2014-2015 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Computer Engineering
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 Return to: College of Engineering
Digital Logic Design
Digital Logic Design is the design of circuits and systems that form the base of all electronics. A combined discipline of electrical and computer engineering, digital logic design is used to develop intricate hardware, such as circuit boards and microchips, for computers, navigational systems, cell phones, robotics, and other high-tech systems. The Digital Logic Design program in the Computer Engineering Department will give you a strong foundation in logic principles, practical experience in programming digital circuits, and hands-on training in electrical component integration for a high-powered career in high tech.
Application and Research
- Developing new circuit designs to decrease production costs and energy waste of transistors.
- Advancing next-generation CPU/Graphics processing for tech manufacturers.
- Designing new software to update digital systems without upgrading hardware.
- Consulting on development and support of modified electronic designs for unique commercial purposes.
- Creating software tools for simulating the functionality and accuracy of system designs.
Examples of Technology
- Special purpose hardware can emulate the logic of a proposed design for yet-to-be-built computer chips.
- Synopsys, Inc., the largest company in electronic design automation, unveiled new testing technology in 2013 to reduce the cost of testing silicon devices.
Benefits to Florida’s Economy
- Estimated revenue for the electronic design automation industry in 2012 was $6.5 billion.
- Florida employs the third highest number of electronics engineers in the country, after California and Texas, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Florida has two out of the five top metropolitan areas in the country with the highest concentration of electronics engineering jobs: Titusville ranked third and Crestview/Fort Walton Beach ranked fifth on the Bureau of Labor Statistics rankings.
Fast Facts
The 22 nanometer transistor can switch on and off over 100 billion times per second. A human would need 2,000 years to turn a light switch on and off that many times.
Major Companies in the Industry
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- Synopsys, Inc.
- Technology Service Partners
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Embedded System Design
Embedded systems are designed to handle a particular task within a larger mechanical or electrical system. The field of embedded systems design unifies hardware and software development and spans microprocessor-based control systems, system-on-chip (SoC) design, and device software. Today’s embedded systems are everywhere: hybrid vehicles, airplanes, medical equipment, traffic lights, factory controllers, videogame consoles, and digital cameras. The Embedded Systems Design program in the Computer Engineering Department will give you hands-on training in programming and analyzing embedded devices, using design automation tools, and experimenting with the latest embedded technologies.
Application and Research
- Prototyping microcontrollers for use in automatic devices such as car engine control, implantable medical devices, office machines, and power tools.
- Developing hardware and software for system-on-chip designs used in Bluetooth, GPS, smartphone, and iPad technology.
- Improving user interfaces for embedded systems, ranging from remote connection to touch screen interfaces.
- Optimizing specialized software for embedded systems with custom compiling and debugging.
Examples of Technology
- The Gibson Robot Guitar includes an embedded system for tuning its own strings.
- Embedded systems in medicine include electronic stethoscopes that amplify sound, vital signs monitoring systems with wireless networking, and CT, MRI, and SPECT technology for noninvasive diagnostics.
Benefits to Florida’s Economy
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that embedded systems engineer jobs will grow 21 percent between 2008 and 2018.
- Apple leads all companies in spending $28 billion a year on chip purchasing, a large share of which includes system-on-chip technology.
- The global market for embedded technology is estimated to reach $112.5 billion by 2014, according to a report by BCC Research.
Fast Facts
Mobile phones use the most embedded software systems per year, followed closely by washing machines.
Major Companies in the Industry
Machine Intelligence
Machine Intelligence is a branch of computer engineering that applies methods of computation to replicate, and sometimes surpass, human intellectual functions. The field seeks to advance machine learning, reasoning, and self-correction, as well as the abilities of machines to perceive, move, manipulate and communicate. The Machine Intelligence program in the Computer Engineering Department will give you a foundation in programming strategies for machine learning and pattern recognition, as well as the opportunity to design your own intelligent machines, to prepare you for a career in building the stuff of science fiction.
Application and Research
- Advancing natural language processing and speech recognition technology for voice control of electronics.
- Solving problems of navigation, mapping, and motion planning to enable robotic machines to move in any environment.
- Developing artificial neural networks inspired by human and animal central nervous systems.
Examples of Technology
- IDSIA, one of the top ten Artificial Intelligence labs in the world, has developed AI programs for handwriting recognition, robot control, and computer-controlled freight platforms for rail transport.
- The linguistics underlying Google, the scheduling software used throughout the military, the fraud detection software for credit card companies, and the software in massive multiplayer games are all examples of machine intelligence.
Benefits to Florida’s Economy
- The National Science Foundation has awarded more than $12 million to Florida institutions for Information & Intelligent Systems research.
- A KPMG survey of tech companies showed that artificial intelligence technology drove at least 10% of sector revenue in 2012.
Fast Facts
Ray Kurzweil has used Moore’s law to calculate that desktop computers will have the same processing power as human brains by the year 2029.
Major Companies in the Industry
Program & Concentration RequirementsDegree ProgramsBachelor of ScienceConcentration
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