Computer engineering
Encyclopedia : C : CO : COM : Computer engineering
Computer engineering (also sometimes given the title 'Electronic and Computer Engineering') is a discipline that combines elements of both
electrical engineering and
computer science. Computer engineers are electrical engineers that have additional training in the areas of software design and hardware-software integration. In turn, they focus less on power electronics and physics. Computer engineers are involved on all aspects of computing, from the design of individual
microprocessors,
personal computers, and
supercomputers, to circuit design, as well as the integration of computer systems into other kinds of systems (a motor vehicle, for example, has a number of subsystems that are computer and digitally oriented)
[, "Computer engineers need not only to understand how computer systems themselves work, but also how they integrate into the larger picture. Consider the car. A modern car contains many separate computer systems for controlling such things as the engine timing, the brakes and the air bags. To be able to design and implement such a car, the computer engineer needs a broad theoretical understanding of all these various subsystems & how they interact."]. Common computer engineering tasks include writing
embedded software for real-time
microcontrollers, designing
VLSI chips, working with analog sensors, designing mixed signal
circuit boards, and designing
operating systems. Computer engineers are also well-suited for research in the field of
robotics, which relies on using computers together with other electrical systems.
Computer engineering as an academic discipline
The first accredited computer engineering degree program in the United States was established at
Case Western Reserve University in 1971; as of October 2004 there were 170
ABET-accredited computer engineering programs in the US
.
The high demand#redirect [[Template:Fact]] for engineers who are able to design and manage all forms of computer systems in industry has led to tertiary institutions around the world to implement a new bachelor’s degree generally called computer engineering. Both computer engineering and electronic engineering programs include analog and digital circuit design into their curriculums.
Besides having a sound knowledge of the mathematics and the sciences which form an integral part of any engineering discipline, computer engineering encompasses topics that are more unique to the discipline, such as
- Algorithms
- Computer Architecture and Organization
- Computer Systems Engineering
- Database Systems
- Embedded Systems
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Operating Systems
- Software Engineering
- VLSI Design and Fabrication
Many of the areas of electronic engineering and computer engineering overlap, such as electronics and digital systems which form the basis of electronic components.
See also
References
External links
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