Here are my thoughts on the Intro to Control Systems material, etc.

• This week introduces students to control systems
• This starts with ON-OFF control systems.  Here is the link.
• The problem here is to get students accustomed to working with a complete loop.
• And, the loop contains a power supply that is used to take a computer command to output a voltage.  That's another instrument for them to learn, and it doesn't take a measurement.  That allows for some review of GPIB concepts, etc.
• Labs
• We had problems with this lab.  Didn't have enough for them to build the ON-OFF control system.  Even had trouble getting "G" (the DC gain of the system, i.e. the ratio of steady-state height to the voltage applied to the motor.)
• In-Class exercises
• Class Notes - Good
• Some things to think about.
• Need to think about what to give them in LabVIEW and what to have them write on their own.  There was  a problem in lab with access to files I had written for previous years.  Need to be more careful next time.
• Sensors encountered to this point in the course.
• Thermocouples
• LM35s - giving two examples of sensors with voltage outputs
• Thermistor - giving an example of a sensor with a resistance change.
• AC Tachometers
• Pressure Sensors
• Strain Gages
• Light Sensors (Photovoltaic cells)