Note: This unit is an archived version! See Overview tab for delivered versions.
MECH4720: Sensors and Signals (2013 - Semester 1)
| Unit: | MECH4720: Sensors and Signals (6 CP) |
| Mode: | Normal-Day |
| On Offer: | Yes |
| Level: | Senior Advanced |
| Faculty/School: | School of Aerospace, Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering |
| Unit Coordinator/s: |
Dr Brooker, Graham
|
| Session options: | Semester 1 |
| Versions for this Unit: | |
| Site(s) for this Unit: |
| Campus: | Camperdown/Darlington |
| Pre-Requisites: | MTRX3700. |
| Brief Handbook Description: | The unit aims to provide students with a good practical knowledge of a broad range of sensor technologies, operational principles and relevant signal processing techniques. MECH4720 is the last in a series of practical Mechatronic and Electrical courses taken over three years. It takes these practical engineering concepts, along with the associated mathematical, electronic and mechanical theory and applies this knowledge to a series of practical, albeit specialized applications that will be encountered by most Mechatronic Engineers at sometime during their careers. This unit will starts by looking at signal characteristics, modulation, filtering and convolution before examining some passive sensors. It goes on to provide an overview of the workings of typical active sensors with a strong emphasis on optical systems and image processing (Radar, Lidar and Sonar). It provides insight into basic sensing methods as well as aspects of interfacing and signal processing. It includes both background material and a number of case studies. At the end of this unit students will have a good understanding of passive and active sensors, their outputs and applicable signal processing techniques; an appreciation of the basic sensors that are available to engineers and when they should be used. |
| Assumed Knowledge: | Strong Matlab skills |
| Lecturer/s: |
Dr Brooker, Graham
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Timetable: | MECH4720 Timetable | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Time Commitment: |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T&L Activities: | Tutorials: A number of matlab tutorials will be undertaken during which the students are expected to develop the code to model some sensing or signal processing application Activities: One day per week (most weeks), the students are expected to participate in a measurement based activity that highlights some aspect of sensing or sensor interaction with the environment Independent Study: Approximately three hours of private study per week outside formal contact hours will be required in order to consolidate the work covered in class Presentation: A group presentation will be undertaken during which the rsults of the assignment will be presented to the class Project Work - own time: A design project will be undertaken by the students. This will take the form of a log-book which will be assessed by the lecturer at regular intervals |
Attributes listed here represent the key course goals (see Course Map tab) designated for this unit. The list below describes how these attributes are developed through practice in the unit. See Learning Outcomes and Assessment tabs for details of how these attributes are assessed.
| Attribute Development Method | Attribute Developed |
| The ability to show initiative and independent thought when solving problems | Design (Level 5) |
| Knowledge skills specific to the Sensors and Signals course | Engineering/IT Specialisation (Level 4) |
| Apply learned concepts to a wide range of problems some of which may be in fields disparate to those studied | Maths/Science Methods and Tools (Level 4) |
| Ability to communicate efectively both written and orally | Communication (Level 3) |
| Ability to work alone and trust their own value judgements. | Professional Conduct (Level 4) |
| Ability to work as part of a team to put together a presentation based on the assignment. | Project and Team Skills (Level 2) |
For explanation of attributes and levels see Engineering & IT Graduate Outcomes Table.
Learning outcomes are the key abilities and knowledge that will be assessed in this unit. They are listed according to the course goal supported by each. See Assessment Tab for details how each outcome is assessed.
Design (Level 5)| Assessment Methods: |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assessment Description: |
Tutorial: Five MATLAB tutorials will be undertaken in which the students are expected to apply and investigate specific aspects of sensor modelling and signal processing Assignment: The design assignment will take the form of a report Presentation: Group presentation of the assignment results requires students to negotiate with their colleagues the best points of their design, reach a consensus and put together a coherent presentation Final Exam: An open-book examination will determine whether the students have understood the course, and are able to apply what they have learned. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assessment Feedback: | Tutorials marked by tutor and returned to students Assigmnment marked by lecturer and returned to students Presentation marked by peers and lecturer and returned to students Exam marked by lecturer |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grading: |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Policies & Procedures: | All university policies can be found at http://sydney.edu.au/policy Policies and request forms for the Faculty of Engineering and IT can be found on the forms and policies page of the faculty website at http://sydney.edu.au/engineering/forms |
| Prescribed Text/s: |
Note: Students are expected to have a personal copy of all books listed.
|
| Online Course Content: | MECH4720 on Blackboard |
Note that the "Weeks" referred to in this Schedule are those of the official university semester calendar https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
| Week | Description |
| Week 1 | Signal processing and modulation |
| Week 2 | Active ranging sensors |
| Week 3 | Active imaging sensors |
| Week 4 | Signal propagation |
| Week 5 | Detection of Signals in Noise |
| Week 6 | Target and Clutter Characteristics |
| Week 7 | Doppler measurement |
| Week 8 | High range resolution techniques |
| Week 9 | High angular resolution techniques |
| Week 10 | High angular resolution techniques |
| Week 11 | Range and angle tracking |
| Assessment Due: Assignment | |
| Week 12 | Group Presentations |
| Radiometry | |
| Assessment Due: Presentation | |
| Week 13 | Tomography |
| Exam Period | Assessment Due: Final Exam |
Course Relations
The following is a list of courses which have added this Unit to their structure.
Course Goals
This unit contributes to the achievement of the following course goals:
| Attribute | Practiced | Assessed |
| Design (Level 5) | Yes | 38.75% |
| Engineering/IT Specialisation (Level 4) | Yes | 27.5% |
| Maths/Science Methods and Tools (Level 4) | Yes | 21.25% |
| Communication (Level 3) | Yes | 12.5% |
| Professional Conduct (Level 4) | Yes | 0% |
| Project and Team Skills (Level 2) | Yes | 0% |
These goals are selected from Engineering & IT Graduate Outcomes Table which defines overall goals for courses where this unit is primarily offered. See Engineering & IT Graduate Outcomes Table for details of the attributes and levels to be developed in the course as a whole. Percentage figures alongside each course goal provide a rough indication of their relative weighting in assessment for this unit. Note that not all goals are necessarily part of assessment. Some may be more about practice activity. See Learning outcomes for details of what is assessed in relation to each goal and Assessment for details of how the outcome is assessed. See Attributes for details of practice provided for each goal.
