The major objective of the department is to provide educational services, research, development and consultancy in the fundamental hardware and software technology of the computer industry, and in a number of key applications of such technology.
The technological focus of the department covers a number of areas:
(a) the digital and analogue circuitry of computer components and devices, including varying levels of circuit integration up to custom ASIC/VLSI. A particular emphasis is placed on `embedded systems', ie the skills and techniques associated with the design and development of customised processor controlled systems;
(b) the internal controlling software, particularly as it operates at the device level. Again particular emphasis is placed on the close and effective integration of hardware and software;
(c) a selected set of application areas, in particular:
* digital communications, including switching hardware, protocol development and network design;
* robotics, particularly vision systems, sensor fusion, and industrial applications;
* signal coding, analysis and processing, particularly in video, audio and geophysical applications;
* neural network theory and application to vision and image processing, including hardware implementation.
Teaching
The program of the department is represented by a number of courses:
* the Bachelor of Digital Systems undergraduate degree, which provides a foundation in hardware and software technology, and a number of application areas;
* the honours degree in digital systems which extends a small number of students into advanced theoretical and applications areas;
* the research degrees of Master of Computing and PhD, in which candidates work with staff within the research and development program of the department;
* the postgraduate coursework offerings of the Graduate Diploma in Digital Communications, the Graduate Diploma in Robotics, and the Master of Computing (digital communications stream).
Research
The research program of the department concentrates on the application areas listed above, each of which has staff and graduate students working on one or more project teams. Most projects involve the design and development of innovative hardware and software.
Links with industry
The community service program of the department involves the provision of consultancy and tailored in-service education to local high-technology companies. In addition the department works with companies on the commercial exploitation of hardware and software technologies.
Objectives - Bachelor of Digital Systems
The Bachelor in Digital Systems is the department's principal undergraduate offering. The electronics and hardware subjects are also available to students in a range of other courses such as the Bachelor of Computing (Computer Science) as a major in Digital Systems.
The aim of the program is to provide an integrated and practical study of computer hardware and software, with a particular emphasis on `embedded systems', ie processor or microprocessor controlled systems with special-purpose software. It is possible to characterise the course as being a synthesis of elements found in both traditional electronic engineering and computer science courses, but with a particular emphasis on the design and development of digital hardware and related controlling software.
Students completing this course will have knowledge of:
* the functioning of computer components, and the principles and techniques for the design, development and testing of computer circuitry;
* programming, software engineering and software module integration particularly where applied to low-level device control and operating system tasks;
* principles and procedures for the design, development, testing and implementation of software in assembler and appropriate higher-level languages for use in operating systems or embedded system applications;
* the theoretical aspects of instrumentation, control and signal analysis, and their application to a variety of tasks and environments;
* a selection of applications of processor-controlled technology, including digital communications, robotics and computer graphical systems.
They will be able to:
* design, develop, test and implement software in assembler and appropriate higher-level languages for use in operating systems or embedded systems applications;
* design, assemble and test medium-sized circuits and devices, including processor-controlled devices operating in multi-processor systems;
* apply the theoretical aspects of instrumentation, control and signal analysis to a variety of tasks and environments;
* apply learned techniques appropriately in the development of hardware/software solutions to real-world problems;
* undertake research and development into the techniques and applications of digital systems;
* keep abreast of the developing technologies in the field, and to apply these to the development of digital systems.
They will have developed attitudes of:
* enthusiasm for the development of combined hardware and software solutions to broad classes of problems
* respect for the scientific and mathematical foundations of much of digital technology and its applications.