PHC435H1

Pharmaceutical Data Acquisition and Analysis

This course introduces students to theoretical and applied concepts in designing and implementing electronic circuitry, for the purpose of collecting and analyzing experimental data in pharmaceutics and other contexts. The course discusses introductory circuit design, with an emphasis on how common components work in scientific and pharmaceutical manufacturing instrumentation. Practical and mathematical aspects of circuit design are discussed (e.g., Ohm’s Law, voltage dividers, analog vs. digital signals). There is a heavy emphasis on programming in C++ in the Arduino IDE which will complement learning activities. Specific topics include power calculations, logic gates, capacitance, microprocessor pin functionality, switching strategies for higher powder devices (relays, transistors, MOSFETs), process control (on/off and PID controllers), and operational amplifiers. Data acquisition, smoothing, filtering, and logging strategies are also discussed. Each section has planned practical activities where circuits are built, programmed, and tested. After taking this course, students will be better equipped to build their own control circuits for undergraduate research projects and other applications.