this new module for all first year Engineering
Students in 2006. The course entitled, âProject and Laboratory Skillsâ was an immediate success with
increased participation and retention rates and a high level of academic success in assessment. This
paper highlights the overall module concepts, teaching and learning outcomes and the resources
required for such a module
Spintronics-based Reconfigurable Ising Model Architecture
Published in the International Symposium On Quality Electronic Design (ISQED), March 2020The Ising model has been explored as a framework for modeling NP-hard problems, with several diverse systems proposed to solve it. The Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ)-based Magnetic RAM is capable of replacing CMOS in memory chips. In this paper, we propose the use of MTJs for representing the units of an Ising model and leveraging its intrinsic physics for finding the ground state of the system through annealing. We design the structure of a basic MTJ-based Ising cell capable of performing the functions essential to an Ising solver. A technique to use the basic Ising cell for scaling to large problems is described. We then go on to propose Ising-FPGA, a parallel and reconfigurable architecture that can be used to map a large class of NP-hard problems, and show how a standard Place and Route tool can be utilized to program the Ising-FPGA. The effects of this hardware platform on our proposed design are characterized and methods to overcome these effects are prescribed. We discuss how two representative NP-hard problems can be mapped to the Ising model. Simulation results show the effectiveness of MTJs as Ising units by producing solutions close/comparable to the optimum, and demonstrate that our design methodology holds the capability to account for the effects of the hardware.This work was supported by the National Science Foundation(NSF) under Grant 164242
Enhancing the learning environment using classroom response systems
Classroom response systems (CRS) offer a management tool for engaging students in the classroom. These systems have been used in a variety of fields and at all levels of education. Typical goals of CRS questions are discussed, as well as the advantages to both students and instructors as a result of using them. These systems are especially valuable as a means of introducing and monitoring peer
learning methods in the large lecture classroom. But the efficacy of using these systems depends strongly on the quality of the questions used. The integration of a CRS in an introductory physics module is discussed along with examples of questions used and the student assessment carried out
A review of stencil printing for microelectronic packaging
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a detailed overview of the current stencil printing process for microelectronic packaging.Design/methodology/approachThis paper gives a thorough review of stencil printing for electronic packaging including the current state of the art.FindingsThis article explains the different stencil technologies and printing materials. It then examines the various factors that determine the outcome of a successful printing process, including printing parameters, materials, apparatus and squeegees. Relevant technical innovations in the art of stencil printing for microelectronics packaging are examined as each part of the printing process is explained.Originality/valueStencil printing is currently the cheapest and highest throughput technique to create the mechanical and electrically conductive connections between substrates, bare die, packaged chips and discrete components. As a result, this process is used extensively in the electronic packaging industry and therefore such a review paper should be of interest to a large selection of the electronics interconnect and assembly community.</jats:sec
Health Figures: An Open Source JavaScript Library for Health Data Visualization
The way we look at data has a great impact on how we can understand it,
particularly when the data is related to health and wellness. Due to the
increased use of self-tracking devices and the ongoing shift towards preventive
medicine, better understanding of our health data is an important part of
improving the general welfare of the citizens. Electronic Health Records,
self-tracking devices and mobile applications provide a rich variety of data
but it often becomes difficult to understand. We implemented the hFigures
library inspired on the hGraph visualization with additional improvements. The
purpose of the library is to provide a visual representation of the evolution
of health measurements in a complete and useful manner. We researched the
usefulness and usability of the library by building an application for health
data visualization in a health coaching program. We performed a user evaluation
with Heuristic Evaluation, Controlled User Testing and Usability
Questionnaires. In the Heuristics Evaluation the average response was 6.3 out
of 7 points and the Cognitive Walkthrough done by usability experts indicated
no design or mismatch errors. In the CSUQ usability test the system obtained an
average score of 6.13 out of 7, and in the ASQ usability test the overall
satisfaction score was 6.64 out of 7. We developed hFigures, an open source
library for visualizing a complete, accurate and normalized graphical
representation of health data. The idea is based on the concept of the hGraph
but it provides additional key features, including a comparison of multiple
health measurements over time. We conducted a usability evaluation of the
library as a key component of an application for health and wellness
monitoring. The results indicate that the data visualization library was
helpful in assisting users in understanding health data and its evolution over
time.Comment: BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making 16.1 (2016
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