Fundamentals of Digital Science

Academic unit or major

Undergraduate major in Systems and Control Engineering

Instructor(s)

Takayuki Ishizaki / Takeshi Hatanaka / Tsuyoshi Nagasawa

Class Format

Lecture/Exercise (Blended)

Media-enhanced courses

-

Day of week/Period
(Classrooms)

5-8 Mon (W3-501(W351))

Class

-

Course Code

SCE.S212

Number of credits

110

Course offered

2023

Offered quarter

2Q

Syllabus updated

Jul 8, 2025

Language

Japanese

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

Students in this course will study the fundamentals of system design and development based on digital technologies. Our convenient and comfortable lives are supported by a variety of digital technologies such as IoT (Internet of Things) and AI (Artificial Intelligence). In particular, recent development of 5G (5th Generation Mobile Communication System) and block-chain technology leads to active discussions of their utilities in future societies. With this background, students will study fundamental notions and thinking about system design and development towards a future digital society.
This course has the aim that students acquire underlying technologies for system development thorough the exercises such as Python programming, image analysis by machine learning, and operation of electronic circuits by a microcomputer. In addition, they learn the significance of feedback structure in a “good” system through group work on the survey of actual systems supported by digital technologies. Survey results will be presented to improve communication skills for convincingly expressing their own thoughts.

Course description and aims

Students will learn the following skills from taking this course.
1) Be able to program the work of photo sensor circuits and LED circuits by a microcomputer.
2) Be able to perform image analysis based on machine learning by Python programing in a cloud environment.
3) Be able to explain components and their interaction structures in an actual system through group work on the survey of documents and articles.

Keywords

Python, Machine learning, Microcomputer, Electronic circuit, Digital technologies, System thinking, Feedback structure

Competencies

• Specialist skills
• Intercultural skills
• Communication skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

This course is composed of three parts: Fundamentals of Electronic circuits and Microcomputers, Fundamentals of Image Analyses, and Fundamentals of Digital Creation. Parts and will provide lectures and exercises. Group work on discussions and presentations will be held in Part .

Course schedule/Objectives

	Course schedule	Objectives
Class 1	- Orientation - 〈C-1〉Survey and Group Discussion (1)	Orientation: Explain the significance of digital technologies. 〈C-1〉Explain several keywords on digital technologies. Utilize cloud services and communication tools for group work.
Class 2	- 〈A-1〉Fundamentals of Electronic Circuits and Microcomputers or 〈B-1〉Development of Could Environment - 〈A-2〉Operation of Electronic Circuits by Microcomputers (1) or 〈B-2〉Feature Extraction for Image Classification	〈A-1〉Acquire knowledge about basic elements and typical sensors for electronic circuits. Explain the basic mechanism and types of microcomputers. 〈A-2〉Make a simple electronic circuit such as photo reflector circuit. Operate the circuit by microcomputer. 〈B-1〉Perform simple Python programming on a could environment. 〈B-2〉Perform image feature extraction.
Class 3	- 〈A-3〉Operation of Electronic Circuits by Microcomputers (2) or 〈B-3〉Binary Classification Via Linear Regression - 〈C-2〉Survey and Group Discussion (2)	〈A-3〉Make an electronic circuit including several elements. Realize a circuit operation in which the output changes according to the input from the sensor element. 〈B-3〉Perform binary classification of extracted image features via linear regression. 〈C-2〉Explain objectives and tasks of an actual system supported by digital technologies. Document survey results by a presentation tool.
Class 4	- 〈C-3〉Presentations on Survey Results (1/2) - 〈C-4〉Presentations on Survey Results (2/2)	〈C-3〉〈C-4〉Explain survey results by a concise presentation. Give comments on the presentations of other groups.
Class 5	- 〈B-1〉Development of Could Environment or 〈A-1〉Fundamentals of Electronic Circuits and Microcomputers - 〈C-5〉System Analysis and Group Discussion (1)	〈A-1〉Acquire knowledge about basic elements and typical sensors for electronic circuits. Explain the basic mechanism and types of microcomputers. 〈B-1〉Perform simple Python programming on a could environment. 〈C-5〉Analyze players and components in the operation of an actual system supported by digital technologies.
Class 6	- 〈B-2〉Feature Extraction for Image Classification or 〈A-2〉Operation of Electronic Circuits by Microcomputers (1) - 〈B-3〉Binary Classification Via Linear Regression or 〈A-3〉Operation of Electronic Circuits by Microcomputers (2)	〈A-2〉Make a simple electronic circuit such as photo reflector circuit. Operate the circuit by microcomputer. 〈B-2〉Perform image feature extraction. 〈A-3〉Make an electronic circuit including several elements. Realize a circuit operation in which the output changes according to the input from the sensor element. 〈B-3〉Perform binary classification of extracted image features via linear regression.
Class 7	- 〈C-6〉System Analysis and Group Discussion (2) - 〈C-7〉Presentation on System Analysis	〈C-6〉Analyze an actual system from a viewpoint of feedback structure. 〈C-7〉Explain results of system analysis by a concise presentation. Give comments on the presentations of other groups.

Study advice (preparation and review)

For Parts and , to enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class. They should do so by referring to provided course material.
For Part , students are encouraged to organize and plan the contents of discussion in the lectures via a communication tool e.g., Slack.

Textbook(s)

N/A

Reference books, course materials, etc.

Necessary documents will be provided.

Evaluation methods and criteria

For Parts and , attendance to each lecture and progress of assignments will be evaluated. For Part , contributions in group work, clarity of presentations, and the final report will be evaluated.

Related courses

• SCE.I204 ： Information Processing and Programming (Systems and Control)
• SCE.P213 ： Cyber Physical Solution

Prerequisites

N/A

Other

Completion of this course is recommended to take the required course "Cyber-Physical Solution" in 3Q-4Q.