INT 111 Engineering Disciplines: History and Concepts Lecture #2 PDF

INT 111 Engineering Disciplines: History and Concepts Lecture #2: ECE Design with Constrains and Ethics By Mohamed Saeed Darweesh Associate Professor Electronics and Computer Engineering Program Schoo...

INT 111 Engineering Disciplines: History and Concepts Lecture #2: ECE Design with Constrains and Ethics By Mohamed Saeed Darweesh Associate Professor Electronics and Computer Engineering Program School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Nile University IEEE R8 Young Professionals Member ْ َ ‫ِبحم ِد ِه تعالى‬ IEEE Egypt Section Secretary ECE Lectures ❑ Introduction to ECE ❑ ECE History ECE Lecture #1 ❑ CE History ❑ Design Standards in ECE ❑ ECE Design Thinking ❑ ECE Design with Multiple Constraints ECE Lecture #2 ❑ ECE Ethics ❑ ECE/CE Safety 2 Motivation https://youtu.be/FvPeT_-JlEM?si=_FIHFNUa3KGUL6-m 3 Motivation https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HMjPZlQAE0E https://www.youtube.com/shorts/N2-7LXFMAMg 4 Design Thinking Design Thinking 6 ECE Design Thinking Example #1 ❑ Imagine designing a new wearable device for remote health monitoring. While using Design Thinking, engineers first empathize with users, such as patients and doctors, to understand their needs for reliable, non-invasive monitoring. During prototyping, they might create a working model that measures vital signs in real-time. ❑ However, when factoring in multiple constraints, engineers must balance size and weight for comfort, ensure battery efficiency for long-term use, and keep production costs low, all while meeting health regulations. 7 ECE Design Thinking Example #2 ❑ During development, engineers at Tesla had to balance cost and performance when designing the Autopilot feature. They used a combination of sensors and cameras to allow the car to “see” its surroundings, but the key challenge was ensuring this technology remained affordable for consumers while meeting safety regulations. ❑ By testing the system under various conditions, they managed to refine it for reliability on the road, revolutionizing autonomous driving. 8 Design Thinking Definition ❑ Design Thinking is a human-centered approach to solving engineering problems that emphasizes creativity, iteration, and empathy for the end-user. ❑ In Electronics and Computer Engineering (ECE), this method helps engineers develop innovative solutions to complex problems while considering technical and human factors. ❑ When combined with Design with Multiple Constraints, engineers not only generate creative ideas but also ensure their designs meet real-world limitations, such as cost, materials, time, and environmental impact. 9 Key Concepts for ECE Design Thinking 1. Empathize: Understand the needs of the users or stakeholders. For ECE engineers, this may involve studying how people interact with technology or analyzing the impact of electrical systems on communities. 2. Define: Clearly outline the problem based on gathered insights. For example, defining the technical requirements for designing a new circuit board that maximizes energy efficiency while being affordable. 3. Ideate: Brainstorm multiple potential solutions. In ECE, this could involve thinking of different approaches to reduce energy consumption in IoT devices. 4. Prototype: Create models to test ideas quickly. Prototyping in ECE could include building circuit simulations or small-scale versions of a new wireless communication system. 5. Test: Iteratively refine the design based on feedback. Testing could involve real-world usage, simulations, or failure testing of a newly designed electronic system. 10 Design with Multiple Constraints Design with Multiple Constraints ECE Engineers must balance a variety of constraints, such as: ❑ Technical Performance: Ensuring the circuit or system performs its intended function efficiently (e.g., speed, power consumption). ❑ Cost: Managing budget constraints for both development and production. ❑ Regulatory Compliance: Adhering to industry standards and regulations, like safety and environmental codes. ❑ Scalability and Flexibility: Ensuring the system can scale up and adapt to future needs (e.g., designing networks to handle growing data traffic). ❑ Sustainability: Incorporating eco-friendly materials and energy- saving designs. 12 Ethics Ethical Dilemmas in Autonomous Vehicles (Self-Driving Cars) ❑ One of the most widely discussed ethical dilemmas in ECE is the development of self-driving cars. ❑ As ECE engineers contribute to the design of autonomous systems, they must consider how these vehicles will respond to dangerous situations, such as potential collisions. ❑ A famous example is the “trolley problem”: Should the car swerve to avoid hitting a pedestrian, even if it puts the passengers at risk? 14 The Trolley Problem A classic thought-exercise in ethics ❑ A trolley’s brakes have failed. ❑ You are controlling the signal switch. ❑ If you do nothing, five people will be killed. ❑ If you activate the switch, only one person will be killed. ❑ What do you choose to do? ❑ Critical distinction: Allowing death versus causing death? 15 Utilitarian Analysis (‫)التحليل النفعي‬ ❑ Weigh the pros and cons of each potential outcome to determine the net change in overall welfare. ❑ Pick the outcome with the greatest net increase (or least decrease) in welfare. ❑ Due to its objectiveness, it is theoretically possible to implement it in a computer system. 16 The Trolley Problem When the identities of the actor’s change 17 Problems with Utilitarian Analysis ❑ Ineffective when information is omitted. ❑ A truly accurate analysis may require valuing one human life over another. ❑ The “least bad” outcome may still result in the loss of life. 18 Another Problem: Consequentialism (‫)النفعية‬ While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions. – Stephen R. Covey Without complete information, a decision that results in a net gain of welfare in the short run may turn out to be a very poor decision in the long run. 19 A New Class of Victims ❑ There will be an inherent shift in the makeup of automobile accident victims. ❑ Likely a decrease in driver deaths and an increase in pedestrian and cyclist deaths. ❑ Great news for some people, bad news for others. ❑ An ethical conundrum: Can we accept an increase in the death rate of certain groups of people if it means a decrease in the overall death rate? 20 Ethical Dilemmas in Autonomous Vehicles (Self-Driving Cars) ❑ ECE engineers must design algorithms that dictate how the car will react, but these decisions have profound ethical implications. ❑ Engineers are tasked with programming a machine to make life-or-death decisions. Should it prioritize the safety of the passengers, pedestrians, or other drivers? ❑ The ethical responsibilities here are immense, as engineers must decide how these systems will operate in real-life emergencies, affecting human lives. ❑ This case exemplifies how ECE engineers, guided by ethics, must develop systems that are not only technically sound but also socially responsible. 21 Ethics for ECE ❑ Ethics plays a crucial role in shaping the professional conduct of engineers, ensuring their work benefits society, respects human rights, and adheres to the highest standards of honesty and fairness. ❑ In the context of Electronics and Computer Engineering (ECE), ethical practices help engineers navigate complex challenges, from data privacy to environmental sustainability. 22 Ethics for CE ❑ To ensure, as much as possible, that computer engineer’s efforts will be used for good. ❑ Computer engineers must commit themselves to making computer engineering a beneficial and respected profession. ❑ In accordance with that commitment, computer engineers shall adhere a Code of Ethics and Professional Practice. 23 Ethics for CE ❑ Imagine you are designing an AI system that assists hospitals in diagnosing diseases. ❑ You ensure the system operates efficiently, but you face a major ethical challenge: ensuring the AI treats all patients fairly, without bias toward specific demographics, and that it securely handles sensitive patient data. ❑ If you fail to address these concerns, the AI could misdiagnose certain groups or expose patient information, leading to legal and moral consequences. 24 Safety Safety for ECE ❑ Safety in ECE is critical as it ensures that the designs and technologies developed by engineers are reliable, minimize hazards, and protect both users and the environment. ❑ From circuit design to large-scale system integration, safety protocols must be implemented to prevent accidents, injuries, or failures in sensitive systems. 26 Key Concepts in ECE Safety 1. Electrical Safety o Hazards of Electricity: Engineers must understand the risks associated with working with electrical systems, such as electric shock, short circuits, and arc flashes. The basic rule is to treat every electrical component as if it is live. o Protective Equipment: Engineers should use personal protective equipment (PPE), including insulating gloves, safety glasses, and flame-resistant clothing, when handling high-voltage systems. o Grounding and Bonding: Proper grounding prevents electric shock by directing stray currents to the earth. Bonding ensures that all conductive materials are at the same electrical potential to prevent sparking. 27 Key Concepts in ECE Safety 2. Design for Safety o Circuit Protection: Engineers must integrate fuses, circuit breakers, and protection devices into designs to prevent overload and short circuits. o Redundancy: In critical systems, safety is enhanced by redundancy, where backup components take over in case of failure. This is essential in medical devices, power grids, and autonomous vehicle systems to prevent catastrophic failures. o Safe Design Practices: Engineers should follow safe design principles, such as de-rating (using components below their maximum capacity) and including fail-safes to prevent failures from causing harm. 28 Key Concepts in CE Safety 1. Data Privacy and Security o Computer Engineers must ensure that systems protect users' personal data and sensitive information. The ethical principle is to respect users' privacy rights and secure data against unauthorized access. o Example: When developing a network security system, an engineer should not only design for protection from external threats but also ensure that no unauthorized surveillance or data collection occurs within the system. 29 Key Concepts in CE Safety 2. Intellectual Property o Respecting intellectual property rights and avoiding plagiarism or unauthorized use of proprietary software or hardware designs is a central ethical consideration in computer engineering. o Example: Using open-source code ethically by crediting the original creators and adhering to the license agreement is important. 30 Key Concepts in CE Safety 3. Bias in Algorithms and AI o AI and machine learning algorithms may unintentionally perpetuate bias if the training data is biased. Engineers must be aware of this and strive to create fair, transparent, and accountable systems. o Example: When designing facial recognition software, it is crucial to ensure the system works fairly for all ethnic groups and does not discriminate or exhibit bias. 31 Where to find me? ❑ My Office at UB2-S09-B ❑ Email: [email protected] 32 33