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CEC Semester Twenty Six 2024

Exploring Electronic Circuits with Breadboards AI Circuit Analysis and Simulators

Dr. Don Wilcher -
Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Alabama - Birmingham
September 23,
2024
Electronic Circuit Schematic Diagrams and Solderless Breadboards A New Perspective
CEC participants will explore the world of electronic circuit schematic diagrams and solderless breadboards from a research perspective of visualization and interaction. Participants will learn the purpose and process of converting a conceptual diagram into an electronic circuit schematic diagram. An approach to building and troubleshooting electronic circuits on a solderless breadboard will be presented.
Course Resources
Course Resource (PDF)
Webinar
Special Educational Materials
How to Read a Schematic – Blog/Video
Get Materials
What Are Schematic Symbols? – Blog
Know Your Breadboards and Prototype Boards to Ensure a Smooth Project Start – Blog
September 24,
2024
Electronic Circuit Schematic Diagrams KiCAD and Microcap
In this Day 2 webinar session, CEC participants will learn about schematic capture using KiCAD and Microcap software packages. Strategies for the layout of electronic circuit schematic diagrams will be presented in the topic’s discussion. Mini lab activities illustrating the use of KiCAD and Microcap will direct the participants' engagement in this webinar session.
Course Resources
Course Resource (PDF)
Webinar
Special Educational Materials
How to Read a Schematic – Blog/Video
Get Materials
What Are Schematic Symbols? – Blog
Know Your Breadboards and Prototype Boards to Ensure a Smooth Project Start – Blog
September 25,
2024
AI Circuit Analysis Digraphs and Python Modeling
Directed graphs or digraphs provide a visualization for viewing geometry within system processes. In Day 3 session, CEC participants will learn how to perform circuit analysis from a topological perspective using digraphs. Participants will use software agents created in Python to build an electronic circuit digraph.
Course Resources
Course Resource (PDF)
Webinar
Special Educational Materials
How to Read a Schematic – Blog/Video
Get Materials
What Are Schematic Symbols? – Blog
Know Your Breadboards and Prototype Boards to Ensure a Smooth Project Start – Blog
September 26,
2024
Exploring Circuit Simulators Part 1 Multisim Live and QSPICE
Participants will learn the basics of Multisim Live and QSPICE software simulators through hands-on learning activities. Participants will build an RC Timer circuit and observe its electrical behavior using the two simulation packages.
Course Resources
Course Resource (PDF)
Webinar
Special Educational Materials
How to Read a Schematic – Blog/Video
Get Materials
What Are Schematic Symbols? – Blog
Know Your Breadboards and Prototype Boards to Ensure a Smooth Project Start – Blog
September 27,
2024
Exploring Circuit Simulators Part 2 TinkerCAD Circuits
In this final session, participants will explore the TinkerCAD circuits simulator by building an operational amplifier comparator circuit. Participants will learn to use the online circuit simulator to build and test the virtual operational amplifier circuit using supporting electronic test instruments.
Course Resources
Course Resource (PDF)
Webinar
Special Educational Materials
How to Read a Schematic – Blog/Video
Get Materials
What Are Schematic Symbols? – Blog
Know Your Breadboards and Prototype Boards to Ensure a Smooth Project Start – Blog
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Instructor
Dr. Don Wilcher
Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Alabama - Birmingham

Dr. Don Wilcher, an Electrical Engineer, is an Associate Certified Electronics Technician (CETa), a Technical Education Researcher, Instructor, Maker, Emerging Technology Lecturer, Electronics Project writer, and Book Author. His Learn Electronics with Arduino book, published by Apress, has been cited 80 times in academic journals and referenced on patents.

He is the Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Alabama - Birmingham. His research interest is Embedded Controls, Robotics Education, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence applications and their impact on Personalized Learning, Competency-Based Models curriculum, and instructional development in Mechatronics, Automation, IoT, Electronics, Robotics, and Industrial Maintenance Technologies. He is also the Founder and owner of MaDon Research LLC, an instructional technology consulting, technical training, and electronics project writing company serving Electronics Marketing Media, Technical and Engineering Education companies.