Transcript Electrical Engineering

Electrical Engineering
• 2nd Largest of all Engineering disciplines
About 35% of all engineers are electrical
• Six Primary Specialties
1. Computers / Computer Engineering
2. Electronics
3. Communications
4. Power
5. Controls
6. Instrumentation
Computers / Computer Engineering
Many University departments combine Electrical Engineering
with Computer Science or Computer Engineering
Computer Engineering:
Most rapidly growing discipline in all of engineering
Primarily concerned with hardware:
microcode that controls processors, design
of processors, design of computers.
Computer Science
Computer Science: Primarily concerned with software
Computer Languages include
Programming Languages
BASIC (Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code)
COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language)
FORTRAN (Formula Translator)
C++
Java
C# (C sharp)
Operating Systems
UNIX
DOS (Disk Operating System)
Linux (named for Linus Torvalds)
Windows
Electronics
Design of Circuits and Electric devices, used to…
Produce, amplify, detect, rectify electrical signals
Microelectronics: Electronics at microscopic level
Transistors: invented 1947
Semiconductors: not quite a conductor,
not quite an insulator
Integrated Circuits (ICs): Co-invented by
Intel and Texas Instruments
Silicon Valley’s growth based on growth of
microelectronics industry
Communications
Broad range of areas
Consumer Electronics
Cell Phones
Lasers
Fiber Optics
Wireless Communication
(Radio Frequency, or RF)
Military Applications
Satellite Imagery
Infrared technology (night vision goggles)
Power
Electrical Engineers involved in…
Power Generation
Power Transmission
Power Distribution
Hydroelectric Projects (including Dams)
Generating electricity from steam (Geysers, CA)
Nuclear Power
Alternative power sources: Solar, Wind, Fuel Cells
Controls
Systems which control automated operations
Control systems used to compare a measured quantity to a
desired standard and make adjustments
Examples include…
Anti-lock braking systems in
automobiles
Auto-pilots features in jumbo jets
‘Driving’ unmanned BART trains
New joystick design for video games
Instrumentation
Using electronic devices (such as Transducers) to
measure physical parameters, including temperature,
pressure, flow rate, speed, acceleration, voltage,
current.
Often closely associated with Controls engineers
Often responsible in processing, storing, and
transmitted collected data.
Examples:
Cable TV box
Many automotive applications
Weather stations
Professional Society: IEEE
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)
Through its members, the IEEE is a leading
authority in technical areas ranging from computer
engineering, biomedical technology and
telecommunications, to electric power, aerospace
engineering and consumer electronics, among
others.