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ECOR 1010 Introduction to Engineering

The Systems Engineering Tradition at Carleton U

D.L. Bailey

Department of Systems and Computer Engineering

Carleton University

November 2006

• Copyright © 2000 - 2006 D.L. Bailey.

• Additional slides added Nov. 2005, Copyright © 2005 T.W. Pearce.

• For use in ECOR 1010 only. May not be distributed outside the Faculty of Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, without permission.

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Carleton Engineering: "ECE" Programs

• Most courses in our ECE programs are taught by the Department of Systems and Computer Engineering (SCE) and the Department of Electronics (DOE)– we’ve never had an Electrical Engineering

department!

• Electrical Engineering (1960) (DOE)• Computer Systems Engineering (1982) (SCE)• Communications Engineering (1998) (SCE)• Engineering Physics (1998) (DOE)• Software Engineering (1999) (SCE)• Biomedical and Electrical Engineering (2006) (SCE)

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SCE Through the Years

• Over the years, SCE has been known as:– Division of Computing, Communications, Control

and Power Systems (CCCP)– Division/Department of Systems Engineering– Department of Systems Engineering and

Computer Science– Department of Systems and Computer

Engineering

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Systems Span Engineering Disciplines

• Systems aren’t just the domain of SCE• Many of the topics taught in courses offered by

Electronics, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, and Civil & Environmental Engineering deal with systems

• Many systems projects involve engineers (and other specialists) from several disciplines working in teams

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So, Just What is a System?

a system converts inputs...

...to outputs

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The Role of the Engineer

What are the inputs?

What are the outputs?

What goes inside?

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Systems Consist of Subsystems...

inside?inputs?

outputs?

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…And Subsystems Consist of Subsystems

inputs?

outputs?

inside?

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Systems Can Be Complex

• Many systems are so complex that no one person can comprehend them in their entirety

• How can you think & talk about a system you want to build before the system is actually built?

• Design abstract models...

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What is a Model?

• A model is a simplification of reality– sketches– 3D models (may involve architects and industrial

designers)– blueprints, schematics (increasing use of CAD

tools in all disciplines) – analytical (mathematical) models (increasing use

of tools; e.g., Matlab, Maple)– computer programs (algorithmic models)– simulations

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Models Help Us Deal With Complexity

• Models let us focus on the important stuff, hide (ignore?) the rest

• We often design multiple models with different levels of abstraction, often dealing with different aspects of the system– some models are detailed– some models ignore (most) details and instead

focus on the “big picture”• You weren't taught this in high school!• Learning how to model is one of the most important

aspects of an engineering education

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SCE's Focus

Communications Systems- telecommunications - networks - DSP

Control Systems- robotics

Real-time Systems- embedded systems- concurrent systems- distributed systems

Design of Computer-Based Systems

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SCE's Focus

Software Development- algorithm design & coding- data structures- object-oriented systems

Operating SystemsComputer Organizationand Architecture(to chip level)- microprocessors

Design of Computers as IntegratedHardware/Software Systems

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Putting it All Together: 4th Year Projects

• SCE: www.sce.carleton.ca/courses/sysc-4907 – Proposal– Progress report– Oral presentation– Poster fair– Final report

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What Will You Work On After Graduating?

• Difficult to predict...• What problems will need solving 4 years from now?

10 years from now?

• Some technologies that did not exist (or were in their infancy) when I started in industry– CDs, DVDs, iPod, laptop computers, cell phones,

portable medical diagnostic devices, the Internet, WWW, personal computer applications (word processing, spreadsheets, CAD), object-oriented programming languages

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What Will You Work On After Graduating?

• Some areas of opportunity– ubitquous computing

• computers are everywhere• desktop PCs are statistically non-existent

– portable medical devices– organization, search, & retrieval of information on

the Web is painful - your generation of graduates will be the ones that design WWW 2

– "programming for everyone" - will require major changes to current software technologies

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What Will You Work On After Graduating?

• Things are much better than a few years back• Check www.ocri.ca, click Economic Statistics

– OCRI Report– Semi-Annual High Tech Survey

• Job market is cyclic

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Preparing For a Career, Not a Job

• The 3 P's– Principles (most important)– Processes– Products (evolve rapidly - life cycle often 18

months to 2 years, or less)• Don't overspecialize at the undergraduate level• A solid understanding of fundamental engineering

principles and design (modeling) skills is much more important than immersing yourself in the latest hot technology

• Communication and teamwork skills!