Educational Aspects of Using Computer-Aided Design in Automatic Control

Panajotis Agathoklis
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Victoria
P.O.Box 3055
Victoria, British Columbia V8W 3P6
Canada
Email: Pan@ECE.UVic.CA
François E. Cellier
Institute of Computational Science
ETH Zürich
CH-8092 Zürich
Switzerland
Email: FCellier@Inf.ETHZ.CH
Milorad Djordjevic
EDV.O.EOPS/EOHD
Schweizerische Bankgesellschaft
Flurstrasse 65
CH-8048 Zürich
Switzerland
Pierre O. Grepper
IT-Architekt
Swiss Life AG
General-Guisan-Quai 40
CH-8022 Zürich
Switzerland
Franta J. Kraus
Automatic Control Laboratory
Department of Electrical Engineering
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich
ETH-Zentrum
CH-8092 Zürich
Switzerland
Email: Kraus@Control.EE.ETHZ.CH

Keywords

Computer Aided System Design
Computer Software
Control System Analysis
Control System Synthesis
Digital Computers
Education
Educational Aids
Interactive Computation

Abstract

This paper covers aspects of utilizing Computer Aided Design (CAD) techniques for classroom exercises, laboratory experiments, and senior projects. During the past years, several CAD programs have been developed which are used by our students. Some of these programs are shortly described, and our experiences with their use by students is documented. Finally, some of the shortcomings of currently available CAD programs are discussed, and the paper points out how these could be overcome in the future.

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