University of technology

Many embedded electronic systems are waiting for you to implement them

Did you ever wonder what an embedded system is, how to design it, and how to combine hardware and software for required system performance? your smartphone is probably the best example of an advanced embedded system: a handheld low-power device that carries out signal processing at the same time as it is able to entertain its user with computer games, internet sessions, and streaming audio/video.

in an embedded system, hardware and software components are combined to implement certain functionalities. Device functionality must be implemented within challenging constraints such as compute performance, real-time demands, reliability, power consumption, and size.

EMBEDDED ELECTRONIC SYSTEM DESIGN

MASTER’S PROGRAMME

EESD_tryck.indd 1 2013-02-28 16:36

WHO SHOULD APPLY? your background is most probably a Bachelor´s degree in electrical engineer-ing or in computer engineering, but you could also have a degree in engineering Physics or from the field of control and Automation.

PROGRAMME AIMthe aim of the programme is to educate engineers that can conceive complex em-bedded system specifications, design such systems at the electronic system level (esl) and implement and verify such systems using state-of-the-art integrated circuit and packaging technologies and electronic design automation tools. the programme provides a deep coverage of the methodologies critical to this process.

Programme graduates will be qualified to work as productive engineers in industrial teams designing and building state-of-the-art electronic products, or to undertake graduate studies leading to a doctorate in the field of electronic system design and packaging.

in particular this means that programme graduates are

• proficientinthebasictradeofconceiv- ing, designing, implementing, and veri-

EMBEDDED ELECTRONIC SYSTEM DESIGN

fying complex embedded electronic sys- tems; a trade ranging from software for embedded electronic systems to hard- ware for integrated circuits

• proficientintheuseofvariousstate-of- the-art computer-aided design tools used in industry

• awareofthefundamentallimitationsof both the design tools and methodolo- gies, and the technology platforms that represent current best practice

• abletotakeonnewtechnicalchallenges and to generate technical advancements in embedded system design or building practices

• abletocarryoutqualifiedindustrialtasks by applying suitable methods, also when technical aspects might be secondary to constraints associated with economy and environment

• abletocritically,independentlyandcrea- tively identify, formulate and solve com- plex problems in the field of embedded electronic system design and to make software/hardware trade-offs

• abletocriticallyandsystematicallyinte- grate knowledge to model, simulate, pre- dict and evaluate behavior and events, also with limited or incomplete information

CAREER OPPORTUNITIESthe opportunities for international students graduating from this programme are excel-lent given the expansion of the industry worldwide in general and in Asia in particu-lar. Also in europe and sweden electronics industry is heavily systems-oriented; there is a strong need for skilled design engi-neers with a systems perspective.

our graduates will typically find jobs in com-panies like volvo, ericsson, rUAg space, saab electronic Defense systems, Atmel corporation, nXP or work as consultants in these or other companies.

early in their career, young designers often focus on implementation and verification of embedded systems, from embedded soft-ware to circuit design. the programme is organized to allow for such strategic spe-cializations!

experienced designers may continue their career in a system architect position, where detailed insight into design methods and technology platforms makes it possible to compare different solutions at a higher lev-el. since an increasing number of products contain electronics – skilled electronic sys-tem designers have a bright future.

“I like the mix of theory and practice. Over a week, you start with the theory of one topic and then go to the lab. You can directly see what you have learned.Here understanding and learning is more important than grading.”Sahar Samimi, first year student, Iran

EESD_tryck.indd 2 2013-02-28 16:36

EMBEDDED ELECTRONIC SYSTEM DESIGN

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE the two-year master´s programme is de-signed to address the entire design chal-lenge – from formulating specifications and identifying constraints at the electronic system level (esl) down to evaluation of available technology platforms and devel-opment at the electrical level.

During the first fall semester three com-pulsory courses are there to give you a solid design platform in preparation for the spring design project.

the programme starts with two courses: ‘introduction to electronic system design’ – a course that applies a top-down view to a practical system design example – and ‘introduction to integrated circuit design’ – a course that applies the bottom-up view of the same system design example. in this approach the influence of transistors and wire interconnect are allowed to propa-gate up the abstraction levels.

After mid-term examinations the ‘Methods for electronic system level design and verification’ course provides both hands-on training in the use of electronic design automation (eDA) tools and methods, and a basic understanding of the algorithmic principles behind these tools.

together these courses allow for an ex-position of cost-performance trade-offs between different technology platforms and between software and hardware. you also have the opportunity to choose one of three semi-elective courses: ‘computer Ar-chitecture’, ‘Mixed-signal system Design’ and ‘Advanced microsystems packaging’.

the core of the spring semester is defined by a comprehensive design project. here, the theory introduced during the fall is ap-plied in practice through the design of a prototype electronic system with several different parts; analog and digital Asics, field programmable circuits, and applica-tion-specific software.

Autumn AutumnSpring Spring

Introductionto

ESL Design

Methodsfor

ESL DesignESL Design Project

IntegratedCircuitDesign

Master’s Thesis

Profilecourse

Mixed SignalSystem Design

ComputerArchitecture

Real-TimeSystems

Fundamentalsof Photonics

AdvancedMicrosystems

PackagingLaser

Engineering

Electivecourse

One or twoElectivecourses

Electivecourses

Parallel Comp.Org. & Design

Energy Aware Computing

Advanced Topics inESL Design

Opto-electronics MEMS

Fault-tolerantComputerSystems

Profileor

Electivecourse

One or twoProfile

coursesProfilecourse

Year 1 Year 2

Building Practices

Computer Systems

ESL Design

Profile tracks

EMBEDDED ELECTRONIC SYSTEM DESIGN

(select minimum 3 of 5 Profile courses)

EESD_tryck.indd 3 2013-02-28 16:36

Kom

mun

ikat

ion

och

mar

knad

, cha

lmer

s, 2

013

SE-412 96 Gothenburg, SwedenPhone +46 31 772 1000

www.chalmers.se

EESD_tryck.indd 4 2013-02-28 16:36