Computer Engineering
Computer technology has advanced dramatically
over the past ten years.
Technology has advanced from computers the size
of a room that can only perform
one particular task, to personal computers
(PC’s) that will fit on a desk and
perform multiple tasks. Understanding
computers and their programs and being
able to apply that knowledge is very
important in today’s workplace.
Engineering is a field that requires an
extensive background in computer
technology. Future engineers will benefit
dramatically from having a strong
background in computer technology. In order
to understand why computers are
important, we have to understand what a
computer is and what it does. A computer
is a device capable of performing a
series of calculations or logical operations
without human intervention. The
computer is characterized by the number and
complexity of operations it can
perform and by its ability to process, store,
and retrieve data ("Computers"
1). The development of computers began in the
19th century by British
mathematician Charles Babbage (Eadie 3). Babbage
designed, but did not build,
a mechanical digital device capable of processing
information as a modern
computer does (4). In 1930 American scientist Vannevar
Bush built a
mechanically operated device, called a differential analyzer (4).
It was
the first general-purpose analog computer. Analog computers will be
discussed
later in this paper. The first information-processing digital
computer
actually built was the Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator, or
Mark I
computer (4). Completed in 1944, this electromechanical device was
designed by
American engineer Howard Aiken (5). In 1946 the Electronic
Numerical Integrator
and Computer, or ENIAC, was put into operation (5).
Using thousands of electron
tubes, it was the first electronic digital
computer. In the late 1950s
transistors replaced electron tubes in computers,
allowing a reduction in the
size and power consumption of computer components
(5). In the 1960s hybrid
computers were tried that connected analog computers
to digital ones. Later
integrated circuits were developed that allowed
further reduction in component
size and increase in reliability. The
introduction of a relatively easy to use
PC in 1981 began a period in the
rapid growth of the computer industry. The
computer industry is still
thriving today with the introduction of faster
processors such as the Pentium
II and now the Pentium III, high tech printers,
scanners, and of course the
Internet. There are two types of computers, analog
and digital. An analog
computer is designed to process data in which the
variable quantities vary
continuously; it translates the relationships between
the variables of a
problem into analogous relationships between electrical
quantities, such as
current and voltage, and solves the original problem by
solving the
equivalent problem, or analog, that is set up in its electrical
circuits
(Eadie 9). Because of this feature, analog computers are useful in
the
simulation and evaluation of certain complex situations. Analog computers
do not
play a role in engineering today, but without the introduction of
analog
computers PC’s would not be what they are today. Digital computers
are
referred to as PC’s. PC’s are used everyday in the workplace, at school,
and
at home. Many programs can be accessed and loaded into a digital
computer. Most
technical jobs, including engineering, require experience and
understanding of
PC’s and the programs that are related to the field in
which the PC is being
used. A digital computer is designed to process data in
numerical form; its
circuits perform mathematical operations of addition,
subtraction,
multiplication, and division. The numbers operated on by a
digital computer are
expressed in the binary system. Binary digits, which are
also known as bits, are
0 and 1, so that 0, 1, 10, 11, 100, 101, etc.
correspond to 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
etc. A series of eight bits, called a "byte",
is the basic data unit of
computers. A digital computer can store the results
of its calculations for
later use, can compare the results with other data,
and on the basis of such
comparisons can change the series of operations it
performs ("Computers" 2).
PC’s would not be useful if it were not for the
information that we enter into
them. Input to a computer can come directly
from people. Human beings can
directly communicate with the computer
terminals, entering instructions and data
by means of keyboards or by using a
mouse and receiving the information through
a printer. Entering data into a
computer can be extremely complicated for
someone who is not experienced in
downloading. In engineering understanding how
to download a program is not as
important as knowing how to run a program
unless, of course, you are planning
a career in computer engineering. When the
necessary programs are loaded into
a PC it can be used for tasks such as
computer-aided design. Computer-aided
design (CAD) is used frequently in
engineering. CAD is a form of automation
that helps designers prepare drawings,
specifications, and parts lists for a
wide variety of products. The technology
is widely used in architectural,
electronics, aeronautical, naval, and
automotive engineering and design. At
first CAD programs only performed less
complicated automated drafting
projects. Now they include computer simulation as
an important component.
Rather than having to build "bread-board" circuit
prototypes and change
components to determine effects of tolerance ranges,
engineers can use
computers to simulate circuit operation (Ferris 19). As
microelectronics
devices have become smaller and more complex, CAD has become an
especially
important technology. The introduction of CAD’s have lowered costs
and
shortened the design cycle in many industries. The understanding of CAD’s
and
similar programs are a vital component to any engineering career.
Other
programs that are related to engineering are ones that help create
blueprints,
estimate production costs, and simulate certain situations that
will help in
production. There are many different programs that correspond to
each field of
engineering. In today’s society computers are taught starting
in elementary
school. Computerized instruction continues all the way through
high school. Now,
many engineering degrees require certain computer classes.
Today’s students
are going to have an advantage over the engineers of the
past. Design and
planning will become easier even though the designs may be
more complex. The
advancements in technology have contributed greatly to the
field of engineering.