Last Updated: February 09 2006

Class Information

Spring 2006 Schedule: TR 2:00pm-5:00pm in Workman 117
Instructors: Aly El-Osery
Office: Workman 207, Phone: 505-835-6432, email:
Kevin Wedeward
Office: Workman 221, Phone: 505-835-5708, email:

Course Objectives

  1. Learn an approach to design, project management and team work.
  2. Learn to use spec sheets and design according to available components.
  3. Learn how to write technical documents and give presentations.
  4. Perform various case studies.

Project Structure

The project is in the area of sensor networks. Design a mobile sensor network with a minimum of three mobile nodes. A system has to be designed to localize the nodes and continuously record their location. The task will be to wonder in an area in search of an object (to be determined). The sensor that finds the object should alert the other sensors, and in turn, all other sensors converge to the same location for confirmation.

The above project has the following tasks:

  1. Localization: the design of the localization mechanism.
  2. Hardware: the design of the hardware components and control algorithms needed to provide mobility to the sensors.
  3. Software: the visualization algorithm to show the location of the mobile sensors and sets off the alarm when the desired object is located. This task also involves the design of the high level search algorithm.
  4. Communication: includes the required wireless communication between the nodes and the base station as well as the communiction between the different building blocks of the entire system.

The processor and radio platform chosen is MICAz from Crossbow Technology, Inc. MICAz is a 2.4GHz, IEEE 802.15.4 compliant with 250kbps data rate and runs TinyOS which is an open-source, energy-efficient, operating system. The MICAz has 51-pin expansion connector that supports analog inputs, digital I/O, I2C, SPI, and UART interfaces.

The class will be divided into four teams. Each team will consist of 6-7 students and it will be each teams responsibility to divide themselves to work on the different project tasks. This will provide the students with an experience with team work and project integration.

Course Prerequisites

  • EE308 & EE308L (Microcontrollers)
  • EE321 & EE321L (Analog Electronics)
  • EE341 (Continuous-Time Signals and Systems)

Topic Prerequisites

  1. In-depth knowledge of microcontrollers.
  2. Analog and digital circuit design.
  3. Principles of linear time-invariant systems.
  4. Proficiency in C programming.

Reference Texts

see resources page


Assignments: 10%
Preliminary Design Review: 10%
Midterm Functionality & Design: 25%
Final Functionality & Design: 25%
Final Presentation: 10%
Final Report (including electronic version): 10%
Group Members Evaluation: 10%