EA2m

Definition
Ability to apply mathematical and computer- based models for solving problems in engineering, and the ability to assess the limitations of particular cases.

Sub skills
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Assessment
Current methods used to assess ability in the skill.

Benchmarks
 CORE 

Individual Project

Independently evaluate and assess alternative approaches to specific Engineering problems. Analyse the scientific literature in a specialised area and make an informed selection of tools and techniques to apply. Research, design, construct and verify a project in a complex or specialised area of engineering. Present and defend their own work through a written final report and oral presentation.

NON-CORE

Biologically Inspired Computation

Design and write evolutionary algorithms to find solutions to search problems. Compare the differences in conventional design with evolutionary design. Compare critically, conventional and bio-inspired approaches to fault tolerant circuit design. To be aware of, and make informed decisions using, the state-of-the-art biologically-inspired computation methods.

Embedded Computer Systems

Assess the requirements for a real-time system. Select real-time system designs and implementations. Evaluate the limitations of real- time system implementations. Assess the problems involved in high reliability system design. Develop mathematical quantities related to reliability engineering. Make informed design decisions relating to increasing the reliability of both hardware and software systems. Make informed decisions regarding a particular application and the suitable architectures. Design a simple instruction pipeline CPU. Consider in detail the design of Cache memories.

Physical Layers

Understand the problems of providing high-bit-rate communications over copper cabling. Understand the problems of providing high-bit- rate communications over mobile and fading wireless channels. Have gained a working knowledge of the range of current techniques available for achieving acceptable error rates over these channels.

RF & Microwave circuit design

Specify RF and Microwave systems. Design RF and Microwave amplifiers, oscillators, mixers and filters. Have an appreciation of modern CAD tools. Build and test RF circuits. Use common RF and Microwave measurement instruments.

Advanced Information Storage

Understand principles of magnetic, optical and magneto-optical storages. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of these three techniques. Describe the domain structures of longitudinal, perpendicular and patterned recording media. Assess the limit of data storage density in both magnetic recording and optical recording. Simulate the magnetic domain structures of a small magnetic element. Calculate the superparamagnetic limit of the media with different magnetic anisotropies. Calculate the spot size of a laser beam in optical recording system. Propose approaches to increase the storage densities. Design and fabricate information storage devices.

Signal Processing

Select the optimal method for changing the sampling rate of a digital signal and implement it. Explain the characteristics and trade-offs between multi-bit and 1-bit DSP. Calculate the noise produced by a digital filter and assess its significance both numerically and perceptually. Explain the operation, limitations and practical implementation of the DFT, FFT and STFT and judge when to use which form. Minimise frequency response errors due to coefficient quantisation. Demonstrate an understanding of the use of probability theory in signal processing. Derive and explain the principles of Kalman filtering.

Information and Coding

Use concepts of information theory as applied to communication networks and links. Calculate the entropy and redundancy of a random source. Apply a simple source coding technique to a source, and evaluate the result. Evaluate the capacity of a channel, for some simple cases. Encode and decode linear block codes using generator matrices and polynomials. Encode convolutional codes with given generator matrix, and decode using the Viterbi algorithm. Calculate decoded BER for FEC codes. Devise block and trellis coded modulation schemes. Encode and decode data using LDPC and Turbo Codes. Evaluate the effect of fading on BER modulation and coding schemes.

Automatic Flight Control Systems

Design a flight control law to achieve a typical specification. Argue the case for the engineering trade-offs required to meet the design goals. Understand the hierarchical form of practical flight control systems.

Electronics for Medicine

Understand how electrical signals are generated within the human body, and to describe and apply techniques to model and analyse these signals. Appreciate how electromagnetic waves interact with biological tissues, and the applications of these interactions in diagnosis, therapy, and RF risk assessment and dosimetry. Find out about the different types of medical imaging modalities, and develop practical experience of these in image processing laboratories. Apply electronic techniques in bio-medical research areas through detailed consideration of selected case studies.

Signal Processing for Communications

Have a comprehensive knowledge of modern digital signal processing methods. Explain the trade-offs between software and hardware implementation of the methods. Understand how to design and apply synchronisation techniques. Understand channel estimation, equalisation and adaptive filtering. Have knowledge of multi-user detection techniques. Have knowledge of diversity techniques.

Transducers, Sensors & Actuation

Design the principle components of avionic instrumentation systems. Evaluate novel instrumentation techniques. Design and evaluate actuator systems. Implement high reliability schemes. Plan and participate in group seminars.

Network Security

Understand different network configurations and their design and application. Understand a variety of different possible threats to certain types of networks and how these threats can be countered. Be able to assess the requirements for security in a variety of networks.

Embedded Systems for FPGA

Understand how to program microcontrollers and DSP microprocessors using both high- and low-level languages. Understand the issues associated with such programming (e.g., deadlocks, interrupts, I/Os). Be able to map and implement DSP and other algorithms as hardware accelerators in FPGA fabric. Know how to design custom peripherals for embedded microprocessors, and connect off-the-shelf peripheral components to an FPGA-based system.

Advanced Internet Protocols

Understand the operation of the principle protocols used for providing Quality of Service provision on the Internet. Understand how multicasting can be used on the Internet. Understand how mobility is being addressed in the Internet protocols. Understand how programs can access the Internet using sockets. Know how and why existing and new transport layer protocols are being developed. Have gained a deep understanding of one specific issue in the Internet.

Relevant Higher Order Skills
Electrical Engineering