New Modes of Instructions for Electrical Engineering Course Offered to Non- Electrical Engineering Majors

An issue of “too abstract and not too visible” ECE content materials was often cited by non electrical engineering majors when pursuing an electrical engineering course. Close scrutiny to the issues suggests that new modes of instructions are to be pursued in order to meet students’ satisfaction and successful delivery of the course. The ECE20400 “Electrical and Electronics Circuits”, a required course for the mechanical engineering program, has been offered for near 10 years in the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at our school with the traditional text book format, covering linear circuits and digital electronics with a lab that is integrated with the course materials. Feedback from ME students throughout the years, has led to the new approach covered in this paper. New modes of instructions using mechanical/electrical system analogy, attached learning with real engineering applications to each section of the course, and project based portfolio with students’ engagement in multidisciplinary teams. In the latter, designated assignments to group individuals has led to positive impact on the course. In this paper, we are providing the new approach on the modified course in recent offering at our campus. Feedback from summer 2105 in addition to fall 2015 will be incorporated to the outcomes of the new development. With the advancement of integrated electrical systems from sub-micron integrated circuit technology to high frequency Wi-Fi wireless applications and as global market competition demands systems with enhanced functionalities and yet - lower cost, lighter weight and smaller size - the role of mechanical engineers in a multidisciplinary team in the workplace is highly critical in the success of the system design and performance. The non-electrical disciplines such as manufacturing, packaging, board layout, wire bonding, heat transfer, etc. have a profound impact on an electrical design. It is critical that non-EE team members know the basic electronics. To boost students’ interest, this message is conveyed to a mostly mechanical engineering student population in this required introductory analog / digital course. In addition, peer led teams from class present effective analogies to observe the connection of electrical engineering concepts to mechanical engineering equivalence. These, in addition to circuit simulation and hands-on laboratory experiments, encourage creative thinking, teamwork and active class participation, in an effort to prepare students in the global work force. Students’ feedback from summer 2015 supported much of the new modes detailed in this paper

Electromagnetic and Thermal Simulations of Human Neurons for SAR Applications

The impact of the electromagnetic waves (EM) on human neurons (HN) has been under investigation for decades, in efforts to understand the impact of cell phones (radiation) on human health, or radiation absorption by HN for medical diagnosis and treatment. Research issues including the wave frequency, power intensity, reflections and scattering, and penetration depths are of important considerations to be incorporated into the research study. In this study, computer simulation for the EM exposure to HN was studied for the purpose of determining the upper limits of the electric and magnetic field intensities, power consumption, reflections and transmissions, and the change in temperature resulting from the power absorption by human neurons. Both high frequency structural simulators (HFSS) from ANSYS software, and COMSOL multi-physics were used for the simulation of the EM transmissions and reflections, and the temperature profile within the cells, respectively. For the temperature profile estimation, the study considers an electrical source of 0.5 watt input power, 64 MHz. The EM simulation was looking into the uniformity of the fields within the sample cells. The size of the waveguide was set to be appropriate for a small animal model to be conducted in the future. The incident power was fully transmitted throughout the waveguide, and less than 1% reflections were observed from the simulation. The minimum reflected power near the sample under investigation was found to be with negligible reflected field strengths. The temperature profile resulting from the COMSOL simulation was found to be near 0.25 m°K, indicating no change in temperature on the neuro cells under the EM exposure. The paper details the simulation results for the EM response determined by HFSS, and temperature profile simulated by COMSOL

Preparing ECE Students for Research Career in Nanotechnology via Track Program

Abstract: This paper details the research participation of undergraduate students from the freshman to the senior year. Four courses were designated to prepare students for a nanotechnology research career. New modes of instructions leading to research participation followed in this curriculum have been reported. This covers integration of knowledge, just in time approach, and project portfolio based curriculum. Courses developed in this track emphasize research and applications in health sciences and renewable energy areas. The structure of the track program was presented before with emphasis on the senior level courses of the track. The work in this paper, however, emphasizes research participation in nanotechnology of the junior students within the electrical engineering, computer engineering, and mechanical engineering disciplines. The multidisciplinary components in nanotechnology research topics were attractive to students to work in team. The topics covered in this course included nanotechnology applications in diabetes, cancer research, and neurosciences. Lecture materials were all from up-to-date research papers, and can be altered with the course updates. Students registered for this course were required to emphasize two research topics seven week each, and prepare research posters in a research day where industrial representatives are invited to participate in the discussions with students. Students who completed this course were interested to continue with nanotechnology individual research and get enrolled in upper level courses. The course starts with introducing students to the nanotechnology applications in various fields, including environment, society, consumer electronics, computers, health sciences, optics, electromagnetics, energy, and medical imaging. The course then introduces students to research issues emphasizing health sciences and renewable energy. Students will be required to expand their research to cover in depth one or two research issues that fall within their interests. In the research projects, students work in team, two students/team, and assignment is given to bath to share the contribution of the project. The course was assessed with student satisfaction, and the objectives and the outcomes of the course were met

An Evaluation of a Research Experience Traineeship (RET) Program for Integrating Nanotechnology into Pre-College Curriculum

Nanotechnology has become a national focus throughout the United States with more than 24 billion USD of cumulative federal support towards nanotechnology research and development since 2001. In the last 20 years, R&D in this space has led to a number of revolutions in electronics, photovoltaics, manufacturing, medicine and much more. One of the primary goals of this federal funding, as described by the inter-governmental body, the Committee on Technology Subcommittee on Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET), has been to develop educational resources that will ultimately lead to a skilled workforce who will continually advance the state of the art of nanotechnology. This study explores the impact of one summer’s implementation of an NSF-funded Research Experiences for Teachers professional development K-12 program designed towards this end. Specifically, the Research Experiences for Teacher Advancement in Nanotechnology (RETAIN) program at a large public Midwestern University was designed to provide 30 K-12 teachers (10 per year, primarily high school level) from high-needs, urban school districts with research experiences and shared activities designed to increase their understanding of the challenges and demands of nanotechnology, as well as college and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. In addition to these research experiences, our multi-disciplinary team sought to lead participants in the creation of 15 hands-on inquiry-based teaching modules (5 per year) that integrate multiple STEM disciplines, convey scientific-process skills, and align with Indiana Academic Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards. We frame this study as research evaluation, as our initial focus was on evaluating programmatic outcomes with the intention of improving the program itself through a cyclical process of research to practice. In this paper, our scope extends to the broader scholarly community: here we build on our evaluation results, with the aim of extending the body of knowledge pertaining to STEM professional development opportunities similar to this on

Antenna Design and SAR Analysis on Human Head Phantom Simulation for Future Clinical Applications

Background The rapid development of a variety of devices that emit Radiofrequency Electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) has sparked growing interest in their interaction with biological systems and the beneficial effects on human health. As a result, investigations have been driven by the potential for therapeutic applications, as well as concern for any possible negative health implications of these EM energies [-]. Recent results have indicated specific tuning of experimental and clinical RF exposure may lead to their clinical application toward beneficial health outcomes []. Method In the current study, a mathematical and computer simulation model to analyze a specific RF-EMF exposure on a human head model was developed. Impetus for this research was derived from results of our previous experiments which revealed that Repeated Electromagnetic Field Stimulation (REMFS) decreased the toxic levels of beta amyloid (Aβ) in neuronal cells, thereby suggesting a new potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Throughout development of the proposed device, experimental variables such as the EM frequency range, specific absorption rate (SAR), penetration depth, and innate properties of different tissues have been carefully considered. Results RF-EMF exposure to the human head phantom was performed utilizing a Yagi-Uda antenna type possessing high gain (in the order of 10 dbs) at a frequency of 64 MHz and SAR of 0.6 W/Kg. In order to maximize the EM power transmission in one direction, directors were placed in front of the driven element and reflectors were placed behind the driven element. So as to strategically direct the EM field into the center of the brain tissue, while providing field linearity, our analysis considered the field distribution for one versus four antennas. Within the provided dimensions of a typical human brain, results of the Bioheat equation within COMSOL Multiphysics version 5.2a software demonstrated less than a 1 m˚K increase from the absorbed EM power

Dynamic thermal/acoustic response for human bone materials at different energy levels: A diagnosis approach

Background The non-invasive diagnostic approaches have gained high attention in recent years, utilizing high technology sensor systems, including infrared, microwave devices, acoustic transducers, etc. The patient safety, high resolution images, and reliability are among the driving forces toward high technology approaches. The thermal and acoustic responses of the materials may reflect the important research parameters such as penetration depth, power consumption, and temperature change used for the practical models of the system. This paper emphasizes the approach for orthopedic application where the bone densities were considered in simulation to designate the type of human bones. Methods Thermal energy pulses were applied in order to study the penetration depth, the maximum temperature change; spatially and dynamically, and the acoustic pressure distribution over the bone thickness. The study was performed to optimize the amount of energy introduced into the materials that generate the temperature value for high resolution beyond the noise level. Results Three different energy pulses were used; 1 J, 3 J and 5 J. The thermal energy applied to the four bone materials, cancellous bone, cortical bone, red bone marrow, and yellow bone marrow were producing relative changes in temperature. The maximum change ranges from 0.5 K to 2 K for the applied pulses. The acoustic pressure also ranges from 210 to 220 dB among the various types of bones. Conclusion The results obtained from simulation suggest that a practical model utilizing infra-red scanning probe and piezoelectric devices may serve for the orthopedic diagnostic approach. The simulations for multiple layers such as skin interfaced with bone will be reserved for future considerations