Remaining Schedule

We're down to about a month to go now, and here's what I have planned lecture-wise:


2 Nov: induction, ac circuits
4 Nov: mutual inductance, ac circuits more so (HW8 comes out)
7 Nov: filters, EM waves
9 Nov: lab day/work on final projects
11 Nov: electricity and magnetism in real materials (HW8 due, HW9 out)
14,16 Nov: relativity
18 Nov: radiation & light
21 Nov: ray optics (HW9 due, HW 10 out)
28 Nov: lenses, mirrors
30 Nov: wave optics (HW 10 due, last one)
2 Dec: Exam 3 (induction, ac circuits, ray optics)
5, 7, 9 Dec (dead week): various sundry topics not on the final, concept assessment test (not graded).
Before 16 Dec: take-home final due (cumulative)

Lab-wise, we'll be beginning final projects tomorrow (Wed). The idea is that you, as groups, will pick final circuit construction projects to work on for the rest of the semester. We will discuss this more tomorrow, but a few examples might be:

• Theremin
• RFID iPod control
• audio distortion circuits (e.g. guitar pedals)
• motor positioning control (e.g., simple robot)
• Arduino multimeter (measure R, C, L with the Arduino)
• Remote control 
• Home alarm system
• Implementation of digital logic (basic computation)
• LED display (8x8 grid, for example, displaying alphanumeric characters)
• Something like these or these

It is open ended, in principle you can choose anything you like that (a) isn't dangerous, (b) I think you can pull off in 3-4 weeks, (c) isn't too simple, and (d) doesn't just implement an existing project you found online, but adds a new element. Think of it as a chance to try out any crazy, weird hack you've seen on the internet and get credit for it. You will have to decide quickly (in the next few days). You have available more or less any electronic components you like and the Arduino, so you might start by googling for interesting Arduino projects that you can embrace & extend.

You will have a few reporting requirements for the final projects, with "soft" deadlines:

6 Nov: 1 paragraph that gives a basic description of your project you have chosen
8 Nov: more detailed project descriptions with a block diagram and possible parts I should procure
16 Nov: 3 page memo describing the project, your initial design, and progress to date
22 Nov: a second 3 page memo updating me on your progress to date
28 & 30 Nov: final project work
by 2 Dec: 3-5 page description of the project, how it worked out, and the final design.
5-7 Dec (dead week): show your project off to your classmates (informal, not graded)

I should stress that I want you to be creative with the final projects, and err on the side of risk. It is not so important that you have a polished final product, it is more important that you try something complex that builds on what you've learned so far and come up with creative ideas. More bluntly, your final grade for the project will not depend so much on whether it worked flawlessly, but whether it was a good idea worth trying, and whether you had a workable approach to the thing.

If I deem your project workable, I will procure whatever parts are necessary within reason, so you need not worry about that. Assume an infinite budget until I tell you otherwise!

Finally, I will have nothing due during dead week. I anticipate your final projects being completed before dead week, and that last week there will be no homework, the lectures will not cover material relevant to the final exam, and the final project demonstrations will just be you showing off your neat hacks to your colleagues, ungraded.