Building a Real-Time Digital Signal Processing Course and Teaching Laboratory

Electrical engineering graduates with course work in traditional digital signal processing theory and realtime digital signal processing (DSP) hardware are among the most sought after by potential employers. Training electrical engineering students on system design using this important technology presents several challenges. First, undergraduates typically obtain their first exposure to digital signal processing theory in their senior year thereby not allowing for a follow-up course in real-time digital signal processing (RTDSP). The first exposure usually does not include DSP hardware. Second, the cost of a RTDSP teaching laboratory can run as high as $5000/workstation when the costs for PC, DSP development tools, and test and measurement equipment are factored in. Third, complexity of these systems and long development time, even for simple projects, present major hurdles in determining what projects can or cannot be developed in a one-semester course. In this paper, we present our approach to developing a one-semester, stand-alone course in real-time digital signal processing. We recommend placement of the digital signal processing sequence in the curriculum, provide information on obtaining DSP hardware at little or no cost, information on faculty training, and a typical one-semester schedule with applications.