ECE 4180 Embedded Systems Design

Instructor: James Hamblen

Office: Klaus Building 3308 Tel: 894-3027
Office Hours: MWF11-12, 1-2, T10-11,12:30-1:30 or any other time I am in the office. I
have 4180 classes MWF 10-11 (Klaus 2456) and MWF 12-1 (Klaus 1456)
4180 Lab: Van Leer C256
Prerequisites:
ECE 3055/6 Introduction to Computer Architecture or ECE 2035 and/or 2036,
ECE 2031 Digital Hardware, and familiarity with C, C++ (2036) or Java
Text, Wiki pages, and PowerPoint Slides:
Free on the web at: www.ece.gatech.edu/~hamblen/wemap3 along with mbed wiki
hardware tutorials and laboratory reference materials listed on the class web page
at: http://users.ece.gatech.edu/~hamblen/489X/
Other Useful References:
Just about any C/C++ book to review and check syntax when needed.
Handouts and Old tests are posted on the class web site
Course web site: www.ece.gatech.edu/~hamblen/4180
Projects:

Lab projects will be built and tested in the ECE 4180 lab in Van Leer C256. Students in
4180 will have 24/7 buzzcard access to the lab. After 7PM, the lab door cannot remain propped
open or an alarm will sound. The TA will check off your project demos in the lab.
To enable student laboratory work at home using a PC or Mac, each lab group of 1-2
students is required to purchase their own ARM mbed module kit
https://epay.gatech.edu/C20793_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=227 (underlines where
spaces are in URL) Note: Most GT ECE students already have this basic mbed kit from earlier GT
ECE 2035 and 2036 undergraduate classes.
http://users.ece.gatech.edu/~hamblen/mbed/mbed_inventors_kit.htm has info on where to
buy parts directly, but ECE gets quantity 100+ discounts, saves on shipping, and solders the header
pins on kit parts for you. The ECE web store is only open the first couple of weeks.
For 4180, there is also a required second mbed add-on embedded designer kit (the 4180
embedded IoT makers kit) with a small robot and new sensors that will enable students to work on
the mbed labs at home. There are only 10 lab setups and very limited spare parts available in the
lab, so each lab team of 1-2 students is required to have one each of the 2 kits (both the mbed
basic kit used in 2035/2036 and the new 4180 embedded IoT makers kit).
An X86 Intel Atom system in the lab is used for the final 1-2 labs. Windows OS and
Visual Studio software can be downloaded in a 180-day evaluation version from Microsoft or from
the GT ECE MSDN AA student web site for X86 projects late in the semester.

Grading Policy:
Computer Lab Projects (5?) Teams of 2 Students

25%

Team Design Project (End of Semester)

25%

Test I Hardware Topics (week before drop day?)

25%

Test II Software Topics

25%

Final Exam Period (Class Design Project Presentations)

The final course GPA will be curved (up or down) to meet the official published ECE department
policy:
ECE 1xxx/2xxx
ECE 3xxx
Required labs
ECE 4xxx
ECE 6xxx/8xxx

2.4 -- 2.8
2.7 -- 3.1
2.8 -- 3.2
3.0 -- 3.4
3.2 -- 3.6

Grades and projects will be handled through Tsquare and we should have lab TA hours posted soon
at the class web site. Per Federal law, grades will only be distributed on Tsquare and in the final
grade reports at the end of the semester. Per the registrar, grades will not be reported or details
disclosed via email. Tsquare is used to report individual grades during the term, but final grades are
typically computed on an Excel spreadsheet since Tsquare has very limited grade calculations. So
at the very end of the term any curves or last minute changes will not be updated and posted again
on Tsquare. It is possible that grades could even be curved down, but typically that is not needed.
Typical Class Grade Trends: As in any class with programming assignments, average grades on
programs and projects typically run in the high nineties and test grades largely determine the A, B,
C range grades. Students that do not complete labs typically wind up with even lower grades of D
or F since the lab average is high for the rest of the class and these students also typically miss
those test questions related to material covered in the labs. Average test grades are typically in the
seventies.
Attendance: Students are responsible for all material covered in class, including changes in exam
schedules announced in class. Make-up exams are not guaranteed to be the same as the exam given
in class or subject to a curve. Students missing a test without an excused absence will receive a
grade of zero on the test. Excused absences or requests for grades of incomplete must be approved
through the ECE academic office and/or the Dean of Students office. All assignments will only be
considered for regarding within 1 week after they are returned.
Academic Honesty: Although students are encouraged strongly to work together to learn the
course material on homework, all students are expected to complete exams individually, following
all instructions stated in conjunction with the exams and programs. Students should be prepared to
explain each lab assignment and their work when demoing each lab to the TA. All conduct in this
course will be governed by the Georgia Tech honor code. Additionally, it is expected that students
will respect their peers and the instructor such that no one takes unfair advantage of any other
person associated with the course. Any suspected cases of academic dishonesty will be reported to
the Office of Student Integrity for further action.
Exams are open book & notes and calculators are allowed. PC, phones, and tablets are not allowed
during tests. During Dead week, work will continue on Design Projects, if they have not been
completed by teams earlier.
Late Policy: Late labs and homeworks lose 10% per day late. A weekend counts as one day.