AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The main purpose of the theoretical part of the module is to provide students with basic knowledge on technologies for modern electronic embedded systems, on different types of sensor devices and sensing methods, on embedded electronic sensing systems for Internet of Things (IoT), specifically targeting environmental monitoring applications. The objective is also to enable students to acquire the ability to process basic knowledge and use it in real applications, through practical examples and questions/problems to solve.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Attendance and active participation in the proposed lectures and individual study will enable the student to:

- understanding basic electrical variables e.g. current, voltage, power, energy

- understanding the behavior of a simple linear electric circuit

- understanding the behavior of a simple RC circuit

- understanding the classification of materials based on their electrical properties e.g. insulators, conductors and semiconductors

- learning how to analyze the behavior of an electric circuit

- understanding the behavior and application of the diode

- understanding the behavior of a MOS transistor as signal amplifier

- understanding the behavior of the CMOS inverter and of NOR and NAND gates circuits

- understanding the evaluation of time response and power/energy consumption of CMOS logic gate circuits

- understanding the behavior of an Operational Amplifier

PREREQUISITES

Basic mathematic skills

TEACHING METHODS

The module is based on class lectures (about 40 hours) and includes a lab exercise on the programming and usage of an IoT node for environmental monitoring.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The lecture plan is structured as follows:

- Introduction to linear electric components and circuits: resistors, independent current and voltage generators, Kirchhoff current and voltage laws.

- Capacitor and simple RC circuits

- Classification of materials: insulators, conductors and semiconductors

- Semiconductor materials as the basis of solid state (modern) electronics

- Electronic devices: diodes and transistors.

- The MOS transistor as signal amplifier

- The CMOS inverter circuit

- Power consumption, time response of the CMOS inverter

- Static logic gates: NOR and NAND

- Analog to Digital and Digital to Analog converters

- Sensors

- Amplifiers

- Digital electronic circuits

- Combinational logic circuits

- Sequential logic circuits

- Finite State Machines

- Basics of Embedded data processing systems: microprocessors and microcontrollers.

- Basics of Embedded radio transceivers

- Basics of IoT systems for environmental monitoring

The lectures deal with topics such as the progress of electronics and sensing systems in the support of Society and Industry.

Thus, this teaching contributes to the achievement of the following Targets of the UN SDGs 2030: 

8.2 Achieve higher standards of economic productivity through diversification, technological progress and innovation, also with particular attention to high value-added and labour-intensive sectors

9.4 Improve infrastructure and sustainably reconfigure industries by 2030, increasing efficiency in the use of resources and adopting cleaner and more environmentally friendly technologies and industrial processes, ensuring that all states act respecting their capabilities

9.5 Increase scientific research, enhance the technological capabilities of the industrial sector in all states - especially in developing states - as well as encourage innovations and substantially increase, by 2030, the number of employees for every million people, in the research and development sector and expenditure on research – both public and private – and on development

Furthermore, the specific teaching method, which stimulates active participation and critical thinking of male and female students through open discussions, and the use of an inclusive language which facilitates the development of open and sensitive thinking vs needs of others, contribute to the achievement of objectives 4 - QUALITY EDUCATION and 5 - GENDER EQUALITY.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The module material is published on Aulaweb.

Textbooks:

Sedra/Smith, Microelectronic Circuits, Oxford University Press Inc, ISBN 9780199339143 (students can find this online) ---- ANALOG PART

Digital Circuits And Logic Design DCAP108 –https:/ebooks.lpude.in/computer_application/ad/DCAP108_DIGITAL_CIRCUITS_AND_LOGIC_DESIGNS.pdf ---- DIGITAL PART

Lecture notes

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

https://courses.unige.it/10553/p/students-timetable

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written Exam.

If the student wishes to improve the written exam grade, (s)he can request to take the oral exam. However, it's important to note that opting for the oral exam also carries the potential risk of lowering the grade from the written exam.

The opportunity to take the oral exam to improve the written exam grade is limited to a maximum of two attempts.

A minimum period of one month must elapse between the first and second oral exams.

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Prof. Federico Scarpa (federico.scarpa@unige.it ), the disability liaison for the Engineering study programs.  

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The written/oral tests check the knowledge of the students of the module content.

The assessment of competences is certified in a progressive fashion: 
- a group of baseline questions aims to verify the minimal contents required to pass the exam (18-22)
- a group of reference tests aims to validate the expected average of competence and notions (23-28)
- a group of challenging questions highlights the acquisition of original and high-level skills (29-30 e Lode)