ENTRY 3: Reflection of progress 3 - KENNETH LO JIN CHAN

Analyze Problem

1. What are the issues?

The use of FPGAs in the classroom has several different problems, such as availability or associated costs of acquiring and maintaining the FPGAs, and relying on FPGA boards in the classroom is typically problematic because students cannot use the boards for doing projects after classes or during weekends. Another issue is that with the presence of the Covid-19 Virus, declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, the education world has shifted to an online learning environment, and has caused an impact on the quality of learning.

2. What does the literature say about this issue(s)?

The new online teaching method has reduced the interaction between teaching assistants, professors and classroom peers.

Specific courses require expensive laboratory equipment and students had less opportunity to get to use the real FPGAs in certain courses.

3. Who is affected by the issue(s) and what solution will benefit the user (stakeholder)?

This issue has affected many people such as students, lecturers and researchers who are currently working or studying under a remote environment. One solution is to create a remote laboratory in order to replicate the availability for direct teaching method with students on FPGA developments boards in a remote environment through their mobile phones, ipads or even their own personal computer.

4. What is the ‘best’ solution(s)? (your recommendation)

Create a website with user interface to interact with the physical FPGA remotely and also create a queueing system to avoid congestion of use of limited number of FPGAs.

5. What are the strength and weakness of the ‘best’ solution? (evaluation)

The strength of the proposed solution would be it will be affordable as it will be using tools that are not expensive. The weakness would be it would require good internet connection in order to send and receive data to communicate with the FPGA and get feedback through cameras and also electrical power will be wasted if the FPGA had to be connected to a host server for long hours.

Generate Potential Solution

1. State whether the project is from other exiting, hybrids or gap filling solution?

The project is from existing and also hybrid solution based on the literature review from other people’s works.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths:

• What are the advantages of the recommended solution?

           The advantage would be it will be low costing to implement and allow easy remote control of the FPGA.

• What does the solution do better than other methods?

           The recommended solution does not require special installation methods. No software needed to install for the users.

Weakness:

• How you can improve the method?

           I can improve the method by create a program with better visual user interface and more features.

• What should you avoid?

           I should avoid damaging the components of the development boards provided in the university laboratory.

• What are the likely drawbacks of the method?

           This method might have security issues. The server had to be secured for incorrect access.

Opportunities:

• Could this method sustain in years to come?

         I think this method could sustain for many years as the current pandemic has caused many people to work in a remote environment.

• Could this method changes with government policy related to the field?

          In my opinion, this method would not change with government policy.

• Could this method changes with lifestyle and populations?

          In my opinion, this method would not change with lifestyle and populations.

Threats:

• What are the obstacles?

1. Security breach or power shortage could cause the product to stop working properly.
2. Implementing a remote access solution.
3. Communicating with the FPGA to get input signal.

• Are there any similar method/product exist /in the market?

           There is similar method exist in the market.

• Could the weakness of the method degrade the performance of the system/device?

           It shouldn’t degrade the performance on the real FPGA.

Safety:

1. Is the system/model/device design pose any hazards (A hazard is any source of potential damage, harm or adverse health effects on something or someone).

           It doesn’t cause any harm or adverse health effects on someone.

2. Does the system/model/ device comply with government regulation?

           The system should be complied with government regulation as the purpose of the system is to help students to learn more about FPGAs.

Environmental:

1. Can the product be reused/ reduced or recycle?

           The product can be reused for other purposes.

2. Can the design reduce energy consumption?

           The design doesn’t cost any energy consumption but the use of internet server might cost power consumption as the server had to be online 24/7.

3. Will the process of the project contribute to hazardous gas emission/ ozone depletion/ resource depletion?

           The process will not contribute to hazardous gas emission/ ozone depletion/ resource depletion.

Design solution in global and societal context:

1. Is the system/ model/ design cost effective?

The system design cost will be cost effective to reduce to economic stress with the huge amount of students in university.

2. How can your design benefit the community?

My design will benefit the students to gain more knowledge on real FPGA functions and improve their physical laboratory experience to allow them to build their skills. It will also benefit researchers and lecturers to improve their efficiency of using the FPGA through remotely.

A table of FYP1 Work Break Down Structure and Milestones is constructed.

A FYP1 Gantt Chart is constructed.

A table of PROJECT BUDGET (Cost of material and component) is constructed.

The following component is just an estimated component that might come in consideration.

After chatting with supervisor, I tried to draw out my proposed system and list out the function of each component that might be used.