Physical and Functional Structure of DSPLabs,
Equipment Overview and Development
Perspectives

 
 

 DSPLabs Structure

DSPLabs have both a physical and a functional structure. The physical structure organises DSPLabs as two distinct compartments:
  1. Lab Compartment, used for didactic activities, as well as for projects and applications involving student participation.
  2. Research & Development Compartment, used for high-level research activities and applications, developed by staff and student members of the laboratory's R&D team.
Functionally, DSPLabs are structured in two distinct sections as well:
  1. DALT Section (Motorola DSP Applications Lab in Timisoara), developed as result of the DSPLabs – Motorola collaboration program. DALT provides all the necessary support for the DSP-related activities in the lab.
  2. ACES Section (Acquisition, Control and Embedded Systems), involved in didactic and research and development activities in the fields of data acquisition, digital control and embedded systems.


 Equipment Overview


The continuous improvement and upgrade of the equipment in the laboratory is a constant priority. Currently, DSPLabs is equipped with the following types of hardware and software support:
  • PC workstations – 12 units
  • Laboratory measurement stands, each including an oscilloscope, a function generator and a dual stabilized power source – 6 units
  • Motorola DSP-based evaluation modules (EVM) – 6 units
  • Intel microcontroller-based evaluation boards – 2 units
  • Data acquisition boards, developed in the DSPLabs with Burr-Brown, Analog Devices and National Semiconductors converters – 3 units
  • Video cameras and Web cameras – 3 units
  • Software development kits (SDK, assembler, debugger, linker) for the Motorola and Analog Devices digital signal processors
  • Computer Aided Engineering software (OrCAD, Protel, VHDL packages)
  • Digital signal and image processing software (KHOROS, MATLAB, OPD).

 Development Perspectives

 
Continuous increase of the number and quality of DSPLabs team is considered as top priority. The true value of DSPLabs consists of the quality, the experience and the commitment of its team members.
Consequently, DSPLabs seeks to expand all its activities and research projects, acquiring new and valuable partners, to use at a maximum all the experience and the potential of its team.
Another priority is the constant development and improvement of the equipment and technical support in the laboratory.

Making History Since 1995:
Important Dates, Events and Facts

 


The bases of digital signal acquisition and processing laboratory were established by professor Voicu GROZA, during the 80's.

In its actual structure, DSPLabs has been operating since 1995, being coordinated by professor Vladimir CRETU as head of the Computer and Software Engineering Department and by professor Mihai V. MICEA.
to be continued...

National and International Recognition
of Our Team and Its Activity
Over the Years

 

As a solid proof of the quality of DSPLabs team, stand the important awards received over the years:
  • Second Prize at the 14-th Annual International Computers Contest for Students, "Hard & Soft", with the project: "Digital Processing of Audio and Video signals ", "Stefan cel Mare" University of Suceava, May 16-21, 2007.
     
  • First Prize at the 12-th Annual International Computers Contest for Students, "Hard & Soft", with the project: "LEEFT3 – Lift (Elevator) Environment Forged Tenderly by Team of Timisoara", "Stefan cel Mare" University of Suceava, May 16-21, 2005.
     
  • Second Prize at the 9-th Annual International Computers Contest for Students, "Hard & Soft", with the project: "Intelligent alarm system based on image processing", "Stefan cel Mare" University of Suceava, May 20-25, 2002.
     
  • Award of the Jury at the Scientific Student Communication Session, SCSS'2001 with the paper: "Real-time Person Tracking System with Motorola DSP", Computer Science and Engineering Department, POLITEHNICA University of Timisoara, 2001.
     
  • Award of the Jury at the Scientific Student Communication Session, SCSS'2001 with the paper: "Professional Audio Effects Processor with Motorola DSP", Computer Science and Engineering Department, POLITEHNICA University of Timisoara, 2001.
     
  • Second Prize at the 7-th Annual Students' International Contest, "Hard & Soft" Suceava, "Stefan cel Mare" University of Suceava, May 15-20, 2000.
     
  • First Prize at the 6-th Annual Students' International Contest, "Hard & Soft" Suceava, "Stefan cel Mare" University of Suceava, May 17-22, 1999.
     
  • Special Award of the Jury at the Scientific Student Communication Session, SSCS'95, with the paper: "A Client-Server Approach of a Library Database Management in UNIX", Computer Science Department, POLITEHNICA University of Timisoara, 1995.
     
to be continued ...

DSPLabs
The Digital Signal Processing Laboratories in Timisoara

Who We Are, What We Do

 


DSPLabs
, the Digital Signal Processing Laboratories in Timisoara are an active component of the Computer and Software Engineering Department, at the Politehnica University of Timisoara, with three main functions:
  1. To support didactic activities (courses, seminars and laboratory workshops) with  students at the Automatics and Computer Science Faculty
  2. To host and coordinate diploma theses, master's dissertations and doctoral programs
  3. To develop research and application projects within research contracts and grants established with various institutions and companies.
The prime fields of expertise of DSPLabs are: Digital Signal Processing, Embedded Systems and Signal Acquisition and Conditioning Systems.

 Board

 
Vladimir CRETU, PhD.

Professor
Head of Department

Mihai V. MICEA, PhD.

Professor
Coordinator of DSPLabs

Dan CHICIUDEAN

Teaching Assistant
 

 

 Fields of Expertise

 
» Digital Signal Processing
Two courses with corresponding laboratory workshops and projects, developed in close collaboration with Motorola, Incorporated, as part of the Computer Science Curriculum at the Politehnica University of Timisoara: Digital Signal Processing (fourth year syllabus) and Advanced Digital Signal Processing (master's syllabus).
High experience in design and implementation of DSP-based systems, and digital signal processors programming (both low-level – assembler, and high-level – C and C++ languages): Motorola, Analog Devices and Texas Instruments DSP.

» Embedded Systems
A course with corresponding laboratory workshops and applications, under development, for the Siemens VDO Company training program: "Elements of C Programming for Microcontrollers".
High experience in embedded systems design, implementation and programming (low- and high- levels): Intel and Motorola microcontrollers.

» Digital Control and Automation Systems
Rich experience in digital control and automation systems engineering: digital control of stepper motors, AC and DC motors; various automation systems and laboratory instrumentation.

» Signal Acquisition and Conditioning
Laboratory workshops and projects, developed for the Signal Acquisition and Conditioning Systems course, as part of the Computer Science Curriculum at the POLITEHNICA University of Timisoara (fourth year syllabus).
High experience in design and implementation of signal acquisition and conditioning systems: Burr-Brown, Texas Instruments, Analog Devices, National Semiconductors and National Instruments.
Rich expertise in programming and controlling signal acquisition and conditioning systems by means of: standalone boards; microcontrollers; digital signal processors; host computers as master.

» Digital Telecommunication Systems
Course and laboratory workshops and applications, developed in close collaboration with the Alcatel Company, as part of the Computer Science Curriculum at the POLITEHNICA University of Timisoara: Modern Digital Telecommunications (fourth year syllabus).
Good experience in design and programming of digital telecommunication systems: PSTN switching systems and GSM systems (Alcatel-based platforms).

» Computer Aided Engineering of Digital Systems
High experience in design and implementation of digital systems and boards using computer aided engineering tools and packages: OrCAD and Protel packages, VHDL tools.

» Distributed and Real-time Systems
Good experience in design, implementation and programming in distributed and real-time computing environments: a PhD research program developed in this field in close collaboration with Motorola, Incorporated, several master's dissertation projects accomplished with good results, and good experience in using specialized systems and tools (such as KHOROS package).

» Digital Image Processing
Good experience in design and implementation of digital image processing algorithms and systems: various applications in this field and usage of specialized packages (e.g. KHOROS and MATLAB packages).

» System and Network Administration
High experience in system and network administration and programming: DOS, Windows 9x, NT, 2000 and UNIX-based operating systems; TCP/IP network administration; network scripts programming.
   

 Perspectives

 

Continuous increase of the number and quality of DSPLabs team is considered as top priority. The true value of DSPLabs consists of the quality, the experience and the commitment of its team members. Consequently, DSPLabs seeks to expand all its activities and research projects, acquiring new and valuable partners, to use at a maximum all the experience and the potential of its team.
Another priority is the constant development and improvement of the equipment and technical support in the laboratory.

Copyright 2003 © Mihai V. MICEA