Free-Space Optical Link as a Model Undergraduate Design Project

Bibliographic Data

ID20295613
AuthorsRichard H Selfridge (Brigham Young University), Stephen M Schultz, Stephen Schultz (0000-0003-2650-7531, Brigham Young University), Aaron R Hawkins (0000-0002-3882-0771, Brigham Young University)
Year2007
Volume50
Issue3
Pages208-215
Publication date2007-08-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueIEEE Transactions on Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0018-9359 • E-ISSN: 1557-9638
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1109/te.2007.900024
OpenAlexW2122786401
LanguageEN
References cited7

An undergraduate design project is described in which a free-space optical communications link is constructed. The interest and motivation for the students is achieved by using a visible laser and constructing a complete system by using the digital output of a CD/DVD player and an audio receiver to transmit music over the free-space link. In addition to providing a high-level technical experience, the project also teaches multidisciplinary teamwork and emulates a real working environment; it is relatively low cost, divisible into modules, and adaptable. An overview of the project is included with representative designs and information

Computer engineering · Computer network · Electronic engineering · Free space · Free-space optical communication · Human–computer interaction · Link (geometry) · Multimedia · Operating system · Optical communication · Optical link · Space (punctuation) · Systems engineering · Teamwork · Telecommunications · Computer Science · Engineering · Experimental Learning in Engineering · Semiconductor Lasers and Optical Devices