Peralta 103 Resources

What equipment is available at each of the benches?

• Function Generator (5 MHz)
• Microscope - Aven zipScope 2M USB Digital Microscope
• Multimeter - Agilent 34461A Digital Multimeter, 6.5 Digit
• Truevolt Series Digital Multimeters Operating and Service Guide 
• Oscilloscope/Logic Analyzer
• Agilent MSO-X 4024A Oscilloscope (200 MHz, 4 Analog + 16 Digital Channels) - includes serial decoding capabilities
• InfiniiVision 4000 X-Series Oscilloscope User's Guide
• Agilent MSO7054A Mixed Signal Oscilloscope (500 MHz, 4 Analog + 16 Digital Channels)
• InfiniiVision 5000/6000/7000A Series Oscilloscopes User's Guide
• Power Supplies (2 per bench) - BK Precision 1671A Triple-Output 30V, 5A Digital Display DC Power Supply
• Instruction Manual for BK Precision 1671A Power Supply
• Soldering Irons - Weller WX2020 Solder Station (includes 2 WXP120 Soldering Irons)
• Weller WX120 Soldering Iron Operating Instructions
• Weller WX 2 Solder Station Operating Instructions

House of Quality

What is a House of Quality, and what is it used for?

The House of Quality diagram is used to translate customer requirements, market research, patent benchmarking, and technical benchmarking into product capabilities that can be targeted in a new product design. It is an integral component of the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method for translating qualitative user needs into quantitative requirements.

• Gupta, P. (2001). The house that quality built. Printed Circuit Fabrication, 24(12), 47-48.

How do I build a House of Quality?

• House of Quality Interactive Tutorial from Antony Lowe
• Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and House of Quality video from MIT Open Courseware
• House of Quality roof diagram video from EGR 202 (start at 6:50)

Where can I find House of Quality templates?

• Free House of Quality (QFD) Templates from QFD Online

Where can I find House of Quality examples?

• Criteria Correlation Matrix example from EGR 202

Microchip PIC Microcontrollers

What microcontrollers does Microchip specialize in?

Microchip specializes in 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit PIC microcontrollers.

How do I choose a Microchip microcontroller?

• Microchip Advanced Part Selector from Microchip
• Information about PIC microcontrollers database

What software do I need to install to program a Microchip microcontroller?

• MPLAB® X Integrated Development Environment (IDE) from Microchip
• MPLAB® Code Configurator graphical programming environment from Microchip

What hardware do I need to program a Microchip microcontroller?

Check the manufacturer's web page for the specific microcontroller you are using for specific information on the hardware you need to program it.

• PICkit 3 In-Circuit Debugger from Microchip
• MPLAB ICD 3 In-Circuit Debugger from Microchip

What do I need to consider when designing a printed circuit board (PCB) that includes a Microchip microcontroller?

See the microcontroller data sheet for information on PCB layout and external component considerations.

• Compiled Tips 'N Tricks Guide from Microchip

How do I use MPLAB® X?

• Microchip.com

What online forums focus on Microchip microcontrollers?

• Microchip Developer Help from Microchip
• MicrocontrollerBoard.com

Where do I find code examples and tutorials for Microchip microcontrollers?

• Code Examples from Microchip
• PIC Tutorials from Gooligum Electronics (some free)

What resources exist for the PIC16F887 microcontroller?

• PIC Microcontrollers by Milan Verle

What resources exist for PIC24 microcontrollers?

• PIC24 Tutorial from Engscope

Texas Instruments Microcontrollers

What microcontrollers does Texas Instruments specialize in?

Texas Instruments (TI) specializes in low-power, performance, and wireless microcontrollers.

How do I choose a TI microcontroller?

• TI Parametric Selection Tool from TI

What software do I need to install to program a TI microcontroller?

• Code Composer Studio (CCS) Integrated Development Environment (IDE) from TI
• Code Composer Forum from TI

What hardware do I need to program a TI microcontroller?

Check the manufacturer's web page for the specific microcontroller you are using for specific information on the hardware you need to program it.

What do I need to consider when designing a printed circuit board (PCB) that includes a TI microcontroller?

See the microcontroller data sheet for information on PCB layout and external component considerations.

How do I use Code Composer Studio?

• Code Composer Studio v6 Quick Tips from Code Composer

What online forums focus on TI microcontrollers?

• MSP Low-Power Microcontroller Forum from TI

Where do I find code examples for TI microcontrollers?

• TI website

Microchip AVR Microcontrollers

What microcontrollers does Atmel specialize in?

Atmel was one of the top IC manufacturers that makes a number of 8-bit, 32-bit, and ARM microcontrollers, including the AVR microcontroller used in the Arduino. Microchip purchased Atmel in 2017 and is maintaining the AVR line of microcontrollers. The following is a list of helpful resources for getting started with Microchip AVR microcontrollers.

How do I choose an AVR microcontroller?

• Use the Microchip Parametric Search Tool to find and select AVR microcontrollers.

What software do I need to install to program an AVR microcontroller?

• Atmel Studio Integrated Development Environment (IDE) from Microchip

What hardware do I need to program an AVR microcontroller?

Check the manufacturer's web page for the specific microcontroller you are using for specific information on the hardware you need to program it. Some common programmers include:

• AVR Dragon from Microchip
• Using an Arduino as an AVR In-System Programmer (ISP) from Arduino.cc

What do I need to consider when designing a printed circuit board (PCB) that includes an AVR microcontroller?

• Application Note AN2519: AVR Microcontroller Hardware Design Considerations from Microchip

What online forums focus on AVR microcontrollers?

• AVR Freaks

Where do I find code examples and tutorials for AVR microcontrollers?

• AVR Programming tutorial from hackaday.com

Drawing Software

What is drawing software used for?

Drawing software is used to create diagrams for inclusion in presentations and reports.

Title	Description	Availability
Inkscape	Recommended. Open source drawing program which can produce professional vector drawings in many formats	Open source
Draw.Io	Recommended. Add-on to google drive documents, free	http://draw.io
Google Drawings	Recommended. Cloud-based collaborative diagramming app	available in Google Drive
LucidChart	cloud-based collaborative diagramming app	ASU has a site license if you use your ASU google account.  Or get an Education Account
Visio	Vector-based drawing program	Available for download here via Microsoft OnTheHub (formerly Dreamspark). Microsoft Visio 2013 Viewer available from Microsoft
Powerpoint	Recommended.  Can save Drawings as .png	Can be purchased as part of Office Suite.  Also available on ASU computers
Adobe Illustrator	Professional Vector-based Drawing Software.	Available on some ASU lab computers, or for purchase / subscription
Draftsight	Free AutoCAD clone, for dxf/dwg editing only	Free here, requires registering
CorelDraw	Professional Vector-based Drawing Software	Available in Innovation Hub (for laser cutting). Must be purchased otherwise.

All About Escape Rooms

What is an escape room?

An escape room is a real-life adventure game where you pay to be locked in a room filled with puzzles and given a limited time (usually 60 minutes) to solve the puzzles with your team in order to escape the room. There are also virtual video game escape rooms.

• Real-life room escape on Wikipedia
• Locked In: Behind the Scenes of the Escape Room Craze from Make Magazine
• 'Escape Rooms' Challenge Players To Solve Puzzles To Get Out story from NPR
• In Escape Rooms, Video Games Meet Real Life article from the New York Times

Who designs escape rooms?

• Blacklight Attractions
• Game Masters Live Escape Rooms
• The Ha Ha Shop (lots of great ideas for puzzle items)
• Escape Game Design
• Race to Escape TV show on the Science Channel

What are best practices for designing escape rooms?

• How to Design an Escape Room article from Fast Company
• Being a Room Escape Puzzle Master for a Night from the Room Escape Artist blog
• Tips and trends in making escape games from Adam Clare
• Designing a real-life Escape the Room experience from Gamasutra
• What are any puzzle ideas for real escape rooms? from Quora

Where can I find escape rooms?

• Epic Escape Game (Phoenix)
• Escape Adventure AZ (Mesa)
• Escape the Room AZ (Scottsdale)
• Key Quest Escape Room (Phoenix)
• PanIQ Escape Room (Phoenix)
• Phoenix Escape Room (North Phoenix, Gilbert)
• Trapped in a Room With a Zombie (Phoenix)
• Escape Room Directory (Worldwide)
• Escape Games from Addicting Games

All About Smart Homes

What is a smart home?

A smart home links together home comfort, entertainment, appliances, thermostats, lighting, and other electronic devices in a home together such that they can be controlled by voice, gesture, computer, or phone. Apple, Amazon, and other companies are trying to bring myriad smart home products from different manufacturers together through the Echo and HomeKit, respectively.

• What is a smart home? from Smart Home USA
• How Smart Homes Work from HowStuffWorks.com
• How your home will know what you need before you do from CES 2016
• The Smartest Connected Home Products at CES 2016 from PC Magazine

Where can I find databases of smart home devices?

• Smart Home Database from smarthomedb.com
• Connected Home devices cataloged by Postscapes
• OpenHomeAutomation.net
• Smart Irrigation Controllers on the market from Postscapes
• Ari jay comet home automation blog

Where can I find manufacturers of smart home devices?

• Green Bean Maker Module for GE Appliances
• Harmony TV Remotes from Logitech
• Nest - makes thermostats, smoke + CO2 alarms, and wifi security cameras
• Products that work with Nest
• OpenSprinkler - open-source, web-based sprinkler controller
• Phillips Hue lighting products
• Samsung SmartThings appliances

Patents 101

What is a patent?

• "A patent for an invention is the grant of a property right to the inventor, issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office" (for more information, see General Information Concerning Patents from the USPTO).
• Patents are the most common way of protecting intellectual property that is physically tangible (e.g., projects you might do in our engineering program).

What is a trademark?

• "A trademark is a word, name, symbol, or device that is used in trade with goods to indicate the source of the goods and to distinguish them from the goods of others" (for more information, see What is a Trademark or Servicemark? from the USPTO).
• Trademarks are typically used to protect a unique name for a product, but not the product itself. For example, Dr. Jordan's engineering education research lab is called STEAM Labs™.

What is a copyright?

• "Copyright is a form of protection provided to the authors of 'original works of authorship' including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works, both published and unpublished" (for more information, see What is a Copyright? from the USPTO).
• As a student, you automatically own the copyright for any text that you write (e.g., your project reports). However, copyrights are typically not used to protect engineering designs.

Why do I need to search for patents?

If you knowingly or unknowingly use intellectual property that is patented by someone else in your own commercial designs, you may become the target of lawsuits from the patent owner. Therefore, when designing new products it is best to search for the patents you may be infringing upon (either through the product as a whole or particular features, such as a touch display) so that you can either design around the patents or reach out to the patent owner to license the patent.

How do I search for a patent?

• How to Conduct a Preliminary U.S. Patent Search: A Step by Step Strategy - web tutorial from the Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC)
• Seven Step Strategy - outline from the PTRC
• 7-Step U.S. Patent Search Strategy Guide - detailed handout from the PTRC

What patent databases should I use?

• USPTO Patent Full-Text and Image Database (PatFT)
• USPTO Patent Application Full-Text and Image Database (AppFT)
• Google Patent Search
• Global Patent Search Network (GPSN)
• Additional sites listed on the USPTO website

Mechanical CAD Software

What is CAD software used for?

Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) software is used to capture and simulate designs electronically. It is commonly used for electrical or mechanical designs.

What free mechanical CAD software is available for me to install on my computer?

• SolidWorks (recommended) - 3-D CAD package
• Available from Engineering Technical Services
• eDrawings Viewer available from Solidworks
• Microsoft Visio - Vector-based drawing program
• Available from MyApps under Microsoft Imagine
• Microsoft Visio 2013 Viewer available from Microsoft
• Sketchup Make - 3-D modeling program
• Available from Sketchup

What mechanical CAD software is available for me to use on campus computers?

• SolidWorks (recommended) - 3-D CAD package
• Sketchup Pro - 3-D modeling program
• Adobe Illustrator - Vector-based drawing program