ATE Project: Developing the Digital Technologist for the new Millennium
Nothing touches our era of exponential growth and change more than digital electronics. In a few short decades these systems have grown (or shrunk) from a few transistors per device to over a billion on a single chip. This unprecedented growth in technology has led to entirely new design techniques where traditional schematic designs have been replaced with Hardware Description Languages (HDLs), that look like computer code, but are actually descriptions of hardware. These languages are used to design nearly all modern electronics from microprocessors to controllers, and a host of other circuits. This funded ATE project will greatly advance community college education by bringing instructors up-to-date with these techniques and giving them experience in a particular family of digital logic, namely “reconfigurable” electronics that can be easily modified by a designer. In particular, we use Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) which are “chameleon chips” that can be quickly redesigned to teach complex concepts.
The major goals of this project include:

1. Development of an online core curriculum (including laboratory material). This material can be found at http://vhdl_fpgas.ece.unm.edu/index.php/Main_Page.
2. Establishment of FPGA laboratories at four community colleges.
3. A series of educational workshops for 90 academic instructors to facilitate the process as well as providing on-site support.

4. Increased use of HDL design techniques into degree and certificate programs at partner colleges with articulation to 4-year degree programs along with a outreach and recruiting effort to high schools.
5. An industry advisory council from the four partner colleges and one university to establish skill standards for FPGA technology.

The project builds upon a collaboration with Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Glendale Community College, Central Arizona College, J.F. Drake State Technical College and the University of New Mexico. These institutions understand the problems and challenges of teaching design with HDLs and have already started some significant efforts to get a head start.

Upcoming Courses
The team is ready to come to your school to provide free training. Please contact Craig Kief to assist with scheduling this activity. In 2012, the team is already planing beginners and advanced workshops in Texas, South Carolina and Oregon.

Further Information
Craig Kief (craig.kief@cosmiac.org)