Experience With the CADAPPLETS Project

The CADAPPLETS Project provides Web-based animations (implemented as
applets
) of very large scale integration (VLSI) computer-aided design (CAD) algorithms as a learning resource for electrical and computer engineering students, designers, and CAD tool developers. Concepts from software algorithm animation are adapted to illustrate the problem formulation and the operation of physical design algorithms for placement and routing. This paper surveys these animations and describes how they have been used in the classroom at Lafayette College, Easton, PA, by users over the Internet, and in courses at other universities worldwide.