Integration of signals/systems and electromagnetics courses through the design of a communication system for a cardiac pacemaker

The integration of multiple concepts and courses through laboratory design projects are part of a new experimental program at the University of Utah, supported by the National Science Foundation, the College of Engineering, and the University of Utah. One such project is the design of an FSK communication system for a cardiac pacemaker, which combines labs from the junior-level "signals and systems" courses and the junior-level electromagnetics course, which are both taught in the same semester. The electromagnetic and the signal and system labs are briefly described in this paper.