Computer engineering

From The Book of THoTH (Leaves of Wisdom)

Computer engineering is a discipline that combines elements of both electrical engineering and computer science (IEEE Computer Society and the ACM Computer Engineering 2004: Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Computer Engineering Computer engineering has traditionally been viewed as a combination of both computer science (CS) and electrical engineering (EE)). 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) (What is Computer Engineering).

"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.

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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. (Computer Engineering 2004: Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Computer Engineering "In the United States, the first computer engineering program accredited by ABET (formerly the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) was at Case Western Reserve University in 1971. As of October 2004, ABET has accredited over 170 computer engineering or similarly named programs.")

The high demand 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 [1] :

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.

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