Charles Curry B'Eng Hons, FIET

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Teachers Engineering Education Forum University
of Bath 5th July 2006
Charles Curry B.Eng (Hons), FIET Founder
Managing Director Chronos Technology Ltd
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Quick Profile of Chronos

• Timing for Telecom Networks
• Monitoring Solutions
• Electronic Components
• GPS Accessories
• Value Add Services
• Training

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Value Added Services - Turnkey Solutions

• Consultancy
• Training
• Site Surveys
• Installation
• Commissioning

• Security Clearance
• Climbing Certification
• Electrical Certification
• Health Safety Awareness

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Some Observations on Science Key Stage 4

• does not address 21st century technology
• not enough engineering technology
• confusion over what is meant by ICT
• mixes life sciences with technology
• should be more maths linkage

• 7 Energy, electricity radiations (sic)
• d radiations in the form of waves can be used
  for communications

• mixes in environmental ethical arguments
• infected with current political debate
• SET should not be taught in a prejudicial way
• views change.
• nuclear power? animal testing? creationism?

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How Science Works - Engineering Examples

• Chemistry
• Physics
• Maths
• Biology

• Elements Materials
• Electromagnetism
• Time Time Interval
• Future Features
• Careers

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Elements Materials
What Elements are in a mobile phone or network?

• Carbon
• Lithium
• Iron
• Gold
• Silver
• Copper
• Tin
• Caesium
• Rubidium
• Quartz
• Silicon
• Gallium
• Arsenic

• Plastic
• Rubber
• LCDs
• LEDs

• New RoHS Directive bans
• Cadmium
• Lead
• Mercury
• Chromium

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Electromagnetism

• fundamental enabling technology
• enables communication
• can be dangerous!
• a little knowledge is dangerous!
• biological impact of signals?
• famous names
• Faraday, Bell, Newton, Watt
• Hertz, Ampere, Voltaire
• MHz not Mhz!
• important equation
• c f?
• speed of light frequency x wavelength

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• The Electromagnetic Spectrum

Microwave Oven
Cosmic Rays
Infra Red
Ultra Violet
Gamma Rays
Radio Waves
Microwaves
X-Rays
Visible Light
c f?
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Time Time Interval

• time
• electronic, electrical mechanical clocks
• atomic clocks, quartz resonators
• fundamental utility
• enables electromagnetic spectrum stability
• enables location positioning
• enables complex communications
• time interval
• rate of change of time
• enables definition of frequency stability
• can be measured very accurately psec
• important equation
• ?fTIE/t
• frequency error time interval error/time

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Atomic Clocks Cs Rb

• Cs more accurate than Rb
• Cs 9,192,631,770 GHz
• Rb 6,384,682,612.8 GHz
• Accurate to parts in 10-12

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Future Features

• triple play
• voice, internet, video over broadband
• quad play
• voice, internet, video over mobile phone
  broadband
• location services, GPS, Galileo
• how do location services work?
• time, time error, frequency stability

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Recognising Future Engineers

• they build things
• they break things!
• they are resourceful
• they enjoy arithmetic
• they make things work
• they are practical
• they are pragmatic
• they take the lid off
• they dont read instructions

• insecure
• need to know how things work
• short attention span
• play with new toys
• loners
• nerdy
• rush things
• poor spellers

• they dont enjoy biology
• they dont enjoy chemistry
• they cant spell
• they dont suffer fools gladly
• they dont like pointless activities
• cant be told what to do!

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Careers for Future Engineers

• electronics
• computers
• communications
• software/firmware
• electrical
• civil
• structural
• mechanical

If the Romans had discovered electricity .?
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Boyles Law - the alternative demo!
Jet Powered Beer Cooler
http//www.asciimation.co.nz/beer/
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and finally..
maths is the key!
accountants would have been engineers if theyd
been any good at sums!
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our engineers are our future nurture
them! please email me for a copy of this
talk charles.curry_at_chronos.co.uk Thank You