UC Berkeley Uses Multisim to Teach Circuit Design Concepts
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The University of California, Berkeley, has brought SPICE to its classrooms through the graphical capture and simulation environment of NI Multisim software. Using Multisim along with NI LabVIEW SignalExpress – interactive measurement software, with no programming required – engineering students can take advantage of an easy-to-use and intuitive graphical interface to learn circuit design concepts.
The Multisim built-in capture interface and relatively short learning curve make it an effective tool for teaching circuit design concepts in courses such as Circuits for Non-EE Majors taught by Professor Bernhard Boser. A unique advantage of the tool is that students can use it to simulate “soft” or virtual versions of the instruments used in the laboratory before they arrive at the actual lab for a more effective use of their time. Another key benefit of using Multisim is its seamless integration with LabVIEW SignalExpress. Students can easily simulate a circuit in Multisim and export the simulation results to LabVIEW SignalExpress to compare them to real-life circuit measurements.
Figure 1. With the NI electronics education platform, students can quickly design, simulate, test, and prototype their circuits.
Multisim and LabVIEW SignalExpress are components of the NI electronics education platform, which also includes the NI Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Suite (NI ELVIS) and LabVIEW, which are useful in teaching circuit design concepts. Students use the platform to design and simulate circuits in Multisim, prototype the circuits on NI ELVIS, and compare real-world measurements with simulation data using LabVIEW and LabVIEW SignalExpress. With this complete toolchain, students can assimilate the theory they learn in the classroom with experiments using real-world signals.
Figure 2. Using Multisim software, students can capture, simulate, and test circuits with virtual instruments similar to those found in a lab.
Learn more about NI circuits and electronic design options.
Simulate Your Textbook Circuits with Multisim
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Microelectronic Circuits provides a basis for fundamental concepts in digital electronics through its pedagogical foundation. Readers can download more than 30 simulation-ready Multisim circuit files to assist them in exploring and designing microelectronic circuits.
Download Multisim circuit files for Microelectronic Circuits.
Basic Engineering Circuit Analysis, Ninth Edition
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Basic Engineering Circuit Analysis has built a reputation for its strong problem-solving approach to introductory circuit analysis concepts. A Multisim and LabVIEW MathScript tutorial and more than 50 Multisim circuit files provide an interactive solution for improving student learning and comprehension.
Download Multisim circuit files for Basic Engineering Circuit Analysis.
This article first appeared in the Q1 2008 issue of Instrumentation Newsletter.
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