Program Overview

Electrical and Computer Engineering Program

The Electrical and Computer Engineering program at the University of Waterloo is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary program that covers a wide range of topics in electrical and computer engineering.

About the Program

The program is designed to provide students with a strong foundation in the principles and practices of electrical and computer engineering, as well as the opportunity to specialize in a particular area of interest. The program is divided into several streams, including:

• Electrical Engineering: This stream focuses on the design, development, and application of electrical systems, including power systems, control systems, and communication systems.
• Computer Engineering: This stream focuses on the design, development, and application of computer systems, including hardware, software, and networking.
• Computer Science: This stream focuses on the theory, design, and application of computer science, including algorithms, data structures, and software engineering.

Research Areas

The program has a strong research focus, with faculty members and students working on a wide range of research projects in areas such as:

• Applied Electromagnetics and Photonics: This area focuses on the application of electromagnetic theory to the design and development of devices and systems, including antennas, microwave devices, and optical communication systems.
• Artificial Intelligence: This area focuses on the development of intelligent systems that can perceive, reason, and act like humans, including machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision.
• Biomedical Engineering: This area focuses on the application of engineering principles to the design and development of medical devices and systems, including medical imaging, biomedical signal processing, and biomechanics.
• Communications and Information Systems: This area focuses on the design, development, and application of communication systems, including wireless communication systems, network protocols, and data compression.
• Computer Hardware: This area focuses on the design, development, and application of computer hardware, including digital logic, computer architecture, and embedded systems.
• Computer Software and Systems: This area focuses on the design, development, and application of computer software and systems, including operating systems, database systems, and software engineering.
• Control, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems: This area focuses on the design, development, and application of control systems, including robotics, autonomous systems, and control theory.
• Integrated Devices, Circuits, and Systems: This area focuses on the design, development, and application of integrated devices, circuits, and systems, including microelectronic devices, analog and digital circuits, and system-on-chip design.
• Nanoengineering: This area focuses on the design, development, and application of nano-scale devices and systems, including nano-electronics, nano-photonics, and nano-mechanics.
• Power and Energy Systems: This area focuses on the design, development, and application of power and energy systems, including power generation, transmission, and distribution, as well as energy storage and conversion.
• Quantum Engineering: This area focuses on the design, development, and application of quantum systems, including quantum computing, quantum communication, and quantum sensing.

Course Details

The program includes a wide range of courses, including:

• ECE 6611 PD: This course covers a wide range of topics in electric machines and motor drives, including review of power electronic converter topologies, models and control techniques, review of electro-magnetic, dc machine structure, types and principles of operation, dc motor torque/speed characteristic, model, start-up and speed control techniques, synchronous machine structure and principles of operation, synchronous generator synchronization, loading and active and reactive power control, synchronous motor torque/speed characteristic, model, start-up and speed control techniques, induction machine structure and principles of operation, induction motor torque/speed characteristic, model, start-up and speed control techniques, single-phase induction motors, switched-reluctance motor structure, principles of operation and speed control, brushless dc motor structure, principles of operation and speed control, step motor structure, principles of operation and speed/position control, simulation of variable-speed drives, simulation tools, and industrial applications of motor drives.

Objectives

The objectives of the program are to:

1. Understand structure and operating principles of electric machines.
2. Learn speed control of dc and ac motors based on power electronic converters.
3. Learn modeling and simulation of variable-speed motor drives.

Course Prerequisites

The prerequisites for the program include a basic understanding of circuit analysis, power electronics, and control theory.

Main Topics and Delivery Plan

The main topics and delivery plan for the program include:

1. Principles of Operation and Control of Electric Machines.
2. Application of Power Electronic Converters in Speed Control of DC and AC Motors.
3. Modeling and Simulation of Variable-Speed Drives.

The program is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, and laboratory sessions, with a focus on hands-on learning and practical application.

References

The program references include a wide range of textbooks, journal articles, and conference papers, including:

1. S. Chapman, Electric Machinery Fundamentals, Third Edition, McGraw Hill, 1998.
2. B.K. Bose, Modern Power Electronics and AC Drives, Prentice Hall, 2001.
3. Conference and Journal papers.
4. Course Notes.