Chapter One

What are Electrical &

Computer Engineering
Introduction
 Engineering is both a difficult
profession and a very rewarding one.
 The rewards of engineering come
from the accomplishment an engineers
feels when his or her ideas are
implemented and improving people’s
lives.

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What is Engineering?

Engineering: is the application of

science and mathematics to produce
useful devices and systems.

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What is the basic knowledge that supports
electrical and computer engineering?

Technical and scientific background

1. Sophisticated mathematical skills.
physical and chemical systems can be
understood by complex mathematical
models.
Mathematical model: is a representation
of a physical system using equations

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What is the basic knowledge that supports
electrical and computer engineering?

How mathematical model help

Engineering?
1. In the understanding of the physical
process.
2. Allow engineers to predict the
behavior of a system in new
applications
3. Help in designing new devices.
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What is the basic knowledge that supports
electrical and computer engineering?

2. Physics: understanding of how matter

is structured and how it reacts to
external stimuli, helps in understanding
complex systems and designing new
devices.
3. Chemistry: tells how matter interacts
and how complex forms of matter are
made.
4. Basics of Computer Science : how
computers work and how to program
them to perform useful tasks.
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What is the basic knowledge that supports
electrical and computer engineering?

 Non technical skills.

1. Effective communicators : convey their
ideas through written reports and oral
representations
2. Must function well as members of a team.
3. Must be able to work with non technical
team members.
4. Fundamentals of business principles in
their industry.

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Who engineers work with
1. Scientists: they study nature and try to
discover the laws that govern it, their role
is to gather knowledge, engineers use this
knowledge to produce useful devices and
processes.
2. Technicians: build prototypes of new
devices, run experiments and record
experimental data, build machines that
help in designing new products, perform
maintenance of machines.

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What is Electrical
Engineering?

 Electrical Engineering:
is the study of how the
interactions of electrons with
matter can be exploited for
useful applications.

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How are electrons used?

1. To produce the power for our homes.

2. Convert radio signals into audible sounds.
3. To diagnose problem in human bodies.
4. Convert energy into light.
5. Interact with a gas to emit light
(fluorescent light bulb)
6. Radiate energy (transmitting television or
cell phone signals)

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What is computer Engineering ?
 Computer Engineering:
is an electrical engineer
interested in computing
technology. They focus on
designing and building computers
and computer systems.

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What is the difference between electrical engineers,

computer engineers and computer scientists?

1. Computer scientists are interested in designing.

the software used by computers.(constructing
algorithms to implement calculations and the
efficient design of software to run computers)
2. Electrical Engineers design and build hardware
used in applications other than computers.
(they also will do computer design and work on
developing the software for the applications of
interest.)
3. Computer Engineers need to understand the
complexities of software but focus on the
design of the hardware that runs the software.
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Other Engineering Fields
Mechanical Engineering
 Focuses on the design and production of
mechanical systems.
 Large - scale system design
e.g automobiles, refrigeration system ,
robots.
 Small - scale system design
e.g computer disk drives, miniaturized
medical implants.

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Other Engineering Fields
Civil Engineering
 Is concerned with the design & building of
the infrastructure of cities and
communities.
 Work on roads, bridges, and sewer system,
& design large buildings.
 Work closely with architects to ensure the
new buildings are structurally sound and
can withstand the forces of nature.

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Other Engineering Fields
Aerospace Engineering
 Is concerned with the design of flying
machines (commercial and military
aircraft, and vehicles launched into
space)
 Have expertise in the flow of air
around airplanes & design the wings,
control surfaces, and the fuselage of
airplanes.
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Other Engineering Fields
Chemical Engineering
 Concerned with the methods required to
make the numerous chemicals used in
modern life.
 Recently they are involved in working on
designs for the complicated processes used
to fabricate ICs.
 Design the production systems for
medicines.

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Other Engineering Fields
Nuclear Engineering
 Are trained in the technology used to
harness the energy of the atom.
 Design nuclear reactors for power stations
& ships.
 Are helping to design fusion reactors that
might provide a new source of commercial
power.
 Has applications in medicines (utilize short-
lived nuclear isotopes )

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Other Engineering Fields
Manufacturing Engineering
 Are knowledgeable in manufacturing methods
and can design the best way to make a product
 They deal with the mechanics of manufacturing
such as assembly lines of robots .
 They must consider human factors such as
efficient &safe use of assembly personnel in
the design of manufacturing processes.
 It is closely related to industrial engineering
and is sometimes considered a subdiscipline of
mechanical engineering.

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Other Engineering Fields
Biomedical Engineering
 Studies ways to use engineering principles
to design devices that help in the treatment
of diseases or that can be used to replace
biological materials.
 BME meets EE in the design of diagnostic
medical equipment, such as ultrasound and
patient monitoring devices.
 BME meets mechanical Engineering in work
on prosthetic devices and artificial muscles.

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Where do Electrical and Computer
Engineers works?

1. Engineering company
2. Any company that uses electrical or
computer based control system
(clothing manufacturers, fast food
restaurants)
3. Small companies.

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What a profession is?

Profession
 profession = occupation = job
 professional = someone has a great
deal of experience and can be
counted on to do a good job.
 professional is used to distinguish
someone who is paid for his or her
work rather than being an amateur.

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Basic attributes of
professions.
1. Work involves sophisticated skills, judgment
and discretion and it is not routine or
capable of mechanization.
2. Require extensive formal education.
3. Special societies or organizations set
standards for admission to the profession
and standards of conduct for members of
the profession.
4. Work serves some aspect of the public
good.

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Is engineering a
profession?
1. Engineering involves sophisticated skills to
design a computer or a wireless telephone
network for example
 Judgment: Engineers must decide which of
several different designs, components, or
materials to choose from.
 Discretion: keep information on new
design and on their clients strictly
confidential.
 Mechanized : using tools to design to aid
in the design makes the work non
mechanized

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Is engineering a profession?
2. Engineering requires extensive formal
education. Upgrade the skills through
continuing education. One of your goals
must be to learn how to teach yourself.
3. Engineering have professional societies that
help to set standards for professional
conduct by engineering such as IEEE for
electrical and computer engineering .
4. Engineering serves public goods
(many equipment and tools are created by
Electrical and Computer Engineers.)

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Benefits of profession
1- high pay
2- high status in society
3- subsidized education
4- degree of self-governance.

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Codes of Ethics
 Professional societies have given duties and
responsibilities of members spelled out in
documents called codes of ethics
 What does code of Ethics provide us?
1. Provides a framework for ethical judgments
of the professional.
2. Profession’s responsibilities.
3. Helps create an environment where ethical
behavior is the norm.

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Licensures
 Engineers in general do not need to
be licensed, only civil engineers are
required to be licensed to ensure that
any structure is built according to the
building codes adopted by the state.

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Entrepreneurship

 Entrepreneurship: the act of starting a new

venture to produce a product or exploit a
new idea.
 Steps to Entrepreneurship:
1. Invention: Engineers have roles in the
discovery of new idea and invention of new
products and developing these ideas
2. Innovation.
3. Marketing: in small companies engineers
need to participate in commercializing their
ideas.

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