ECE 484Digital Control Applications
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Engineering
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 0 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: not on the schedule. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
Dynamic system modelling: linear, nonlinear, state-space, sample data systems, computer simulation, system identification. Discrete system stability and dynamic performance. Nonlinear system analysis, limit cycles. Digital control system design: emulation methods, z-domain, frequency domain, pole placement. Implementation of digital controllers. Laboratory projects in computer control of mechatronic and other systems.
Prerequisites
- Complete 1 of the following
- Complete all of the following
- Must have completed the following:
- ME360 - Introduction to Control Systems (0.50)
- Enrolled in H-Mechanical Engineering, or Mechatronics Option
- Must have completed the following:
- Complete all of the following
- Must have completed the following:
- SYDE352 - Introduction to Control Systems (0.50)
- Enrolled in Mechatronics Option, or H-Systems Design Engineering
- Must have completed the following:
- Complete all of the following
Antirequisites
Leads to
No course lists it as a requisite.
Reviewed on UW Flow
70% liked it21% easy84% useful
From 63 ratings and 19 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
Maybe it was just the prof but this course was unnecessarily hard. The TA's would just rail students like these controllers are launching Sputnik into space. Even in an online setting the class average was 66% on the first midterm. Seems like everyone got curved nicely in the end though.
Jan 2022 · didn’t like it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Loved this course. Super practical, finally controls content that is applicable to real world and is fairly advanced. Probably best tron course in 4 years. :pray:
Nov 2023 · liked it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
It was taught very math proofy which was hard for a lot of engineering students. Also, the labs/weekly assignments took a really long time but weren't worth much so it was a big time drain. Hard to put in the effort if you don't like controls to begin with / aren't motivated to learn the course content.
Jan 2024 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Labs were disorganized and marking was chaotic. Weekly assignments were very time consuming and worth very little. Prof was nice but firm on assignments
Nov 2023 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
A very time-demanding course. The labs are difficult and each takes a good 8 hours a week by both lab partners. Be prepared to spend hours iterating on pole placements in MATLAB.
Overall this course bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and actually designing a usable controller.Nov 2023 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
18 posts and comments in 16 threads mention ECE 484, January 2013 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Fall 2023
Now that the term is over, is there any course you enjoyed attending this term? 26 points, 52 comments
u/uwthrowaway111111: “ECE 484 with Michael Fisher. Thoroughly enjoyed it, really cool class”
Spring 2023
Question regarding ECE 481/484 1 point, 0 comments
u/sosoficjd: “I have a couple questions I’d like to ask someone who’s in the course or has completed it. If anyone could do so it’d be much appreciated as I’m currently losing my mind.”
Winter 2023
CE 4A TEs 8 points, 30 comments
“4A is next term for me and I really don't know what courses to take. My options: ECE 414, Wireless Communications ECE 445, Integrated Digital Electronics ECE 452, Software Design & Architecture ECE …”
u/QuestionTuesdayFTW: “I see ECE 481 is an antireq to ECE 484. Given 484 was brutal I would suggest not taking 481.”
Spring 2022
A GUIDE ON HOW TO PLAN AN OPTION 29 points, 15 comments
u/1000Ditto: “Hey all, here's an example (by yours truly) of how to plan an option. as someone who has been trying to get many options in but having a hard time, might as well write down my process so others can kind of benefit from it. …”
Spring 2021
Technical elective choice help: MTE 545, NE 481, BME 550, ECE 484, NE 466 1 point, 9 comments
u/throw789934: “Hello everyone. I am a struggling almost 4A student struggling to choose electives. If you have any experience from these courses and general topics, difficulty, other notes please lmk”
Fall 2020
Upper years and anyone else really ,what is ECE 4B like? 8 points, 8 comments
“Hi guys, hope your co-op/study term is winding down nicely and you're getting ready for the safe and festive season ahead. …”
u/mathematicalengineer: “I took ECE 488 and it was an amazing course with Davison. He's one of the best profs I've ever had. Even when things turned online at the end of Winter 2020, his course still operated smoothly with …”
u/mathematicalengineer: “… The course is taught at the expectation that this is your third controls course (Like you took ECE 481 or 484 last term), but it's completely manageable if you haven't as I had only taken ME 360 beforehand, which didn't even have Nyquist plots. …”
Need some advice from ECE fellows 2 points, 12 comments
“Hi there, I am a forth year student in math faculty who got a lot of interest in control/signal processing stuff. …”
u/realbrokenlantern: “… There are more math-involved courses in ECE that are also related to robotics like ECE 413, 481, 484, 486 and 488 (check out https://ucalendar.uwaterloo.ca/2021/COURSE/course-ECE.html) so I recommend you take one of those if you want to work specifically on controls or signal …”
Winter 2020
[Serious] What should I expect from TRON? 36 points, 34 comments
u/tron_or_ece_hmm: “… ME: 119, 219, SYDE-182, 309, ME-321, ME-351, 322 ECE: 120, 262, 220, SYDE-252, 320, 325, ECE-484 I've read rants about many MTE courses, so I'm starting to question the quality of the content. Are they waste? A mess? Superficial? Boring? Fun? Well-structured? Theoretical? …”
Spring 2018
ECE 484 4 points, 0 comments
u/chittering_rats: “… https://uwflow.com/course/ece484. …”
How to get any girl to sleep with you!!! 0 points, 7 comments
u/love_icosagon: “… - Did anyone take one of the following courses: ECE 484, ECE 358, MTE 544 (really curious about this one!!), CS486, ENGL 335? Would you recommend them? Any other courses you'd recommend in the fall term? Courses to avoid? …”
Fall 2017
Any way to disable UWCourseLinker from posting? 16 points, 26 comments
“posting a reply to my comment I find the bot annoying.”
u/Jackhofmann: “PSYCH 483 PSYCH 484 PSYCH 485 PSYCH 486 PSYCH 490R PSYCH 499A PSYCH 499B PSYCH 499C PSYCH 621 PSYCH 630 PSYCH 677A PSYCH 704A PSYCH 704B PSYCH 707 PSYCH 710 PSYCH 714 PSYCH 717 PSYCH 720A PSYCH 721A …”
u/Jackhofmann: “… ECE 290 ECE 300A ECE 300B ECE 318 ECE 356 ECE 358 ECE 361 ECE 390 ECE 400A ECE 400B ECE 451 ECE 484 ECE 498A ECE 498B ECE 499 ECE 600 ECE 601 ECE 604 ECE 606 ECE 611 ECE 613 ECE 614 ECE 621 ECE 630 ECE 633 ECE 635 ECE 636 ECE 637 ECE 639 ECE 650 ECE 651 ECE 658 ECE 6604PD ECE …”
Need help with ECE 484(Control Systems) Labs 2 and lab 3 2 points, 4 comments
u/UWCourseLinker: “ECE 484 - Digital Control Applications”
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