ENEX20001 - Embedded System Design

General Information

Unit Synopsis

This unit will introduce you to microcontroller basics and their real world applications. You will learn about different microcontroller families and their similarities and differences from an application point of view. You will also learn about microcontroller architecture, memory maps, addressing modes, interrupts, timers, counters, and hardware interfacing of a chosen microcontroller. You will learn how to program a microcontroller in a high level language using an integrated development environment. Advanced topics of reading analog inputs, implementation of USART (Universal Synchronous Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) connections with external world, PWM (Pulse Width Modulation), will also be covered in this unit. After learning the fundamentals of hardware interfacing you will practice them in a laboratory using a microcontroller development system based on this specific microcontroller and finally design and prototype an authentic application of embedded system in your project using the same development system. Online education students are required to attend the residential school.

Details

Level Postgraduate
Unit Level 8
Credit Points 12
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 2
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.25
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
ENEE14006 Embedded Microcontrollers is an Anti-Requisite for this unit.

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Class Timetable View Unit Timetable
Residential School Compulsory Residential School
View Unit Residential School

Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 2024

Term 1 - 2024 Profile
Melbourne
Mixed Mode
Rockhampton
Term 2 - 2024 Profile
Melbourne
Mixed Mode
Rockhampton
Term 1 - 2025 Profile
Melbourne
Mixed Mode
Rockhampton
Term 2 - 2025 Profile
Melbourne
Mixed Mode
Rockhampton
Term 3 - 2025 Profile
Melbourne
Mixed Mode
Rockhampton

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 12-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 25 hours of study per week, making a total of 300 hours for the unit.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task Weighting
1. Online Quiz(zes) 0%
2. Written Assessment 20%
3. Practical Assessment 20%
4. Practical Assessment 20%
5. Portfolio 40%

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%).

Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades

Past Exams

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Previous Feedback

Term 2 - 2023 : The overall satisfaction for students in the last offering of this course was 100.00% (`Agree` and `Strongly Agree` responses), based on a 57.14% response rate.

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Source: Unit Coordinator's reflection
Feedback
The use of physical hardware in this unit gave opportunities to apply knowledge into practical problems.
Recommendation
Continue to engage students with practical uses of physical hardware and have exercises and assessments that require students to use physical hardware
Action Taken
The students were given practical experience using PIC microcontroller boards.
Source: Unit Coordinator's reflection
Feedback
Further exercises and explanation into some aspects of hardware programming would be useful.
Recommendation
Incorporating and highlighting hardware programming examples in lectures and tutorials and providing more detailed explanation of codes.
Action Taken
More sample codes were provided and the codes were explained in detail in the class.
Source: Unit Survey's Feedback
Feedback
Be more responsive to student emails
Recommendation
Encourage students to exchange questions and ideas on the unit's learning forum as this is beneficial to the entire learning cohort. Educating students that questions that are previously answered in the forum will not be re-answered through personal emails.
Action Taken
Student queries were answered using Microsoft Teams and a discussion forum. Students found Microsoft Teams to be more useful.
Source: In-class student feedback
Feedback
The use of Microsoft Teams is a more efficient way to resolve hardware and software problems encountered by students in their assessments.
Recommendation
Microsoft Teams should be employed alongside emails and forums when addressing student queries related to software and hardware issues.
Action Taken
In Progress
Source: Student unit evaluation responses
Feedback
More sample codes and reading materials are needed to improve learning resources.
Recommendation
Additional sample codes and reading materials should be provided to enhance learning resources.
Action Taken
In Progress
Source: Unit Coordinator's refelction
Feedback
The use of authentic assessment practices with individualised assessment items has resulted in a decrease in academic misconduct cases.
Recommendation
Authentic assessment practices with individualised assessment items should be employed to mitigate academic misconduct cases.
Action Taken
In Progress
Unit learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Apply fundamental structured programming knowledge to perform software tasks
  2. Program a microcontroller to interface with external devices such as analog and digital sensors, actuators and computers
  3. Analyse and design microcontroller based real-time applications using a given industry-standard development system and software tools
  4. Prototype an embedded microcontroller system for a real-world application
  5. Communicate professionally using relevant technical terminology, symbols, and diagrams and effectively document design and prototyped solutions
  6. Work autonomously and as a team member to analyse problems and present solutions.

The Learning Outcomes for this unit are linked with the Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standards for Professional Engineers in the areas of 1. Knowledge and Skill Base, 2. Engineering Application Ability and 3. Professional and Personal Attributes at the following levels:
Introductory
1.2 Conceptual understanding of the mathematics, numerical analysis, statistics, and computer and information sciences which underpin the engineering discipline. (LO: 1N 2N 4N )
Intermediate
1.4 Discernment of knowledge development and research directions within the engineering discipline. (LO: 1I 2I 3I 4I )
3.1 Ethical conduct and professional accountability. (LO: 4I 5I 6I )
3.2 Effective oral and written communication in professional and lay domains. (LO: 5I 6I )
3.3 Creative, innovative and pro-active demeanour. (LO: 1I 2I 3I 4I )
3.4 Professional use and management of information. (LO: 3I 4I 5I 6I )
Advanced
1.1 Comprehensive, theory-based understanding of the underpinning natural and physical sciences and the engineering fundamentals applicable to the engineering discipline. (LO: 1I 2I 3I 4A )
1.3 In-depth understanding of specialist bodies of knowledge within the engineering discipline. (LO: 1I 2I 3I 4A )
1.5 Knowledge of engineering design practice and contextual factors impacting the engineering discipline. (LO: 1I 2I 3A 4A )
1.6 Understanding of the scope, principles, norms, accountabilities and bounds of sustainable engineering practice in the specific discipline. (LO: 1I 2I 3I 4A )
2.1 Application of established engineering methods to complex engineering problem solving. (LO: 1I 2I 3I 4A )
2.2 Fluent application of engineering techniques, tools and resources. (LO: 1I 2I 3I 4A )
2.3 Application of systematic engineering synthesis and design processes. (LO: 1I 2I 3A 4A )
2.4 Application of systematic approaches to the conduct and management of engineering projects. (LO: 3A 4A )
3.5 Orderly management of self, and professional conduct. (LO: 4A 5I 6I )
3.6 Effective team membership and team leadership. (LO: 3I 4A 6I )

Note: LO refers to the Learning Outcome number(s) which link to the competency and the levels: N – Introductory, I – Intermediate and A - Advanced.
Refer to the Engineering Postgraduate Units Moodle site for further information on the Engineers Australia's Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineers and course level mapping information

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 - Online Quiz(zes) •
2 - Written Assessment •
3 - Practical Assessment •
4 - Practical Assessment • • • •
5 - Portfolio • • • • • •
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
• Professional Level
• Advanced Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 - Knowledge • • • • • •
2 - Communication • • • • •
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills • • • •
4 - Research • • • • •
5 - Self-management • •
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility • • • • • •
7 - Leadership •
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
• Professional Level
• Advanced Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1 - Online Quiz(zes) •
2 - Written Assessment • • • • •
3 - Practical Assessment • • • • • •
4 - Practical Assessment • • • • • •
5 - Portfolio • • • • • • •