Reverse Engineering
The students focus on either software or hardware reverse engineering (RE). In the process of RE students understand existing technologies, functions, features, objects, components and systems. By carefully disassembling, observing, testing, analyzing and reporting, students can understand how something works and suggest ways it might be improved.
Design Practicum
In this course, the teams are asked to design a prototype based on commercially-off- the- shelf (COTS) hardware or software (Preferably open source). Prototypes are used to gather requirements, and are especially useful in visualizing the look and feel of an application and the process workflow. The prototype can be used as the basis for developing the final solution. The goal when developing such prototypes is to capture the functions and appearance of the finished product. These prototypes are used for testing and evaluation, and provide useful information for the user to rank the products or the features.
Interdisciplinary Socio-Technical Practicum
In the course the teams have two choices. Either they work iteratively on the earlier developed prototype to develop into final improved product or identify a new product which the society needs after doing market research. In a changing market, staying competitive often requires the development of new products. As user requirements and needs change, products must also change. Market research is an essential tool to help boost the chances for success. The new product development process requires information from the market and users as to what is needed to support critical decisions about the product.
Major Technical Project
In this course, using the information that has been collected and the decisions that have been made about the features, price etc. the teams will either redesign the existing prototype or design a new product based on Market feedback and create the physical product, as well as its packaging. Research at this stage usually involves repeated cycles of product improvement and testing. Product testing includes both physical performance and consumer reactions. The course looks at how a new idea becomes implemented in a system (an organization or society) and the factors that influence the adoption of a new idea. This course also looks at the influence of individuals and groups within the change process and how they affect the acceptance of new ideas. Finally, the course explores the prediction and consequences of new technologies. The end-result of these efforts is a product that meaningfully adds value to the students, faculty and society. There may be few teams working on specific components or sub systems or technology.