Electrical Engineering

• Six Primary Specialties

1. Computers / Computer Engineering

2. Electronics

3. Communications

• 2nd Largest of all Engineering disciplines

About 35% of all engineers are electrical

4. Power

5. Controls

6. Instrumentation

Computers / Computer Engineering

Primarily concerned with hardware: microcode that controls processors, design of processors, design of computers.

Many University departments combine Electrical Engineering with Computer Science or Computer Engineering

Computer Engineering:

Most rapidly growing discipline in all of engineering

Computer Science: Primarily concerned with software

Computer Languages include

BASIC (Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code)

COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language)

UNIX

FORTRAN (Formula Translator)

Linux (named for Linus Torvalds)

C++ Java

DOS (Disk Operating System)

C# (C sharp)

Computer Science

Programming Languages

Operating Systems

Windows

Design of Circuits and Electric devices, used to…

Microelectronics: Electronics at microscopic level

Produce, amplify, detect, rectify electrical signals

Transistors: invented 1947

Electronics

Semiconductors: not quite a conductor, not quite an insulator

Integrated Circuits (ICs): Co-invented by Intel and Texas Instruments

Silicon Valley’s growth based on growth of microelectronics industry

Broad range of areas

Consumer Electronics

Satellite Imagery

Military Applications

Lasers

Cell Phones

Communications

Fiber Optics

Wireless Communication (Radio Frequency, or RF)

Infrared technology (night vision goggles)

Electrical Engineers involved in…

Power Generation

Power Transmission

Power Distribution

Nuclear Power

Power

Alternative power sources: Solar, Wind, Fuel Cells

Hydroelectric Projects (including Dams)

Generating electricity from steam (Geysers, CA)

Systems which control automated operations

Control systems used to compare a measured quantity to a desired standard and make adjustments

Examples include…

Anti-lock braking systems in automobiles

Auto-pilots features in jumbo jets

Controls

‘Driving’ unmanned BART trains

New joystick design for video games

Using electronic devices (such as Transducers) to measure physical parameters, including temperature, pressure, flow rate, speed, acceleration, voltage, current.

Often responsible in processing, storing, and transmitted collected data.

Often closely associated with Controls engineers

Instrumentation

Examples:

Cable TV boxMany automotive applicationsWeather stations

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)

Through its members, the IEEE is a leading authority in technical areas ranging from computer engineering, biomedical technology and telecommunications, to electric power, aerospace engineering and consumer electronics, among others.

Professional Society: IEEE