Class Time: MWF 10:00 - 10:50, FH 142

Pre-requisites:
 * EGR 220 - for building and testing circuits
 * CSC 111 - for some programming experience

Text: No text - readings provided
Students must purchase a sensor kit instead of a text  

Course Overview
Our world is being transformed by networked communications, in terms of both engineering advances and social, political and economic interactions. Underlying this transformation are three major technologies: computer networks, wireless communications and sensors. This course will introduce students to the theory and implementation of these technologies, including an overview of the OSI protocol stack, more focused study of the 802.11 and Zigbee wireless protocols, and the use of basic sensors as controlled by microprocessors. Students will also analyze and debate privacy and security concerns, as well as the social, political and economic benefits of these technologies. Students will participate in designing and implementing a small wireless sensor network on Smith Campus, using this test bed as the means to gain a deeper understanding of the technologies and the issues they raise.

EGR 390 Class and Assignment Schedule, Spring 2012

Course Objectives
Through the material explored in this course, students will discuss and learn:

1. To design and implement a wireless sensor network, including
   • The sensors
   • The Arduino microprocssor
   • The XBee wireless transmitters and receivers
   • The far reaching issues of sensors invading our world
2. The issues surrounding privacy, security and the fun and usefulness of new technology, including the following areas
   • Legal
   • Technological
   • Political, and
   • Social
3. How data moves through computer networks,
4. The fundamentals of the Internet (TCP/IP),
5. The fundamentals of wireless network operation,
6. To improve oral, graphical and written communication skills,
7. To evaluate her personal learning process and understanding of the concepts and skills from class.

Reading and Class Time
The syllabus lists the reading for each week. Students are expected to do the reading before coming to class, in order to be fully prepared to solidify the material in the class period.

Assignments
There will be weekly homework assignments. There may also be short reading and homework quizzes in class.

Homework format
All homework solutions must be written on standard engineering paper (or typed and printed when appropriate, e.g., Matlab code and computer plotted results). Students are encouraged to work together to understand the concepts, but each student must work out and hand in her own solutions. All assignments are to be neatly written or typed, and stapled, with your name and date. Note that students are expected to follow the Honor Code for all work in this course. Copying on homework, labs or quizzes/exams, and other violations will be brought to the honor board.

The purpose of the homework is for you to have the opportunity to practice - practice - practice the skills and concepts from class. Since homework is the time to practice, you are not expected to have perfects solutions at all times. You are expected to do your best work for each problem however. In recognition of these goals, each homework problem will be evaluated on a 0-10 point scale as follows:

• 0 No effort
• 2 Problem statement written out but not attempted
• 6 Incomplete attempt
• 9 Complete attempt, incorrect solution
• 10 Complete attempt, correct solution

Quizzes and Exams
There may be weekly quizzes that are used to assess progress and ensure students do not fall behind. There will be one midterm exam and a final oral exam , used to solidify concepts and assess the learning progress.

Project
Through small or large group projects, students will gain practical experience in designing and demonstrating a sensor network.

Class attendance
Students are required to attend class and participate in class discussions and problem solving exercises.

Grading
Grades in this course are designed to represent your achievement of the objectives listed above. The course components that will make up your grade are listed below.

Late Policy
All homework assignments must be turned in to room Ford Hall 352 (or prior to that time, in class); late assignments will be penalized at the rate of one point per minute unless you have requested and received and extension at least 24 hours before the deadline. However, each student will have a total of 1 hour (60 minutes) grace time to be used as desired by that student over the course of the semester, such that you can have a semester total of 60 tardy minutes for homework and the project without penalty (note that these minutes cannot be used for in-class reading questions, μ-Quizzes or exams).

Honor Code
The weekly homework assignments that you submit must be your own work. You are encouraged to discuss the problems and modeling issues with your classmates and work on them together, but each student must work out her own solutions. It is not okay to copy answers from another student's homework - doing so is a violation of the Honor Code. Note that it is a violation of the honor code to 1) use or copy another student's work, and 2) provide another student with your work. Projects will be done in small groups. Exams must be exclusively each student's own work, following the instructions provided with each exam. Do not hesitate to ask any questions that you may have concerning the honor code.