Updating CSC385H1 with new hardware

Microprocessor Systems was my first ever opportunity to teach a course as an instructor in 2018, while I was still a PhD candidate. When I became a faculty member, I drove a “renewal” effort for the course. This involved acquiring modern hardware (a Discovery Board) that students could use in the course that was equipped with an Arm proessor and integrated several sensors and communication devices.¹ The new hardware meant I also had to renew some course content to align with the new hardware.

Two teaching assistants, Geroge Gianacopoulos (Fall 2021) and Lucas Wilkinson (Winter 2022), helped create a set of new labs for the course. The labs introduced students to programming an embedded system and interfacing with lights, buttons, and a variety of sensors. The lectures transitioned from teaching Nios II assembly (2018 hardware) to Arm assembly (that the Discovery boards used).