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Basic Exercises

The laboratory practicals are structured into two distinct tiers:

  1. Basic Exercises: Focus on fundamental interfacing techniques, sensor signal acquisition, and low-level actuator control.
  2. Advanced Exercises: These are more concerned with integrating the elements of the Basic Exercises into a working system, to achieve a goal. During the Advanced exercises you will also work with slightly more advanced programming concepts, such as implementation of a PI Controller and simple finite state machines, (we will provide programming templates for both of these topics).

Focus on system-level integration, combining individual hardware drivers to achieve complex closed-loop functionality. These tasks introduce higher-level embedded control strategies, including Proportional-Integral (PI) control loops and Finite State Machines (FSMs) (starter templates will be provided).

Basic Exercises List As outlined in the Module Introduction Guide, you must complete the following five foundational exercises:

Prerequisite Progression Rule

You must complete and obtain assessment sign-off for all five Basic Exercises before you can receive credit for any Advanced Exercises.

Refer to the Module Schedule & Timeline for the recommended completion schedule across laboratory sessions.

Assessment & Demonstrations

Each exercise is evaluated during timetabled laboratory sessions by Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) using the marking criteria at the end of each exercise. When you have completed and verified an exercise circuit and sketch, notify a GTA to demonstrate your working system.

Each of these exercises will be assessed during the laboratory session, using the assessment structure outlined in the Appendix section of this document. When you have completed an assessed exercise, you should get your work marked one of the GTAs.

Marking Deadline & Queue Management

Do NOT delay marking until the final laboratory session. GTAs cannot guarantee sign-offs if a backlog occurs near the end of the final session, and unverified exercises will result in lost marks. Request marking immediately upon completing each individual exercise.