Developing a web-based symbolic circuit analysis tool for learning and design aid

Internet-based computing is booming. This has brought positive effects on education and engineering design practice. This paper introduces the development details on a web-based symbolic circuit simulation tool AICE (Analog IC Explorer). Unlike SPICE simulators, symbolic tools are small and compact. Making a symbolic tool available online as a web service has many benefits: 1) cross-platform, 2) wide and easy accessability, 3) friendly interaction and easy documentation, and 4) collaborative learning and design aid. The proposed web-based symbolic analysis tool for analog IC design contains a schematic editor, a symbolic function generator, file managing system, and user account manager, etc. The currently popular development platforms and tools are introduced. A running service is demonstrated by examples.