In electrical and computer engineering, it is important to find ways
to give students experience in implementing concepts learned in the
classroom. A digital railroad is an effective medium for teaching and
demonstrating concepts ranging from simple finite state machines to
Real-time Systems. Gebr. Märklin & Cie. GmbH, Germany, has
developed a digital model railroad system. The system uses digitally
controlled locomotives, electronic switches and sensors. Students can
use this system in conjunction with projects such as PC-interfacing,
embedded systems, and collision avoidance. Such a system gives students
immediate physical and intuitive feedback from their designs. A
digital railroad is fun, provides activities on every level of
difficulty (i.e. freshmen and seniors can work together), and provides
interdisciplinary possibilities.
The Digital Train Lab provides a fun, interactive platform for projects and labs involving:
- Data Networks
- Sensor Interfaces
- Real-time Systems
- Microcontrollers
- Communication
- GUI Interfaces
It also provides a basis for exploring topics such as:
- Collision Avoidance
- Signal Processing
- Interrupt Driven Events
- Routing & Scheduling
More pages from the Digital Train Lab's original website will be transferred here in the future. Also, see the google code project page
here. Please contact me with any questions, comments, or suggestions you may have.
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