Practical Learning of Analog-to-Digital Conversion Concepts With a Low-Cost Didactic Platform

Abstract

Contribution: The evaluation of analog-to-digital conversion methods constitutes a key component of an Instrumentation course. This study introduces an affordable educational platform based on Arduino UNO board designed for teaching analog-to-digital conversion concepts, supported by virtual instruments (VIs). Background: ADCs are electronic devices found in a wide range of consumer electronics, such as smartphones and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. In order to investigate the fundamental aspects of ADCs, a data acquisition system is required. However, high-quality ADC systems tend to be expensive. Alternatively, cost-effective microcontrollers can serve as an educational platform for conducting experimental procedures, including tests, characterization, and calibration. Intended Outcomes: The proposed experiment concentrates on elucidating the theoretical foundations of analog-to-digital conversion, along with providing in-depth insights into the technical details involved in characterizing and calibrating ADCs. Application Design: Four VIs have been developed and are employed to investigate concepts, such as resolution, nonlinearity, aliasing, and to determine offset and gain errors. Findings: The learning experience and the usability of the system were assessed through questionnaires distributed to a total of 105 students. In addition, the final exam was used to assess the performance of 29 students. The results indicate that the students significantly improved their ability to understand, apply, and analyze essential aspects of ADC after engaging in the experiments, demonstrating substantial learning gains.