CE351 f2025 Course Project

Project Requirements
1. Design a barebone MCU system on a PCB that includes at least two modules from the Skyboard.
2. The system should power up through the Arduino USB cable, but the USB cable must not be used for programming. This ensures that both your software and hardware connections are verified on your Skyboard.
3. Your code must include at least two ISRs (Interrupt Service Routines), and each should handle multiple states.
4. The course project is worth 30% of the final grade. This serves as a sanity check of your learning outcomes from this class. The focus is less on rote memorization and more on demonstrating your understanding and application of course concepts.
5. System design, coding, planning, PCB design, and soldering are essential skills for an independent embedded systems engineer. Your grade will reflect your skill level in system design.
6. The MCU system—both software and hardware—does not need to be overly complex or fully complete. A moderate level of complexity is recommended. The most important outcome is that your PCB functions correctly.

1. PCB EDA Tool and Tutorials
We will use Eagle PCB for this course project. While Eagle will eventually be replaced by Fusion 360, the interface in Fusion 360 is nearly identical to Eagle’s. Therefore, learning Eagle will not be a waste of time.
I have not yet prepared a full set of tutorials for Fusion 360, so please follow the existing Eagle PCB tutorials to complete your deliverables on time.

Tasks:
Task 1.1: Build a schematic, due Friday 10/31 (100 points)
Task 1.2: Create self-defined libraries, due Monday 11/3 (100 points)
Task 1.3: Design a PCB layout, due Wednesday 11/5 (100 points)
Task 1.4: Duplicate the Skyboard schematic and layout, due Friday 11/7 (100 points)

2. Software and Hardware Verification
Your software and hardware must be verified on your Skyboard before designing your custom PCB.
Task 2.1: Submit a project proposal (no formatting requirements, 1 page limit), due Friday 11/7 (100 points)
Task 2.2: Submit a report on your software and hardware design for the Skyboard, and include links to demo videos, due Monday 11/10 (100 points)

3. PCB Design, Assembly and Testing
This stage includes soldering, programming, and testing your PCB.
Task 3.1: PCB design - clean schematic and manual layout, due Friday 11/14. (100 points)
Task 3.2: PCB soldering, programming, and testing, report due Friday 12/12. (100 points)