Microcontroller Systems and IoT Applications

The course builds on YR6019 Basic Microcontroller Programming and Digitization in vocational subjects. We consider new technology that changes the subjects that the vocational teacher teaches, and more specifically how technological advances in areas such as radio communication, sensor technology, low-power electronics and microcontrollers have come together in what we call the Internet of Things (IoT). It's about all things around us being instrumented and connected to the internet, and that opens up great digitization opportunities. With that as a backdrop, we take a closer look at where and how the skilled worker will encounter the new technology, and how it will transform the technological solutions and systems that he/she has to deal with in his/her profession.

The course takes the microcontroller competence further from YR6019, and adds a deeper insight into topics such as the microcontroller's peripherals, more advanced sensors that we can connect to the microcontroller, built-in radio solutions such as WiFi and Bluetooth, IoT-adapted communication protocols such as MQTT, dashboard solutions to present collected sensor values and extracted information for end users, etc., and we look at how such IoT systems are structured.

Knowledge

The student must understand:

• the structure of simple IoT systems, and what is the main function of the individual elements in such a system.
• how the different elements of an IoT system interact.
• in more detail the basic structure of and operation of the physical layer in IoT systems, i.e. where we find microcontroller-based sensor nodes with wireless connectivity to the internet and the higher layers in the system

Skills

The student must be able to:

• develop teaching plans that prepare their pupils to handle typical tasks related to IoT systems or similar types of digitized solutions.
• teach their pupils to build, program, debug, test, and maintain simple microcontroller-based sensor nodes that form part of an IoT system with wireless connectivity between its layers.

General competence

The student must:

• be able to communicate and discuss IoT-related technology on a basic level related to current issues within the various professions.
• have a good platform for acquiring new knowledge and building further relevant professional competence on your own. Especially in the fields of microcontroller-based solutions, sensors and IoT systems.
• be able to convey the subject's main themes in a way that supports both in-depth learning and lifelong learning among the students' own students.

Project work in groups. Student-active forms of learning in combination with lectures. Guest lectures. Lab exercises and exercises.

The course is online-based with a number of digital gathering days. The teaching elements will be student activities and practically oriented with several smaller projects along the way, and a larger overall project with report submission and presentation of the results at the end of the semester. A lot of group work is planned both during and between the gatherings, with close follow-up from teachers and learning assistants. There will be regular mandatory work requirements (exercises) with guidance.