Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

ECpE Celebrates 100 Years, Displays Interactive Technology Exhibits at VEISHEA

 

Contact:
Dana Schmidt, communications specialist, (515) 294-3071, schmidtd@iastate.edu

Ames, Iowa—Since 1909, students and faculty from Iowa State University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECpE) have conducted leading-edge research and made significant contributions to technology we now use everyday. To celebrate the department’s first 100 years of education and research excellence, the ECpE department will host an event Saturday, April 12, 2008 from 1 to 3 p.m. to kick off its yearlong centennial celebration.

The department will provide free cake and refreshments, and a brief ceremony will begin at 1:30 p.m.

In addition, visitors can tour the ECpE department’s new Coover Hall building addition and can see fun displays and watch live demonstrations showing the latest in technology, including the following:

• ECpE History Multimedia Kiosk: Test your ECpE knowledge with centennial trivia and view historical electrical and computer engineering artifacts.
• Home-built Surround Sound Speakers: See the homemade surround sound system built by students in Iowa State’s Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ student chapter. Plus, build your own speaker with a paper plate, glue, a piece of wire, a magnet, and cardboard.
• Critical Tinkers: Watch entertaining demonstrations for wirelessly lighting a light bulb, creating lightning, and more presented by an ECpE student group. Children also can tinker with interactive electronics snap kits.
• UAV Helicopter: See an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by graduate students fly at speeds up to 100 mph.
• Facial Recognition Experiment: Experience what it’s like to have a computer recognize your facial features and track your movement.
• Robot Manipulator: Watch robotics faculty operate a new robot—a Whole Arm Manipulator—that moves like a human hand.
• Senior Design Displays: See projects developed by ECpE undergraduate students, including an omnidirectional robot with built-in artificial intelligence and an autonomous robotic helicopter. Plus, learn about projects that use Sony Playstation 3 to create a fast ray-tracing software package, show how thin-film solar cells will help solve the world’s increasing demand for energy, and demonstrate a high-tech system to economically and accurately help farmers collect critical crop health data.
• Graduate Student Research Poster Session: Learn about the innovative research happening in the department.
  

Displays will be located in front of Marston Hall in the College of Engineering Tent and in Coover Hall on the northwest side of campus.

The ECpE’s centennial kick-off celebration coincides with the university’s VEISHEA celebration.

High-resolution, color photographs of some projects and displays are available.

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