News and Announcements

There was an error in the solution of problem 9 in homework 5, the corrected version is now posted.

There will be a review session for those interested on Monday March 20 from 9am to noon in Jack's Lounge, the normal place for the problem solving sessions. Bob will also try to be available as much as possible to help you so don't hesitate to send him an email to make an appointment if needed.

Homework 5 solution has been posted.

By popular request the term paper due date has been extended until Thursday March 9th but please don't wait until the last minute to start....

Your papers outlines with comments that might help improve your paper were also returned in class today (Thursday Mar. 2). The ones that were not collected are with Bob, our course TA, in case you would like to pick yours up.

Homework 5 is now posted.

We wanted to call this "The Secret Life of the Electron: The Story of e", but figured that it wouldn't look so good on your transcript...

Come learn about:
How to direct electronic warfare techniques toward peaceful uses: to disable your neighbors annoying radio
Why Thomas Edison was electrocuting dogs in New York.
What the second most purchased appliance was in 1900 and why your grandparents would never admit they had one.
The history, personalities and development of modern electronic technology
Find out:
How electronic devices and systems such as Lasers, Fiberoptics, Cellphones, Telegraph (the Internet of the Victorian Age), Radio, Radar, Television, Computers, Semiconductor Microchips, CD Players, the Internet and more work and have changed our lives forever.

This course while accessible to the non-specialist should be of great interest to engineering students as well, giving an introduction to the background of the profession and topics relevant to being an inventor. The material will be presented by Lecture, Demonstrations and Video.

See Demonstrated live:

The 300,000 volt generator in action- a "Hair Raising" experience
The mysteries of Electricity and Magnetism
Static electric motors made from common office supplies
A radio you can build without batteries, transistor or tubes
Radio Transmission by Sparks
Magnetic Guns- A path to low earth orbit?
A Tesla Coil in action, Source of free energy, or potential beam weapon?
The Jacob's ladder, every mad scientist has one
A human powered flashlight and how it was designed
Electronic warfare techniques: you can use them for peace at home
A post-mortem on a Furby (sacrificed for science)

and much more!

Course outline: What we'll be learning about and for about how long:

Electricity and Magnetism (1.5 week)

What were those Greeks doing with the stuff? The compass: invented by the Chinese or the Italians, should we care? Did Ben Franklin really do something as crazy as to fly a kite in thunderstorm? Who was Michael Faraday and what do we owe him?

Early communications and sound, Telegraph, Telephone, Phonograph (1 week)

Telegraph - the Victorian Internet, why was this an even bigger deal than our own recent Internet revolution? How the biggest telecommunications company missed out on the telephone revolution.

Electric Light and Power (1 week)

How does our electrical system work, how did get this way, and why Thomas Edison was electrocuting dogs. Investigate the transformations in society brought about by electrification and the impact, particularly, on the lives of women.

Wireless and Electronic Radio (1 week)

Heavy duty magic when you think about it. Learn to build one from a rusty razor blade, tinfoil and a bit of wire.

RADAR and Electronic Warfare (1 week)

The atom bomb might have ended W.W.II but RADAR was arguably the invention that won it! Find out what else its good for and how a melted chocolate bar brought us the microwave oven. More seriously we will inquire into the history and relationship between the military and technology.

Television (1 week)

How it drove Professor Armstrong to jump out a window and why its inventor didn't watch it.

Transistors, Semiconductors, Integrated Circuits (1 week)

The invention that enabled the microelectronics revolution, how it was invented, how they are made, and how it led to the birth of the innovation capital of the world-Silicon Valley. Learn to make semiconductors in your home oven.

Digital electronics, Computers and Robotics (1 week)

The Digital Revolution, Machines that Think?!?, When will I have a Robot that will cook and clean?

Audio electronics, lasers, fiber optic communications, and (1 week)
topics of special interest to the class

Cool stuff, and where things are going. The future that never happened.

Ken Pedrotti

Last updated: 1/11/2005