Home - juxtapix/IMA_E4I GitHub Wiki

Topics: Electronics for Inventors

Pedro Oliveira
pedro.itp(at)nyu.edu
Office hours

TA: Jasmine Nackash
Office Hours

NYU IMA, Spring 2025
TUE 3:40PM - 6:40PM

Overview

Today we no longer solely connected to the digital world through computers. The result of this push to connect the digital and the analog world is the increasing necessity for low cost, low power, and self-contained electronics.

This course is an applications-driven intro to electronics for inventors. Through a hands-on approach, students will learn basic concepts about analog circuits, Boolean logic, digital devices interfaces, and low-cost code-free electronics.

Topics will include basic principles of electricity, as well as an understanding of electronics components such as resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors, audio amplifiers, and timers.

This class will use as a backbone the book "Practical Electronics for Inventors - 4th Edition" by Paul Scherz and Simon Monk.

Syllabus

Format: Lectures + In-class LABs + Readings

Class #1:

  • Review Basics:
    • Electricity and electrons / Power and energy
    • AC / DC
    • Voltage and Current
    • Series and Parallel
  • Concepts:
    • Resistance
    • Capacitance
    • Ohms Law
  • Components:
    • Wires and Cables
    • Resistors
    • Capacitors
  • Tools/Skills:
    • Safety
    • Multimeter

Class #2:

  • Concepts:
    • RC time constant
    • Semiconductors
  • Components:
    • Diodes
    • Transistors
  • Tools/Skills:
    • Breadboard / Prototyping
    • Variable Power Supply
  • LAB:
    • NPN 3904 LED flasher / touch sensor

Class #3:

  • Concepts:
    • Oscillators and Timers
    • Integrated Circuits
  • Components:
    • 555 timer IC - Astable mode
  • Tools/Skills:
    • Reading and Designing Schematics
    • Oscilloscope 101
  • LAB:
    • 555 LED Flasher
    • 555 LED Breather

Class #4:

  • Concepts:
    • Oscillators and Timers
    • Integrated Circuits
  • Components:
    • 555 timer IC - Monostable and Bistable mode
  • Tools/Skills:
    • Soldering
    • Prototyping Boards
  • LAB:
    • 555 bounce-free latched switch /
    • 555 Toggle switch (bistable)

Class #5:

  • Concepts:
    • Electrical Signals
    • Gain
    • Feedback
  • Components:
    • Operational Amplifiers
  • Tools/Skills:
    • Function Generator
    • Oscilloscope 102
  • LAB:
    • LM358 electret microphone preamplifier

Class #6:

  • Concepts:
    • Digital Circuits
      • Combinational
      • Sequential
    • Boolean logic
    • Logic Level
  • Components:
    • NAND IC
    • Shift Register IC
  • Tools/Skills:
    • Logic Probe
  • LAB:
    • Shift Register
    • NAND Logic

Class #7:

  • Concepts:
    • Power Supplies
    • AC / DC
  • Components:
    • Transformer
    • Voltage regulator
    • Bridge rectifier
  • LAB:
    • Variable Power Supply _ Part I

Class #8:

  • Concepts:
    • Power Supplies
    • AC / DC
  • Components:
    • Transformer
    • Voltage regulator
    • Bridge rectifier
  • LAB:
    • Variable Power Supply _ Part II

Class #9:

  • Concepts:
    • Audio
    • Noise
    • Signal Generator
  • Components:
    • ASIC IC
  • LAB:
    • DTMF tone decoder
    • Speaker amplifier

Class #10:

  • Concepts:
    • Digital Signals
    • PWM (Pulse With Modulation)
    • Step and Direction
  • Components:
    • Motors and Actuators
  • Tools/Skills:
    • Debugging Circuits / Systems
  • LAB:
    • PWM stepper
    • PWM servo (using 555)

Class #11:

  • Concepts:
    • Microcontrollers
    • Sensors
    • Conditioning signals
  • Components:
    • Microcontrollers
    • Sensors
  • LAB:
    • Arduino from Scratch (ATMEGA328)

Class #12:

  • Concepts:
    • Protocols (RS232/485/Midi/DMX512)
  • Components:
    • MAX485
  • LAB:
    • MAX485 / DMX

Class #13:

  • Concepts:
    • System Integration
  • LAB:
    • Work Session

Class #14:

  • Concepts:
    • Electromagnetic Spectrum
  • Tools/Skills::
    • Flipper Zero / SDR
  • LAB:
    • 315MHz Radio Receiver

Requirements

Pre-requisites
Prerequisites include an open mind, interest in electronics, physical computing, and the drive to make.

Readings
This class will use as a backbone the book "Practical Electronics for Inventors - 4th Edition" by Paul Scherz and Simon Monk, this is a required textbook. link

It is expected that you will spend 6 to 8 hours a week on the class outside of class itself. This will include reviewing material, reading, watching videos, and learning about electronics. Please budget your time accordingly.

Supplies
You will need basic supplies for circuit prototyping. list

Assessment and Grades
Grades for the course will follow the standard A through F letter grading system and will be determined by the following breakdown:

50% Demonstration of understanding of concepts explained in the class lectures, workshops and text.
30% Participation in class and workshops.
20% Attendance and Punctuality.

Attendance
More than two absences will result in a failing grade. Arriving to two classes more than 10 minutes late counts as an absence. Please notify me as early as possible if you are unable to come to class.

Conduct
This class meets every TUE from 3:40PM to 6:40PM. Please be punctual and respectful to each other.

Participation
This class will be highly participatory. You are expected to contribute to discussions, follow the Labs, build the circuits, and otherwise fully participate in class.

Terminology

The field of Electronics, Electrical Engineering, and Technology in general, has traditionally presented outdated, archaic, problematic, ableist, and racist language. This class will make use of inclusive and gender-neutral terminology. Suggestions/Alternatives

Inclusivity

This class is a harassment-free, and inclusive space for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, physical appearance, age, race, ethnicity, political affiliation, national origin, or religion — and not limited to these aspects. ITP/IMA - Code of Conduct

Statement of Academic Integrity

Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work as though it were your own. More specifically, plagiarism is to present as your own: A sequence of words quoted without quotation marks from another writer or a paraphrased passage from another writer’s work or facts, ideas or images composed by someone else.

Statement of Principle

The core of the educational experience at the Tisch School of the Arts is the creation of original academic and artistic work by students for the critical review of faculty members. It is therefore of the utmost importance that students at all times provide their instructors with an accurate sense of their current abilities and knowledge in order to receive appropriate constructive criticism and advice. Any attempt to evade that essential, transparent transaction between instructor and student through plagiarism or cheating is educationally self-defeating and a grave violation of Tisch School of the Arts community standards. For all the details on plagiarism, please refer to page 10 of the Tisch School of the Arts, Policies and Procedures Handbook, which can be found online at: http://students.tisch.nyu.edu/page/home.html

Statement on Accessibility

Please feel free to make suggestions to your instructor about ways in which this class could become more accessible to you. Academic accommodations are available for students with documented disabilities. Please contact the Moses Center for Students with Disabilities at 212 998-4980 for further information.

Statement on Counseling and Wellness

Your health and safety are a priority at NYU. If you experience any health or mental health issues during this course, we encourage you to utilize the support services of the 24/7 NYU Wellness Exchange 212-443-9999. Also, all students who may require an academic accommodation due to a qualified disability, physical or mental, please register with the Moses Center 212-998-4980. Please let your instructor know if you need help connecting to these resources.

Statement on Title IX

Tisch School of the Arts is dedicated to providing its students with a learning environment that is rigorous, respectful, supportive and nurturing so that they can engage in the free exchange of ideas and commit themselves fully to the study of their discipline. To that end, Tisch is committed to enforcing University policies prohibiting all forms of sexual misconduct as well as discrimination on the basis of sex and gender. Detailed information regarding these policies and the resources that are available to students through the Title IX office can be found by using the following link: NYU Title IX Office

Statement on use of Electronic Devices

Laptops will be an essential part of the course and may be used in class during workshops and for taking notes in lecture. Laptops must be closed during class discussions and student presentations. Phone use in class is strictly prohibited unless directly related to a presentation of your own work or if you are asked to do so as part of the curriculum.

Privacy

This is a space where everyone is welcome to participate, learn and share. Students are expected to respect each other's privacy, both online and in person. While taking this class students, instructors and guests agree to not record, capture, or take snapshots, unless previously agreed upon. Recordings will be made for accommodation purposes only and will not be published online or shared otherwise.