COMPUTER INTERFACING

Course description

This course introduces the basic techniques and underlying concepts in interfacing computer based systems to other computer based systems, humans and to the external environment (analog world). The content is tailored to provide an understanding of computer interfacing for data acquisition, processing and control.

Course objectives

The course aims to:

1. Explain the relevance of computer interfacing in computer engineering;

2. Describe the different standard ports, buses and interfaces used in interfacing computer systems;

3. Discuss the considerations in interfacing digital systems with the analog world;

4. Equip students with the skills to interface computer based systems with external devices such as sensors, actuators, stepper motors and servo motors;

5. Introduce students to the commercial digital, analog and serial computer interface boards.

Learning out comes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Interface computer based systems with humans(user interface design);

2. Apply the analog to digital and digital to analog converters in interfacing of the different computer systems;

3. Interface computer based systems with laboratory equipments for data acquisition;

4. Demonstrate skills in the inter networking of computer based systems to create networks;

5. Demonstrate skills in interfacing computer based systems with sensors, actuators, stepper motors and servo motors;

6. Design data logging systems incorporating input/output to and from external devices.