PHYS 404 :: Physics Illinois :: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Final Project

Objectives

The final project provides an opportunity for students to apply the concepts and skills developed throughout the electronics laboratory course to the design, construction, and testing of a complete electronic system for applications of your interests.

By completing the final project, students should be able to:

• Design an electronic circuit to meet a set of functional requirements and justify the design choices.
• Apply circuit-analysis concepts to predict the behavior and performance of the design.
• Construct and troubleshoot an electronic circuit using appropriate laboratory equipment and techniques.
• Measure and evaluate circuit performance using oscilloscopes, multimeters, signal generators, and other relevant instrumentation.
• Compare experimental results with theoretical predictions and identify and explain discrepancies.
• Iterate and improve the design based on experimental observations and troubleshooting.
• Integrate multiple circuit components or subsystems into a functioning electronic system.
• Communicate engineering results effectively through a clear description of the design, measurements, analysis, and conclusions.
• Use AI and other engineering tools responsibly to assist with design, troubleshooting, analysis, and documentation while maintaining an understanding of the work performed.

The primary goal of the project is not simply to build a working circuit, but to demonstrate that you can understand your design, systematically troubleshoot its behavior, and use measurements to evaluate and improve the system.

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Project Ideas:

• An adjustible linear voltage source: additional circuit in lab 3.
• An audio speaker drive (the push-pull amp in lab 3); for a bluetooth music player.... 
• Lock-in detection of a small LED signal.
• Radio: Detection of AM & FM signals
• A MHz oscillator for radio signal transmission
• Chua Chaos
• A function generator to output sine, triangular, square.... waveforms, with adjustable amplitudes and frequencies.
• Electronic piano/synthesizer; audio equalizer
• A temperature control circuit
• A diode-based thermometer (with a digital display)
• A frequency-tunable filter
• A crossover circuit to separate bass, treble, mid-tune signals to different speakers.
• Environmental monitoring (temperature, moisture, magnetic fields, ...)
• A peak/envelope detector (for particle counting, power spike monitoring, etc...)
• A metal detector
• A capacitance/resistance meter
• ...

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Project Timeline

Once you have chosen a project and formulated a plan, you need to get an approval from your lab TA and/or the course instructor. This is to ensure that you will have sufficient resources and an executable plan to complete your chosen project within the time frame.

By the end of the second week of the project, you need to submit a SPICE model to simulate the circuit behaviors. It needs to show (with the SPICE tools) that your design has the expected performance.

If you need electronic components that are not available, ask the instructor and/or the lab TA as soon as possible (preferebly before the end of the second week). Part procurement takes time.

As soon as  you have a working SPICE model, you will start constructing the circuit, troubleshoot, and demonstrate the desired output and perform measurements. 

In the end of the 4th week, you make a presentation (20-30 mins) in front of the whole class.

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Final Project Grading

During the final project presentation, you will be making a live demo of your circuit and an oral presentation (with visual aids like a powerpoint presentation).

The final project will be evaluated based on both the performance of the final circuit and your ability to understand, analyze, troubleshoot, and communicate your work. A working circuit alone is not sufficient for a high project grade.

The project will be graded according to the following criteria:

• Circuit Design and Understanding (SPICE model) — 20%
  Demonstrate a clear understanding of the circuit, explain the design choices, and show that the circuit meets the specified requirements.
• Construction and Functionality — 20%
  Build the circuit carefully and demonstrate that it operates as intended. Proper wiring, component selection, and overall construction will be considered.
• Testing and Troubleshooting — 20%
  Use appropriate measurement equipment and a systematic approach to identify and resolve problems. Your ability to explain unexpected circuit behavior is an important part of the evaluation.
• Measurements and Analysis — 20%
  Present appropriate experimental measurements and compare them with theoretical or expected results. Explain significant discrepancies and draw appropriate conclusions from the data.
• Creativity and Innovation — 10%
  Demonstrate creativity in the choice of project, circuit design, implementation, or additional features. Creative solutions to engineering challenges and thoughtful extensions beyond the basic requirements are encouraged.
• Documentation and Presentation — 10%
  Clearly document the design, experimental results, analysis, and conclusions. The final presentation should allow another student to understand how the circuit works and how its performance was evaluated.

Important

The quality of your engineering process matters as much as the final result. A project that does not work perfectly can still receive a strong grade if you demonstrate a good understanding of the design, make careful measurements, and systematically troubleshoot the problems. Conversely, a functioning circuit will not receive full credit if you cannot explain how it works or how you arrived at your results.

You are encouraged to use AI and other engineering tools during the project, but you are responsible for understanding, verifying, and being able to explain the work you submit.