Computer engineering is the application of electrical engineering principles to the design of computers, networks of computers, or systems that include computers. Although traditionally part of electrical engineering, computer engineering has now come to be recognized as a separate engineering field. Computer engineering also overlaps the areas of computer information systems, computer science, and information science. It is common for students majoring in computer engineering to also minor in computer science. Every time you use your computer to complete your work, play your favorite computer game, make a phone call, or listen to your CDs, you are using devices designed by computer engineers.
AREA OF EMPHASIS AT DELAWARE
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Delaware combines a rigorous and comprehensive undergraduate program with a strong and relatively broad program of research and graduate study. High performance communications is a theme that runs through much of the electrical and computer engineering work at Delaware. The following are examples of efforts within the principal research thrusts of the department: Computer Systems Engineering. This thrust would be the one of primary interest to a computer engineering major. It emphasizes the operation of high performance networks, computation with analog neural networks, and special purpose computers for image and signal processing applications. Research includes the development of computers that mimic, as best we know, the function of biological systems that perform signal processing and control tasks in living creatures. Circuits made to date have been used to process one-dimension visual data and are able to reliably detect the direction of motion and the speed of the stimuli. Research is also underway to greatly improve the routing and scheduling of high bandwidth networks with minimal internal storage as well as time keeping and synchronization in very wide area computer networks. Communications and Signal Processing. This thrust emphasizes multimedia signal processing, statistical and nonlinear signal processing, wireless and multiple access communications, and wavelet and time-frequency signal analysis. Research areas include nonlinear adaptive signal processing and the development of robust signal processing algorithms for applications in digital imaging and communications. Research is also underway on the processing of digital imagery and video and their communication through wireless computer networks. Novel blind multirate equalization and precoding algorithms are being developed for wireless cellular communications. Novel methods in wavelet and time-frequency signal analysis are currently under development. Also being developed are new methods for image and video digital signatures using invisible digital watermarks. Digital halftone algorithms are being developed for the efficient use of laser and ink-jet printing of digital images. Ongoing work also includes signal processing in tactile and haptic interfaces for virtual reality. Electronic Devices and Materials. This thrust emphasizes photonic and microwave frequency devices, optoelectronic systems, and photovoltaic solar cells. In a photonic system, information is carried by photons of light rather than a current of electrons. Research includes the fabrication and characterization of a new generation of photonic devices made from alloy films of silicon, germanium, and carbon (SiGeC). Efforts are also underway to advance the science and technology of high-quality optically flat surfaces which are required in a variety of very advanced processes and products, notably the lithography of integrated circuits. The Department is a leader in this important new field.
