Computer engineering
Computer engineering usually deals with areas including writing software and firmware for embedded microcontrollers, designing VLSI chips, analog sensors, mixed signal circuit boards, Thermodynamics and Control systems.
These include the first working transistor by William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain at Bell Labs in 1947,[10] in 1955, silicon dioxide surface passivation by Carl Frosch and Lincoln Derick,[11] the first planar silicon dioxide transistors by Frosch and Derick in 1957,[12] planar process by Jean Hoerni,[13][14][15] the monolithic integrated circuit chip by Robert Noyce at Fairchild Semiconductor in 1959,[16] the metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET, or MOS transistor) demonstrated by a team at Bell Labs in 1960[17] and the single-chip microprocessor (Intel 4004) by Federico Faggin, Marcian Hoff, Masatoshi Shima and Stanley Mazor at Intel in 1971.
[18] The first computer engineering degree program in the United States was established in 1971 at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
Due to increasing job requirements for engineers who can concurrently design hardware, software, firmware, and manage all forms of computer systems used in industry, some tertiary institutions around the world offer a bachelor's degree generally called computer engineering.
Typically one must learn an array of mathematics such as calculus, linear algebra and differential equations, along with computer science.
[27] In addition, growing concerns over cybersecurity add up to put computer software engineering high above the average rate of increase for all fields.
Processor design process involves choosing an instruction set and a certain execution paradigm (e.g. VLIW or RISC) and results in a microarchitecture, which might be described in e.g. VHDL or Verilog.
According to the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center, individuals working in this area, "computational methods are applied to formulate and solve complex mathematical problems in engineering and the physical and the social sciences.
Examples include shared-channel wireless networks, adaptive resource management in various systems, and improving the quality of service in mobile and ATM environments.
Other examples of work in this field include the development of new theories, algorithms, and other tools that add performance to computer systems.
[34] Computer architecture includes CPU design, cache hierarchy layout, memory organization, and load balancing.
These include improved human modeling, image communication, and human-computer interfaces, as well as devices such as special-purpose cameras with versatile vision sensors.
[34] Individuals working in this area design technology for enhancing the speed, reliability, and performance of systems.
[34] Computer engineers in this area develop improvements in human–computer interaction, including speech recognition and synthesis, medical and scientific imaging, or communications systems.
[34] This area integrates the quantum behaviour of small particles such as superposition, interference and entanglement, with classical computers to solve complex problems and formulate algorithms much more efficiently.
An accessible avenue for obtaining information and opportunities in technology, especially for young students, is through digital platforms, enabling learning, exploration, and potential income generation at minimal cost and in regional languages, none of which would be possible without engineers.
Their work not only facilitates global connections and knowledge access, but also plays a pivotal role in shaping our future, as technology continues to evolve rapidly, leading to a growing demand for skilled computer engineers.
[36] Engineering contributes to improving society by creating devices and structures impacting various aspects of our lives, from technology to infrastructure.
