Project-based learning (PBL) is a hands-on student-centered experience that allows students to obtain deeper knowledge and demonstrate their knowledge by creating a product. This project is a student-centered pedagogical approach in which the course instructors take more of a facilitator role guiding students along the way and discussing with them the various issues that might arise, and ultimately evaluating the project deliverables.

This project is divided into five stages, which include learning PCB design using DesignSpark, creating PCB for a biopotential amplifier, soldering all electric components, laser-cutting a housing, and verifying and validating the design and user inputs. Deliverables from the first four stages are graded out of 70% while the final demonstration/validation is graded out of 30%. This project accounts for 20% of the total weight of the “Design Methodologies” course.

By the conclusion of this individual student-based project, each student is required to verify the design inputs and validate the user needs. Following is a list of deliverables that students had to submit:

Week 1 (Curiosity): Introduction to DesignSpark. Since this is the first time students use DesignSpark, they learn how to use the software through a series of tutorial videos. The video series walks students through the different steps required to create a PCB. By the end of lab 1, students submit the PCB layout of a generic electrical circuit and an error report to confirm that their design has no error.

Week 2 (Connections): Create a PCB for a biopotential amplifier. This is the step in which students apply knowledge from week 1 in using DesignSpark and knowledge from a circuits class, which they take concurrently, to create the biopotential amplifier. By the end of this activity, students submit a schematic, a PCB layout, Gerber manufacturing files, and an error report to confirm that the design has no errors.

Week 3 (Curiosity): Once students receive their PCBs, they solder all-electric components onto them. Students submit top and bottom views of their soldered PCBs.

Week 3 (Connections): Students follow the concepts learned in the circuits class to verify and troubleshoot any mistakes in their soldered circuits while keeping in mind FDA’s verification practices learned in “Design Methodologies”. Students verify that the soldered PCB meets all design inputs and troubleshoots any errors to meet all requirements. The course instructors supervise this step and make sure that the PCB meets the design inputs.

Week 4 (Creating Value): Design and laser-cut an enclosure to house the PCB and facilitate data collection. Students design a box for their PCB using SolidWorks or any similar software and laser-cut it to house the soldered PCB. Once the box is laser-cut, they secure the PCB to the box using screws and nuts, glue the box sides and make sure that the user will be able to access the PCB from the top to change batteries, place operational amplifiers (op-amps) or even replace the circuit. By the end of this stage, they submit a picture of their completed product.

Week 5 (Curiosity and Creating Value): PCB validation and demonstration. Students bring their final PCB product for validation. All circuits are validated by course instructors using an oscilloscope. This step marks the completion of all project milestones. Students submit a picture of their ECG signal.