Howdy there.
Well, to cut to the chase, I am now sick with bronchitis. That is a bummer. On the upshot, it does give me a lot of time to think, which is unussual these days. So how can I update you on my current status? My room is now surrounding my bed, (about 20" on all sides) now that I've gotten all the electronics/computers from NASA to continue my thesis research, my laptop has no more (storage) room, so I'm considering re-formatting and starting over (Windows 7, hopefully), and my schedule goes from booked to rediculous. All in all, I think I'm doing well. I just need to keep my head up for about 4 more weeks to get through.
Every semester, I am struck by the psychology of classwork and finishing projects. Every semester I am very excited to sign up for x number of new classes (cool class names a must) and always arrive the first day with eager anticipation of what I will learn and be able to do when I finish. Then, about 1/3 of the way though, I get distracted by something that get's me a little behind or off track. at about 2/3 to 3/4 I become very aware of this and buckle down again, and by the end I keep my grades up (hopefully). Every semester this pattern shows itself, but to varying degrees of distraction and recourse. Thankfully, I seem to be getting better at it (distracted less, recourse more), but the pattern is still there. Very strange.
I guess I could tell you about some of the cool things I'm learning in class these days... c'mon, I know you're wondering! ;) Very well, I shall tell you then. In my electro-mechanical conversion class, I've been learning about electric motors... we've finished synchronous AC machines and DC machines, and now we're working on Induction machines... very cool stuff. Did you know that an induction motor first induces the current flowing in the rotor (the inside, turning part) and then provides the magnetic field that interacts with that current to produce a torque? The coolest part is, the magnetic field that induces the current is the very same one that the current interacts with to produce the torque! outstanding!
In my High Frequency Design Techniques class, we have been learning about clock distribution on (of course) high frequency designs... clock signals are the on and off signals that all of the other chips need to see to know when to process and when to stop, kinda like the drummer guy on the row ships, so that everyone stays synchronized. Anyway, when you try to distribute this signal at very high frequencies, the time it takes the signal to get to it's destination can be quite varied, because the speed of light is finite. think about it like if you wanted 5 cities to shoot fireworks at the same time, but you had to send out runners to tell them when to go and they would shoot the fireworks just when the runner arrived. Now make the cities various distances apart... if you had to arrange the "drop off" schedule for those runners so they arrived at almost exactly the same time, you now know the challange of clock distribution... ;) yay!
In my chaotic dynamics class, we have been learning about bifurcation. bifurcation is how a system changes its characteristics qualitatively when parameters in the system pass certain points. my prof had a good example: if a class is composed of one student, he could teach that student in his office. more than a few students would force him to teach the class in a classroom. if the class grew beyond 30 or so, he would have to find a lecture hall, if the class grew beyond 400 or so, he might have to record the lectures or broadcast them live... see how the class changes at certain points because of the number of students (28 to 29 was the same, but 30 to 31 changed dramatically in a qualitative sense)... this is leading up to why mathematical catastrophes happen and some other cool things (like hysteresis and chaos). Needless to say, I'm enjoying myself there. Below is an animation of a vector field undergoing bifurcation (Hopf).
Well, to cut to the chase, I am now sick with bronchitis. That is a bummer. On the upshot, it does give me a lot of time to think, which is unussual these days. So how can I update you on my current status? My room is now surrounding my bed, (about 20" on all sides) now that I've gotten all the electronics/computers from NASA to continue my thesis research, my laptop has no more (storage) room, so I'm considering re-formatting and starting over (Windows 7, hopefully), and my schedule goes from booked to rediculous. All in all, I think I'm doing well. I just need to keep my head up for about 4 more weeks to get through.
Every semester, I am struck by the psychology of classwork and finishing projects. Every semester I am very excited to sign up for x number of new classes (cool class names a must) and always arrive the first day with eager anticipation of what I will learn and be able to do when I finish. Then, about 1/3 of the way though, I get distracted by something that get's me a little behind or off track. at about 2/3 to 3/4 I become very aware of this and buckle down again, and by the end I keep my grades up (hopefully). Every semester this pattern shows itself, but to varying degrees of distraction and recourse. Thankfully, I seem to be getting better at it (distracted less, recourse more), but the pattern is still there. Very strange.
I guess I could tell you about some of the cool things I'm learning in class these days... c'mon, I know you're wondering! ;) Very well, I shall tell you then. In my electro-mechanical conversion class, I've been learning about electric motors... we've finished synchronous AC machines and DC machines, and now we're working on Induction machines... very cool stuff. Did you know that an induction motor first induces the current flowing in the rotor (the inside, turning part) and then provides the magnetic field that interacts with that current to produce a torque? The coolest part is, the magnetic field that induces the current is the very same one that the current interacts with to produce the torque! outstanding!
In my High Frequency Design Techniques class, we have been learning about clock distribution on (of course) high frequency designs... clock signals are the on and off signals that all of the other chips need to see to know when to process and when to stop, kinda like the drummer guy on the row ships, so that everyone stays synchronized. Anyway, when you try to distribute this signal at very high frequencies, the time it takes the signal to get to it's destination can be quite varied, because the speed of light is finite. think about it like if you wanted 5 cities to shoot fireworks at the same time, but you had to send out runners to tell them when to go and they would shoot the fireworks just when the runner arrived. Now make the cities various distances apart... if you had to arrange the "drop off" schedule for those runners so they arrived at almost exactly the same time, you now know the challange of clock distribution... ;) yay!
In my chaotic dynamics class, we have been learning about bifurcation. bifurcation is how a system changes its characteristics qualitatively when parameters in the system pass certain points. my prof had a good example: if a class is composed of one student, he could teach that student in his office. more than a few students would force him to teach the class in a classroom. if the class grew beyond 30 or so, he would have to find a lecture hall, if the class grew beyond 400 or so, he might have to record the lectures or broadcast them live... see how the class changes at certain points because of the number of students (28 to 29 was the same, but 30 to 31 changed dramatically in a qualitative sense)... this is leading up to why mathematical catastrophes happen and some other cool things (like hysteresis and chaos). Needless to say, I'm enjoying myself there. Below is an animation of a vector field undergoing bifurcation (Hopf).
My networking class is okay, but not very exciting. it is nice to see how the internet operates and what is happening "under the covers" but to be honest, it is a bit boring.
Lastly, I have an electromagnetic compatibility course which is all about design devices to "play nice" with each other. That is, the electric fields and magnetic fields they produce should be regulated and contained. Otherwise, wierd things can happen... for example, did you know that in an industrial setting, where many high power electric motors are operating, there may be cases where the motors are actually inducing high currents in the steel beam structures of the building because their magnetic fields are "reaching out" and pulling/pushing the currents back and forth? interesting, huh? in the same way, electronic devices can affect other electronic devices by inducing current that are unintended and making those devices fail to work... wouldn't that stink if the brand new playstation 3 you got caused the new 65" LED TV to stop working because they were electromagnetically incompatible? ;) exactly. so that is a very challenging class, and I definitely see the challenge there.
Okay, well thanks for reading this far. If you're not bored yet, maybe you should get into elec/computer engineering! fun stuff dude! I think I should probably stop here, but thanks for listening. Until next time gadget...
Lastly, I have an electromagnetic compatibility course which is all about design devices to "play nice" with each other. That is, the electric fields and magnetic fields they produce should be regulated and contained. Otherwise, wierd things can happen... for example, did you know that in an industrial setting, where many high power electric motors are operating, there may be cases where the motors are actually inducing high currents in the steel beam structures of the building because their magnetic fields are "reaching out" and pulling/pushing the currents back and forth? interesting, huh? in the same way, electronic devices can affect other electronic devices by inducing current that are unintended and making those devices fail to work... wouldn't that stink if the brand new playstation 3 you got caused the new 65" LED TV to stop working because they were electromagnetically incompatible? ;) exactly. so that is a very challenging class, and I definitely see the challenge there.
Okay, well thanks for reading this far. If you're not bored yet, maybe you should get into elec/computer engineering! fun stuff dude! I think I should probably stop here, but thanks for listening. Until next time gadget...
So sorry I didn't get to paint your room for you before you are having to take off for the "new digs" - then you'd have some cool walls to look at as you lie sick in bed. Hope you are feeling better soon.
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