Online courses directory (272)

The course analyzed major contemporary architectural ideas and projects in the context of globalization. We traced the development of architecture since the 1990s by discussing some of the most important topics and influential architects of our time.

This course explores statistical modeling and control in manufacturing processes. Topics include the use of experimental design and response surface modeling to understand manufacturing process physics, as well as defect and parametric yield modeling and optimization. Various forms of process control, including statistical process control, run by run and adaptive control, and real-time feedback control, are covered. Application contexts include semiconductor manufacturing, conventional metal and polymer processing, and emerging micro-nano manufacturing processes.

Learn about how to make mobile robots move in effective, safe, predictable, and collaborative ways using modern control theory.

Modern computer technology requires an understanding of both hardware and software, as the interaction between the two offers a framework for mastering the fundamentals of computing. The purpose of this course is to cultivate an understanding of modern computing technology through an in-depth study of the interface between hardware and software. In this course, you will study the history of modern computing technology before learning about modern computer architecture and a number of its important features, including instruction sets, processor arithmetic and control, the Von Neumann architecture, pipelining, memory management, storage, and other input/output topics. The course will conclude with a look at the recent switch from sequential processing to parallel processing by looking at the parallel computing models and their programming implications.

This course addresses information technology fundamentals, including project management and software processes, data modeling, UML, relational databases and SQL. Topics covered include internet technologies, such as XML, web services, and service-oriented architectures. This course provides an introduction to security and presents the fundamentals of telecommunications and includes a project that involves requirements / design, data model, database implementation, website, security and data network. No prior programming experience required.

Water supply is a problem of worldwide concern: more than 1 billion people do not have reliable access to clean drinking water. Water is a particular problem for the developing world, but scarcity also impacts industrial societies. Water purification and desalination technology can be used to convert brackish ground water or seawater into drinking water. The challenge is to do so sustainably, with minimum cost and energy consumption, and with appropriately accessible technologies.

This subject will survey the state-of-the-art in water purification by desalination and filtration. Fundamental thermodynamic and transport processes which govern the creation of fresh water from seawater and brackish ground water will be developed. The technologies of existing desalination systems will be discussed, and factors which limit the performance or the affordability of these systems will be highlighted. Energy efficiency will be a focus. Nanofiltration and emerging technologies for desalination will be considered. A student project in desalination will involve designing a well-water purification system for a village in Haiti.

Design your own world. Are you ready? This MOOC is a journey into contemporary design through 101 exercises. Learn by doing and transform your everyday life into 101 projects.

Welcome to 2.007! This course is a first subject in engineering design. With your help, this course will be a great learning experience exposing you to interesting material, challenging you to think deeply, and providing skills useful in professional practice. A major element of the course is design of a robot to participate in a challenge that changes from year to year. This year, the theme is cleaning up the planet as inspired by the movie Wall-E.

From its beginnings in 1970, the 2.007 final project competition has grown into an Olympics of engineering.  See this MIT News story for more background, a photo gallery, and videos about this course.

This course introduces you to modern manufacturing with four areas of emphasis: manufacturing processes, equipment/control, systems, and design for manufacturing. The course exposes you to integration of engineering and management disciplines for determining manufacturing rate, cost, quality and flexibility. Topics include process physics, equipment design and automation/control, quality, design for manufacturing, industrial management, and systems design and operation. Labs are integral parts of the course, and expose you to various manufacturing disciplines and practices.

The course considers the growing popularity of sustainability and its implications for the practice of engineering, particularly for the built environment. Two particular methodologies are featured: life cycle assessment (LCA) and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The fundamentals of each approach will be presented. Specific topics covered include water and wastewater management, energy use, material selection, and construction.

This course covers the design, construction, and testing of field robotic systems, through team projects with each student responsible for a specific subsystem. Projects focus on electronics, instrumentation, and machine elements. Design for operation in uncertain conditions is a focus point, with ocean waves and marine structures as a central theme. Topics include basic statistics, linear systems, Fourier transforms, random processes, spectra, ethics in engineering practice, and extreme events with applications in design.

This design course targets the solution of clinical problems by use of implants and other medical devices. Topics include the systematic use of cell-matrix control volumes; the role of stress analysis in the design process; anatomic fit, shape and size of implants; selection of biomaterials; instrumentation for surgical implantation procedures; preclinical testing for safety and efficacy, including risk/benefit ratio assessment evaluation of clinical performance and design of clinical trials. Student project materials are drawn from orthopedic devices, soft tissue implants, artificial organs, and dental implants.

This course covers the complete cycle of designing an ocean system using computational design tools for the conceptual and preliminary design stages. Students complete the projects in teams with each student responsible for a specific subsystem. Lectures cover such topics as hydrodynamics; structures; power and thermal aspects of ocean vehicles; environment, materials, and construction for ocean use; and generation and evaluation of design alternatives. The course focuses on innovative design concepts chosen from high-speed ships, submersibles, autonomous vehicles, and floating and submerged deep-water offshore platforms. Lectures on ethics in engineering practice are included, and instruction and practice in oral and written communication is provided.

The course covers the basic techniques for evaluating the maximum forces and loads over the life of a marine structure or vehicle, so as to be able to design its basic configuration. Loads and motions of small and large structures and their short-term and long-term statistics are studied in detail and many applications are presented in class and studied in homework and laboratory sessions. Issues related to seakeeping of ships are studied in detail. The basic equations and issues of maneuvering are introduced at the end of the course. Three laboratory sessions demonstrate the phenomena studied and provide experience with experimental methods and data processing.

This course was originally offered in Course 13 (Ocean Engineering) as 13.42.

The course explores visionary and practical concepts of city design and planning, past and present, and how design can address such looming challenges as urban population growth, climate change and rising sea levels. Participants will be encouraged to make proposals for city design and development, starting with their own immediate environment.

How can architecture help people in times of urgent need caused by natural disasters? In this course, we will design resilient schools that could serve as community centers and shelters for the victims of the devastating typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

Learn the fundamentals of digital signal processing theory and discover the myriad ways DSP makes everyday life more productive and fun.

An age-old and highly skilled trade, carpentry has evolved to incorporate improved building materials and construction methods. Modern-day carpenters find themselves working on a variety of projects that span both the residential and commercial sectors. A sound knowledge of the tools, materials, and building methods is therefore an indispensable requirement of the job. This free online Diploma course introduces the learner to the current practices in the trade. The first section of the course traces the history of the trade from the primitive to the modern times. It focuses on the various building materials, fasteners, adhesives, and tools used by carpenters in the construction industry. A brief explanation of the safety guidelines and procedures is also covered in this section. The essential work performed by carpenters during the construction phase of any project comprises the next section of this course. Here, the learner is introduced to reading plans and elevations, and the methodologies for constructing floor systems, wall and roof framing. The final section of the course deals with the work involved in closing off a structure. From introduction to concrete forms used in construction to the installation of windows, exterior doors and stairs, this section provides a brief overview of these topics. This free Diploma course will be of great interest to professionals who want to learn about contemporary procedures and practices in carpentry. It will also be of interest to all learners who want to further develop their career in carpentry and the construction trade. <br />

Electricity lights up our streets and buildings, and enables us to use and enjoy the many electronic devices that make our lives more comfortable. Skilled electricians and engineers work behind the scenes to ensure that we receive a continuous supply of electric power. In order to do this, they need to have a thorough understanding of the basic concepts and practices of the electrical trade that enables them to install and maintain functional electrical systems. <br /><br />In ALISON's free online diploma course, the first section introduces you to the electrical trade. Topics on electrical safety, electrical circuits, and electrical theory are discussed in this section. The next section of the course focuses on what constitutes an electrical wiring system. This section explains the installation procedures and storage techniques for electrical wiring components such as device boxes, raceways and fittings, conductors and cables. The final section of the course covers the electrical drawings and test equipment used in the trade. Some of this test equipment includes ammeters, galvanometers, voltmeters, multi-meters. <br /><br />ALISON's free Diploma course will be of great interest to professionals in the areas of construction and electrical engineering. Learners who want to gain a practical knowledge and understanding of the electrical trade would also benefit from the concepts explained in this course.<br />

This course introduces principles and technologies for converting heat into electricity via solid-state devices. The first part of the course discusses thermoelectric energy conversion and thermoelectric materials, thermionic energy conversion, and photovoltaics. The second part of the course discusses solar thermal technologies. Various solar heat collection systems will be reviewed, followed by an introduction to the principles of solar thermophotovoltaics and solar thermoelectrics. Spectral control techniques, which are critical for solar thermal systems, will be discussed.