Semester: S1 2026
Course Code: DE6417
Schedule: Wednesdays, 8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Duration: 15 weeks + Examination Period
| Week | Date | Lecture Topic | Practical / Assessment Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 18/02/2026 |
Lecture 1: Microcontrollers 1 Review
FSM, ADC, GPIO, ATmega328P Architecture |
Introduction & Practical Setup
Review exercises on FSM, ADC, and GPIO |
| Week 2 | 25/02/2026 |
Lecture 2: Understanding Timers, Counters, PWM & Measuring Temporal Events
Hardware timing fundamentals, Timer modes, Prescalers |
Timer & PWM Practical Exercises
Hands-on practice with timer configuration and PWM output |
| Week 3 | 04/03/2026 |
Lecture 3: Timers, PWM, Timer Interrupts & Waveform Generation
Timer registers, CTC mode, ISR implementation |
Assignment 1 Released: Advanced Traffic Light Control System (NZ Standard)
Focus: Finite State Machines, Input Debouncing, Hardware Implementation • Due: Week 5 Lab 1: Digital Signal Generation
Focus: Square, Triangle & Sine waves using PWM and Timer Interrupts |
| Week 4 | 11/03/2026 |
Lecture 4: Using the Timer & Interrupt Arduino APIs
TimerOne library, register access vs libraries, hardware output pins |
Lab 1 — Continued / Completion
Finish Digital Signal Generation lab work |
| Week 5 | 18/03/2026 |
Lecture 5: Pin Change Interrupts (PCINT)
PCINT groups, shared ISR vectors, registers, edge detection, debouncing |
Assignment 1 Due
PCINT Practical Exercises |
| Week 6 | 25/03/2026 |
Lecture 6: Advanced Pin Change Interrupts & PIR Sensors
Multiple interrupt groups, PIR sensor integration |
Lab 2: The Safety Garage Door
Focus: PCINTs for Emergency Stop safety feature with stepper motor |
| Week 7 | 01/04/2026 |
Lab 2 — Continued / Completion
Finish Safety Garage Door lab work |
Review & Revision
Consolidation of Timers, PWM, Interrupts (External & PCINT) |
| Week 8 | 08/04/2026 |
Lecture 7: Advanced Debugging with PlatformIO
Breakpoints, stepping, watches, avr-stub |
Lab 3: Debugging an Alarm System with VSCode
Focus: Finding and fixing bugs using VSCode/PlatformIO debugger |
| Break | 15/04/2026 | Mid-Semester Break | No Classes |
| Break | 22/04/2026 | Mid-Semester Break | No Classes |
| TestWeek 9 | 29/04/2026 |
Class Test
Coverage: Timers, PWM, Interrupts (External & PCINT), Debugging |
Lab 3 — Completion
Finish Debugging lab after test |
| Week 10 | 06/05/2026 |
Lecture 8: Bridging the Gap — Integrating IoT with Arduino Uno
ESP8266, AT commands, level shifting, cloud integration |
Assignment 2 Released: IoT Security System with Computer Vision
Focus: Motion Sensors (ISR), Camera Modules, Serial-to-Telegram • Due: Week 14 |
| Week 11 | 13/05/2026 |
Lecture 9: Arduino Unplugged — Building a Computer for $1
Standalone ATmega328P, ISP programming, fuses & bootloaders |
Assignment 2 — Workshop time
IoT system prototyping and sensor integration |
| Week 12 | 20/05/2026 |
IoT Workshop & Standalone Build Session
Hands-on: ESP8266 wiring, AT command practice, standalone circuit build |
Assignment 2 — Workshop time
Continue IoT Security System development |
| Week 13 | 27/05/2026 |
Assignment 2 Support & Integration Testing
Troubleshooting, peer review, system integration guidance |
Assignment 2 — Workshop time
Final integration and testing of IoT Security System |
| Week 14 | 03/06/2026 |
Revision & Exam Preparation
Full course review |
Assignment 2 Due
Final submission of IoT Security System |
| Week 15 | 10/06/2026 |
Revision & Practical Preparation
Hands-on revision, Q&A, exam practice |
Open Lab & Exam Preparation
Supervised practice on all lab topics |
| ExamWeek 16 | 17/06/2026 | Examination Period | Examination Period |
| ExamWeek 17 | 24/06/2026 | Examination Period | Examination Period |
Key Deliverables & Assessments
| Assessment | Released | Due | Duration | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment 1: Advanced Traffic Light Control System | Week 3 (04/03) | Week 5 (18/03) | 2 Weeks | 10% |
Lab 1: Digital Signal Generation |
Week 3 (04/03) | Week 4 (11/03) | 2 Weeks | 6% |
Lab 2: The Safety Garage Door |
Week 6 (25/03) | Week 7 (01/04) | 2 Weeks | 6% |
Lab 3: Debugging an Alarm System |
Week 8 (08/04) | Week 9 (29/04) | 2 Weeks | 8% |
| Class Test | Week 9 (29/04) | In-class | 10% | |
| Assignment 2: IoT Security System with Computer Vision | Week 10 (06/05) | Week 14 (03/06) | 4 Weeks | 10% |
| Final Examination | Weeks 16–17 | Exam Period | 50% | |